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Acknowledgments
Developed by
Patricia Christies, Planetarium Education Officer, Museum Victoria.
Thanks to
Maria Santburn, NMIT; Simon Dalton and Janet Marlow, Museum Victoria Education Service.
Photographs courtesy of Museum Victoria unless otherwise stated.
Design Company
Pike Design
These materials were developed by Museum Victoria for use in education institutions and
at Scienceworks Museum. They may be reproduced for teaching purposes. Permission
to reproduce any material for other purposes must be obtained from Museum Victoria.
© Museum Victoria 2006
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Contents
Teacher
notes
Overview
Outline of House Secrets exhibition programs
Inventions in the home
Energy transformations
House Secrets exhibition synopsis
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Outline of Melbourne Planetarium programs
Our Earth, Sun and seasons
Navigating by the stars
Melbourne Planetarium show synopses
Outline of The Lightning Room programs
Electrical Energy, Safety and Lightning Show
Electricity, Magnets and Movement Show
The Lightning Room Show synopses
On-site
activities for students
House Secrets exhibition
Inventions in the home focus questions (Certificate I)
Energy transformations focus questions (Certificate II)
Melbourne Planetarium
Spinning Out–Earth, Sun and seasons focus questions (Certificate I & II)
Guiding Lights–Navigating by the stars focus questions
The Lightning Room
Contents
Electrical Energy and Lightning focus questions (Certificate I)
Electricity, Magnets and Movement focus questions (Certificate II)
Pre and post-visit activities
Inventions in the home (Certificate I)
Vocabulary list
Pre-visit Activity 1: Useful tools
Activity 2: Simple machines
Activity 3: Levers around the house
Post-visit Activity 4: Inventions
Activity 5: Conserving energy
Energy transformations (Certificate II)
Vocabulary list
Pre-visit Activity 1: Understanding sound waves
Activity 2: Appliance science
Activity 3: Cooling effects of evaporation
Activity 4: Make a Coolgardie safe
Post-visit Activity 5: Domestic appliances
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Our Earth, Sun and seasons (Certificate I and II)
Vocabulary list
Pre-visit Activity1: A model of the Earth and Moon
Activity 2: Day and night on Earth
Activity 3: Diurnal motion
Activity 4: Reasons for the seasons
Activity 5: A model showing the path of the Sun
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Post-visit Activity 6: Science and the seasons (Certificate I)
Activity 7: Some days are really longer than others (Certificate II)
Activity 8: The angle of light makes a difference (A) (B)
Activity 9: People shadows
Activity 10: Using shadows to tell the time
Activity 11: Making your own equatorial sundial
Activity 12: Different Seasons
Navigating by the stars (Certificate I and II)
Vocabulary list
Pre-visit Activity 1: What is longitude and latitude?
Activity 2: Using the Southern Cross to find South
Activity 3: Measuring your latitude using hand-spans
Activity 4: Measuring your latitude using a quadrant
Post-visit Activity 5: Space spin-offs (Certificate I & II)
Activity 6: Where on Earth are you? (Certificate II)
Electrical safety (Certificate I)
Vocabulary list
Pre-visit Activity 1: Static experiences
Activity 2: Hundreds and thousands
Activity 3: Lemon battery
Activity 4: Conductors and insulators
Activity 5: Role-play circuit
Activity 6: Switches and circuits
Contents
Post-visit Activity 7: Shocking facts about lightning
Activity 8: Appliance science
Activity 9: Life without electricity
Activity 10: Electrical safety
Activity 11: Electrical safety at home
Electricity, magnets & motors (Certificate II)
Vocabulary list
Pre-visit Activity 1: Power to the people
Activity 2: An electromagnet with a switch
Activity 3: Vibrating light globes
Activity 4: Do-it-yourself generator
Post-visit Activity 5: Simple electric motors
Activity 6: Life without electricity
Activity 7: Electricity–time line
Biographies
Activity 8: Electrical Safety
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Teacher notes
Welcome to the new Adult Education program at Scienceworks, designed to relate students’
experiences at Scienceworks to Certificates I and II of the Certificate of Science for Adults (CSA).
