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The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student
Work, and Teacher Commentary. Many more GaDOE approved instructional plans are available by using the Search Standards
feature located on GeorgiaStandards.Org.
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science – High School
Unit: Charge
Differentiated Task
Light it Up!
Subject Area: Physical Science
Grade: High School
Standards (Content and Characteristics):
SPS10. Students will investigate the properties of electricity and magnetism.
a. Explain the flow of electrons in terms of
• Alternating and directing current.
• The relationship among voltage, resistance and current.
• Simple series and parallel circuits.
SPS8 Students will determine relationships among force, mass, and motion.
a. Apply Newton’s three laws to everyday situations by explaining the following:
• Inertia
• Relationship between force, mass, and acceleration
• Equal and opposite forces
SCSh1. Students will evaluate the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and
skepticism in science.
a. Exhibit the above traits in their own scientific activities.
b. Recognize that different explanations often can be given for the same
evidence.
c. Explain that further understanding of scientific problems relies on the design
and execution of new experiments which may reinforce or weaken opposing
explanations.
SCSh2. Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field
investigations.
a. Follow correct procedures for use of scientific apparatus.
b. Demonstrate appropriate techniques in all laboratory situations.
c. Follow correct protocol for identifying and reporting safety problems and
violations.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
PHYSICAL SCIENCE y HIGH SCHOOL y CHARGE!
9-6-07 y Page 1 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science- High School
SCSh3. Students will identify and investigate problems scientifically.
a. Suggest reasonable hypotheses for identified problems.
b. Develop procedures for solving scientific problems.
c. Collect, organize and record appropriate data.
d. Graphically compare and analyze data points and/or summary statistics.
e. Develop reasonable conclusions based on data collected.
f. Evaluate whether conclusions are reasonable by reviewing the process and
checking against other available information.
SCSh4. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and
manipulating scientific equipment and materials.
a. Develop and use systematic procedures for recording and organizing
information.
SCSh5. Students will demonstrate the computation and estimation skills necessary for
analyzing data and developing reasonable scientific explanations.
a. Trace the source on any large disparity between estimated and calculated
answers to problems.
b. Consider possible effects of measurement errors on calculations.
c. Recognize the relationship between accuracy and precision.
d. Express appropriate numbers of significant figures for calculated data, using
scientific notation where appropriate.
e. Solve scientific problems by substituting quantitative values, using dimensional
analysis, and/or simple algebraic formulas as appropriate.
SCSh6. Students will communicate scientific investigations and information clearly.
a. Write clear, coherent laboratory reports related to scientific investigations.
c. Use data as evidence to support scientific arguments and claims in written or
oral presentations.
d. Participate in group discussions of scientific investigation and current scientific
issues.
SCSh9. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
c. Building vocabulary knowledge
ƒ Demonstrate an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various
subjects.
ƒ Use content vocabulary in writing and speaking.
ƒ Explore understanding of new words found in subject area texts.
d. Establishing context
ƒ Explore life experiences related to subject area content.
ƒ Discuss in both writing and speaking how certain words are subject area related.
ƒ Determine strategies for finding content and contextual meaning for unknown
words.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y High School y Charge
9-6-07 y Page 2 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science- High School
Enduring Understandings:
The student will understand that:
ƒ Electric current is the result of the motion of charged particles across a conductor.
ƒ Friction forces can cause the accumulation of an unbalanced amount of charged particles on
the surface of an object.
ƒ The voltage created between two objects due to the presence of an unbalanced charge may
create an electric spark or shock.
ƒ Electrons can be transferred from one charged conductor to another by physical contact.
ƒ An electric current requires a complete circuit and a voltage source.
ƒ The amount of current that flows in a circuit depends on both the resistance and the voltage
of the source.
ƒ In a series circuit the same amount of current flows through all the components.
ƒ In a parallel circuit the voltage drop across each component is equal and equal to the voltage
of the power source.
ƒ In a direct current circuit the electrons flow in only one direction.
ƒ In an alternating current circuit the motion of the electrons alternates back and forth due to
the changing polarity of the voltage source.
Essential Question(s):
ƒ What does it mean when something is electrically charged?
ƒ How can an object become electrically charged?
ƒ Why can small birds sit on high-voltage power lines?
ƒ Why is an alternating current necessary for a motor to work?
ƒ What characteristics of the material