The program has three components, based on three locations at Scienceworks that have proven popular
with adults:
1. House Secrets exhibition,
2. Melbourne Planetarium (Spinning Out show or Guiding Lights show), and
3. The Lightning Room (Electrical Energy, Safety and Lightning show or Electricity, Magnets and
Movement show).
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Resources for each component include: a synopsis of the show or exhibition; curriculum relevance,
assessment and topic links for Certificate I and/or II; suggested pre-visit, on-site and post-visit activities
for students.
You may select one or more components for your Adult Education program at Scienceworks. Each
component must be booked before your group’s excursion. Allow at least 45 minutes for each
component you select, with additional time for your students to view other exhibitions and outdoor
areas. Please telephone our Booking Office to discuss available times.
Bookings
All Adult Education groups must book to ensure access to shows and avoid over-crowding in the
exhibitions. An $11 booking fee applies per group; teachers and aides are admitted free when booked
with students. Adult students are admitted free to Scienceworks and the House Secrets exhibition;
concession ticket fees apply for the Planetarium and The Lightning Room shows.
Scienceworks Booking Office is open 8:30am – 4:30pm weekdays; phone 03 9392 4819.
If you would like to know more information about this program or others offered
at Scienceworks please ask to speak to an Education Officer.
Essential preparation for teachers
• Read the synopsis of the program component(s) you have chosen;
Teacher notes
• Complete some or all of the suggested pre-visit activities with your students;
• Encourage students to become familiar with the vocabulary listed for the on-site activities before
the excursion;
• Photocopy on-site activities for students to use at Scienceworks;
• Select post-visit activities.
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Overview
All programs for Adult Education groups should include one or more of the on-site activities together with
some or all of the related classroom activities.
Determine which combination will best suit your group, and inform your students. Research has shown
that setting objectives for a museum visit is extremely important for students. It makes the purpose of the
excursion clear to them and assists their ability to focus during their visit to an exhibition and/or shows.
The suggested pre-visit activities provide students with an introduction to the science behind the selected
program. They are designed to familiarise students with the vocabulary, definitions and concepts they will
encounter while at Scienceworks; word lists are also provided. The synopses included provide the teacher
and students with useful information relevant to the topic and on-site activity.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
The on-site activities are designed to focus the students on topic related experiences at Scienceworks and
provide a basis for extended learning.
The suggested post-visit activities help reinforce and extend the students’ knowledge and understanding
of the topic(s) covered.
The educational level of the activities varies: teachers are advised to modify or extend any of the ideas
presented to best suit the needs of individual students or student groups.
House Secrets exhibition
This exhibition is available for 1 hour program bookings at specified times. Students may follow the
pathway sheets Inventions in the home (written for Certificate I) or the Energy transformations (for
Certificate II).
Melbourne Planetarium
We recommended the Spinning Out show for both Certificates I & II (the daily and seasonal movements
of the Earth, Sun and other stars) or the Guiding Lights show for both Certificates I & II) - navigating
by the stars show. A planetarium show lasts about 45 minutes, with an audio-visual presentation in a
domed theatre followed by a practical guide entitled What’s in the sky tonight? presented by a
planetarium staff member.
The Lightning Room
Teacher notes
The Electrical Energy, Safety and Lightning Show (for Certificate I) and The Electricity, Magnets and
Movement Show (for Certificate II) both provide a general introduction to electricity, spectacular
demonstrations and audience participation. Each show runs for about 40 minutes.
Medical condition caution
Please inform your students that some equipment used in The Lightning Room generates sudden
loud noises during the shows. People with hearing problems or hearing-aids may be affected.
The presenter will warn the audience before loud noises.
For more information about these shows please phone 03 9392 4819 and ask to speak to a Scienceworks
Education Officer.
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Outline of House Secrets programs
This exhibition explores the science behind the familiar things in our home, the food we eat, the
appliances we use and the animals that we share our living space with. Two sets of activities based on
‘Science in the home’ have been developed to support programs for CSA Certificates I and II.
Inventions in the home (Certificate I)
Suggested pre-visit activities
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Activity 1 Useful tools
Activity 2 Simple machines
Activity 3 Levers around the house
On-site activities at Scienceworks
House Secrets exhibition
A range of interactive exhibits in household settings encourage students to investigate science through
everyday objects. For details of the exhibits and the objects on display, see the exhibition synopsis
(page 5) .
Students complete Invention in the home focus questions as they explore the exhibition.
Suggested post-visit activities
Activity 4 Inventions
Activity 5 Conserving energy
Certificate relevance
Science in the Community
LO 1 Science and Society
LO 3 Hazards
LO 4 Scientific Changes
Teacher notes
Exploring Science
LO 3 Movement and Energy
Assessment and Topic links
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Energy transformations (Certificate II)
Suggested pre-visit activities
Activity 1 Understanding sound waves
Activity 2 Appliance science
Activity 3 Cooling effects of evaporation
Activity 4 Make a Coolgardie safe
On-site activities at Scienceworks
House Secrets exhibition
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Interactive exhibits and displays of domestic appliances encourage students to investigate energy
changes in everyday objects. For details of the appliances and exhibits presented, see exhibition
synopsis (page 5).
Students complete the Energy transformations focus questions as they explore
the exhibition.
Suggested post-visit activity
Activity 5: Domestic appliances
Certificate relevance
Science in the Community
LO 1 Science and Society
LO 3 Hazards
LO 4 Scientific Changes
Exploring Science
LO3 Forces and Energy
Assessment and Topic links
Teacher notes
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
House Secrets exhibition synopsis
Our homes are a feast of adventures in science, engineering and biology. House Secrets explores the
science of domestic products, foodstuffs and materials, how some appliances and gadgets work and the
non-human inhabitants of your home.
Electrical appliances and other gadgets featured include: electric motor, telephone, hairdryer, doorbell,
clothes iron, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, toaster, refrigerator, loudspeaker, CD, television, makeup mirror, meat cleaver, grater, vegetable peeler, lever-type can opener, pepper grinder, egg beater,
whisk, knife, scissors, nutcracker, toilet.
Audiovisual displays include:
Microwave meals—what happens when eggs, metals, grapes, popcorn, pappadams and marshmallows
are zapped in a microwave;
Get the picture—how colour television-sets produce images.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
The exhibition is divided into six sections: Entry Hall, Kitchen, Living Room, Bedroom, Bathroom, Laundry
and The Porch. A description of the main displays in each section
is provided below.
Teacher notes
Section 1: Entry Hall
Ding...Dong... Find out how an electromagnetic doorbell works.
It’s for you Telephone facts: Who ‘invented’ it? How does it work?
Hickory dickory dock See how a pendulum clock operates.
In the attic Use the periscope to look into the attic. What can you see?
Moving side to side or round and round? This illusion uses a Polaroid lens to create a ‘depth illusion’
where a clock pendulum appears to go round and round.
Rotating illusions Optical illusions can play tricks because sometimes you see only what your brain
expects to see.
Different Eyes How do flies and bees see the world?
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Section 2: Kitchen
The electric kitchen See inside electric appliances and find out about energy transformations.
Electrical appliances - heat Electrical appliances can convert electricity into heat, movement or
electromagnetic waves.
Electrical appliances - mechanical Motors use magnets to turn electricity into the movement of
mechanical parts.
Electricity to electromagnetic waves Microwave ovens generate electromagnetic waves. How do
they work?
Kitchen tools - look at all the machinery Discover how simple machines are used in the kitchen.
Fridge flow Find out how a fridge works. Feel what happens to the temperature of a refrigerant as it
changes state from a liquid to a gas and from a gas to a liquid.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Mouldy food models See food before and after it is affected by moulds.
Grubs in your grub! Meet the animals that invade and eat our food. Weevils and maggots and ants,
oh my!
Pop goes the toaster Look inside to find which parts make the toast pop up.
Cranky the toaster - create energy & make toast Have you got enough energy to cook toast? Crank
the handle and find out.
Bacteria made visible Match the kitchen activity to the bacteria it leaves on a hand.
Surprise facts about food What is it used for? Where does it come from?
Good enough to eat Why do we cook food? What foods go in the fridge? Find out how we can look
after ourselves by looking after our food.
Kitchen materials - feely box These natural and manufactured materials have special properties that
make them useful in the kitchen.
Demonstration area Live presentations of physical forces and chemical reactions that occur in the
house. These are provided for booked audiences.
Section 3: Living Room
House music - see how a CD player works A CD spins at different speeds, depending on the position
of the laser.
Suction and Cyclone Compare the suction of different vacuum cleaners.
Teacher notes
Chandelier challenge Can you pedal fast enough to light up the chandelier? Get some friends to help
you light it up even more.
Record grooves See how sound is recorded on vinyl records.
Television - Behind the Screen See how a standard colour television works.
Loud and clear Discover how loudspeakers turn electric signals into sound.
Vacuum cleaners - a gallery of dust suckers See how a standard vacuum cleaner works.
Flea feats Make the fleas jump using compressed air. Find fun flea facts.
Dust bag creatures and fibres See what a vacuum cleaner sucks up.
3D Bugs in boxes If a shrinking machine could make you 10,000 times smaller, you might meet
these creatures.
Make waves Crank the handle to make long and short waves. Which take more energy to create?
Back of couch Find out what is down the back of our couch.
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Section 4: Bedroom
Dresser mirror See yourself as others see you! Compare images created by a plane mirror with a
trough mirror.
Fashion secrets Microscopic views of natural weaves and synthetic fibres in your clothes reveal some
amazing landscapes.
Wiggle time The light emitting diodes on a clock radio are flashing too quickly for us to see. Blowing a
raspberry makes your head vibrate and the numbers seem to wiggle.
What do you sleep on? Compare different types of mattress springs.
Number maker Calculators, clocks and timers use electronic displays based on this simple pattern.
What numbers and letters can you make?
Can you make a calculator talk? Nerdy calculator tricks, but we do them in a safe environment.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Mystery of the flashing fluoro A stroboscope enables us to see that a fluorescent light blinks about 100
times a second.
Sliding puzzles Slide the tiles to complete the picture.
Shadow animals Light travels in straight lines. Small lights make sharp shadows. Wide light sources
make fuzzy shadows.
Good night dust mite Meet the dust mites that live in your mattress.
Hide and seek Can you find the mozzie before the mozzie finds you? Find out how mosquitoes
locate food.
You must remember this -Memory drawers The old memory game. There are six pairs of matching
objects. Half of the pair is old. The other is new. Can you match them up?
Section 5: Bathroom
Slime world #1 Slimy bacteria and fungi grow in your drain.
Slime world #2 Bioslime grows well in the dark. It can be white, grey, clear or pink.
Hair flow Explore the forces that keep a ball floating on air.
Shower water use How much water do you use in the shower?
Create a stir Gravity pulls the water down into the drain and water near the centre moves faster.
This creates a funnel shape vortex.
Flush with success - the cut-away toilet See what happens when you push the button.
Teacher notes
The great tile temperature surprise These tiles are the same temperatures, but some feel cool.
Materials that feel cool are better at carrying heat away from your skin.
Getting a big head The curved surface of an enlarging mirror reflects light at angles that make
these images.
Mmmmm... What is that scent? Which scent would you wear?
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Section 6: Laundry
Mouse nest What do mice need to survive?
Its a clean machine Spin the washing machine drum. See what happens.
Tumble dry Watch how the clothes move around inside the dryer.
Clothes that glow Some laundry detergents contain fluorescent chemicals. These chemicals absorb
ultra-violet light and give out visible light making clothes appear whiter and brighter.
Big Tap Little Tap See how taps operate.
Dripping tap A dripping tap wastes 30 litres a day - that’s over 10,000 litres a year!
Grey water Grey water is waste water from washing. If you use low-phosphate detergents it can go onto
the garden rather than down the drain.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Section 7: Porch
Fly Have a close look at a fly’s eating gear.
Moth Why are moths attracted to light?
Rainbow maker Prove that white light is made up of all the colours of the rainbow.
Lock 1 See how a simple lock operates.
Lock 2 See how a front door lock operates.
Insulation box Insulation is a barrier to the flow of heat. Ceiling insulation keeps a house cool in summer
and warm in winter.
Teacher notes
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Outline of Melbourne Planetarium programs
The two programs developed for CSA Certificate I and II students cover different astronomical topics
and activities as outlined below. They include viewing either the Spinning Out or Guiding Lights show in
the Planetarium during a visit to Scienceworks. Each planetarium show includes a practical guide to the
current night sky—entitled What’s in the sky tonight?—presented by a planetarium staff member.
Our Earth, Sun and seasons
Suggested pre-visit activities (Certificate I and II)
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Activity1: A model of the Earth and Moon
Activity 2: Day and night on Earth
Activity 3: Diurnal motion
Activity 4: Reasons for the seasons
Activity 5: A model showing the path of the Sun
On-site activities at Scienceworks
Planetarium show: Spinning Out
Anna and her ‘school-of-the-air’ teacher Mr Weedman discuss a lesson about the Earth, Sun and
seasons—with the help of Anna’s imagination and an unusual two-way radio.
After leaving the Planetarium, students should work in groups of 3-4 to complete the Spinning Out focus
questions.
Related programs: Earth Moon and Sun or Journey to Mars Science Shows, the Big Bang Planetarium
show. Visit our website http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/ or telephone our
Booking Office for details and availability.
Suggested post-visit activities
Teacher notes
Certificate I
Activity 6: Science and the seasons
Certificate II
Activity 7: Some days are really longer than others
Activity 8: The angle of light makes a difference
Activity 8: People shadows
Activity 10: Using shadows to tell the time
Activity 11: Making your own equatorial sundial
Activity 12: Researching the seasons and culture
Certificate relevance
Certificate I
Science in the Community: LO 1 Science and Society
Science in the Community: LO 4 Scientific Changes
Exploring Science: LO 5 Earth in Space
Certificate II Science in the Community: LO 1 Science and Society
Science in the Community: LO 4 Scientific Changes
Exploring Science:
LO 5 Universe and Time
Assessment links
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
Navigating by the stars (Certificate I and II)
Suggested pre-visit activities
Activity 1: What is longitude and latitude?
Activity 2: Using the Southern Cross to find South
Activity 3: Measuring your latitude using hand-spans
Activity 4: Measuring your latitude using a quadrant
On-site activities at Scienceworks
Planetarium show: Guiding Lights: Navigating by the stars
Discover how the splendour of the night sky can be used to find our way over land, across the seas or
out in space.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
After leaving the Planetarium, students should work in groups of 3-4 to complete the Guiding Lights
focus questions.
Related programs: Journey to Mars or Simple Machines Science Shows. Visit our website
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/ or telephone our Booking Office for details
and availability.
Suggested post-visit activities
Activity 5: Space spin-offs (Certificate I & II)
Activity 6: Where on Earth are you? (Certificate II only)
Certificate relevance
Certificate I
Exploring Science: LO 5 Earth in Space
Certificate II
Exploring Science: LO5 Universe and Time
Assessment links
Teacher notes
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
10
Spinning Out planetarium show synopsis
Anna lives on a remote property in the Southern part of Australia. The nearest school is too far away for
her to attend every day, so she takes her school lessons via school of the air. Anna talks to her teacher,
Mr Weedman, using a two-way radio.
Today’s lesson is on the Earth, Sun and seasons. Anna has already done the work for this lesson, but
Mr Weedman isn’t convinced that Anna really understands what is going on. He asks Anna to use her
imagination and she does just that. The two-way radio that she uses transforms into a radio creature that
leads Anna through her imaginative journey. We see the Earth from space and watch day turn into night
as the Earth rotates. We also view Earth’s orbit around the Sun, demonstrating the importance of the
Earth’s tilt in causing the seasons. Back at Anna’s homestead we see how the Sun travels different paths
across the sky, depending on the season. During summer, the Sun travels further and higher in the sky
than at winter.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
The constellations visible in the night sky also change with the seasons, and Anna points out two of her
favourite constellations: Scorpius and the Southern Cross. We discover that Scorpius is constellation
in the Zodiac, which means that it is one of twelve special constellations in the sky that the Sun
moves through over the course of a year. The path that the Sun takes as it moves through the zodiac
constellations is called the ecliptic.
Next we find out about the Southern Cross and how it is used to find south. Within Anna’s imagination,
time can be sped up and we see that the stars appear to move across the sky throughout the night,
rising in the east and setting in the west. Mr Weedman explains that they are all circling around the
South Celestial Pole, a point in the sky directly above the South Pole on Earth. To understand what this
means, Anna takes us directly to the South Pole where we see the stars circling overhead. At the South
Pole the seasons are extreme with roughly six months of daylight, followed by six months of night. In
contrast, near the equator, there is very little difference between summer and winter. Every day has
twelve hours of daylight and the path of the Sun hardly changes.
Guiding Lights planetarium show synopsis
People have utilized the Sun and other stars for thousands of years in the practice of celestial navigation.
Guiding Lights: Navigating by the stars demonstrates the connection between the Earth and the stars
that allows us to use the sky to find our way.
Teacher notes
The Earth’s surface is now charted using lines of latitude and longitude, but back when sailors explored
unknown seas, their lives depended on the accuracy of their navigators. Over the centuries various
instruments, such as the kamal (Arabic), cross-staff and sextant were developed to determine latitude.
However, measuring longitude at sea was not as straightforward and only in relatively recent times was
a solution found. This was the invention of the chronometer (a highly accurate sea-going clock) that
enabled longitude to be measured easily.
Two skilled navigators of the 17th century were the English captain James Cook and a Polynesian priest
named Tupaia*. ‘Guiding Lights’ outlines their complementary techniques of celestial navigation that
allowed them to travel together thousands of kilometres across the southern Pacific Ocean without
losing their way.
We now find ourselves in the era of space exploration but still many of the same navigational techniques
are used. A sextant-type device aboard the Apollo spacecraft helped guide man to the Moon, while
the many unmanned spacecraft exploring our Solar System take photographs of the stars to check
their course. Our ability to launch objects into space has also led to a rapid advancement in earthbound
navigation. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of satellites orbiting the Earth that can be
used to determine the latitude and longitude of a location with unprecedented accuracy.
[* Polynesian navigators used the position of stars rising on the horizon for orientation, and had a
sophisticated method for calculating their position on the open ocean. One such navigator, the priest
Tupaia, joined Captain Cook at Tahiti and travelled with him to New Zealand, Australia and on to Batavia
(Jakarta) in 1771—where Tupaia died. Cook wrote that Tupaia managed to keep track of his position
throughout the journey, and was always able to point towards Tahiti.]
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11
Outline of The Lightning Room programs
Dramatic topical shows are presented in our purpose-built high voltage laboratory/theatre which features
demonstration equipment unique to Scienceworks.
Medical caution: please note that The Lightning Room equipment generates electrical and magnetic
fields. Sudden loud noises may also occur during the shows. Persons with heart conditions, medical
implants or hearing aids may be at risk. If it is suspected that you or your students may be affected
please seek medical advice before visiting Scienceworks.
Electrical safety (Certificate I)
Adult Education at Scienceworks
Suggested pre-visit activities
Teacher notes
Suggested post-visit activities
Activity 1: Static experiences
Activity 2: Hundreds and thousands
Activity 3: Lemon battery
Activity 4: Conductors and insulators
Activity 5: Role-play circuit
Activity 6: Switches and circuits
On-site activities at Scienceworks
The Lightning Room: The Electrical Energy, Safety and Lightning Show
This show demonstrates energy transfers and transformations involving electricity generation and use.
Highlights include demonstrations of lightning strikes using a giant Tesla coil, and safety strategies to use
in electrical storms. See the Show synopsis (page 14) for details.
Students may complete the Electrical energy and lightning focus questions during or after the show.
Related activities: In the House Secrets exhibition explore the science behind electrical appliances in the
home—a doorbell, telephone, hairdryer, clothes iron, toaster, CD, television and others.
Your students may see some of the exhibits during general viewing times, or to book to ensure access
and time to complete relevant activities (see House Secrets programs Outline page 4); telephone our
Booking Office for details and availability.
Activity 7: Shocking facts about lightning
Activity 8: Appliance science
Activity 9: Life without electricity
Activity 10: Electrical safety
Activity 11: Electrical safety at home
Certificate relevance
Assessment links
Science in the Community
LO 1 Science and Society
LO 4 Scientific Changes
LO 3 Hazards
Exploring Science
LO3 Movement and Energy
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
12
Electricity & motors (Certificate II)
Suggested pre-visit activities
Activity 1: Power to the people
Activity 2: An electromagnet with a switch
Activity 3: Vibrating light globes
Activity 4: Do-it-yourself generator
On-site activities
The Lightning Room: The Electricity, Magnets and Movement show
Adult Education at Scienceworks
This show explores the relationships between electricity, magnetism and movement and how these
concepts affect our lives. It looks at how current electricity is produced using permanent magnets and
coils of wire. The show features historic objects from the museum collection as well as spectacular highvoltage equipment donated by Telstra.
Students may complete the Electricity, magnets and movement question sheet during or after the show.
Related activities in the House Secrets exhibition: students can use interactive exhibits to explore the
science behind household electrical appliances. These include an electric motor, telephone, doorbell and
loudspeaker.
Your students may see some of the exhibits during general viewing times, or to book to ensure access
and time to complete relevant activities (see House Secrets programs page 3); telephone our Booking
Office for details and availability.
Suggested post-visit activities
Activity 5: Simple electric motors
Activity 6: Life without electricity
Activity 7: Electricity–time line
Activity 8: Electrical safety
Activity 9: Who invented the electric motor?
Certificate relevance
Teacher notes
Science in the Community
LO 1 Science and Society
LO 3 Hazards
LO 4 Scientific Changes
Exploring Science
LO3 Forces and Energy
Assessment links
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
13
The Lightning Room Show synopses
Introduction
The high-voltage equipment inside the giant wire cage was used by Telstra engineers to test the effects
of lightning strikes on telephone cables. The equipment makes strong electric and magnetic fields which
in turn create radio waves and microwaves. The metal wire mesh prevents these radio waves and
microwaves from leaving the cage.
The Van de Graaff generator makes a smaller spark, but still sends out a radio wave that has scramble
our lighting console and mobile phone memories, so please turn off all mobile phones.
There will be loud noises in the show. The best thing to do is block your ears; we’ll tell you when to do
this.
Adult Education at Scienceworks
The Electrical Energy, Safety and Lightning Show
This forty-minute presentation explores how electrical energy can be transformed into other forms using
everyday appliances.
Observe how charge is transferred between different materials when they are rubbed together.
Explore the rules of static electricity, like charges repel, unlike charges attract. See these effects in action
as a brave volunteer is charged up to between 50,000 and 100,000 volts.
Look at how electrical energy is transformed into other forms by toasters and light-bulbs.
Discover which materials make good conductors and insulators. Learn that electricity can flow across
human skin.
See a Jacob’s ladder in action. See that different gasses make different colours when electricity flows
through them.
Find out what coloured light is given off by an electrified pickled cucumber.
Learn the benefits of using circuit breakers rather than fuses in household circuits.
Learn what to do if someone is receiving an electric shock.
The show finishes with a demonstration of ‘lightning’ using a two million volt Tesla coil and a discussion
of safety in lightning storms.
Electricity movement and magnetism show
Teacher notes
This forty-minute presentation explores the relationships between electricity, magnetism and movement
and how these concepts affect our lives.
Observe how charge is transferred between different materials when they are rubbed together.
Explore the rules of static electricity, like charges repel, unlike charges attract. See these effects in action
as a brave volunteer is charged up to between 50,000 and 100,000 volts.
Look at how current electricity is produced using permanent magnets and coils of wire. Then see how
they do it in power stations.
Discover that an electric guitar pick-up is a mini power station. Make and use a microphone. Observe
how they both transform movement energy into electric energy.
Two volunteers take the electromagnet challenge to experience how an electric current produces a
magnetic field.
Build a simple DC motor and a loud speaker. See how electricity and magnetism can produce movement.
An aluminium can is crushed using the magnetic effects of the electricity released by a 32000-volt
capacitor.
The show finishes with a demonstration of ‘lightning’ using a two million volt Tesla coil and a discussion
of safety in lightning storms.
Each show includes the use of historic objects from the museum collection as well as the spectacular
high-voltage equipment donated to Scienceworks by the Telstra Research Laboratory.
http://museumvictoria.com.au/Scienceworks/Education/
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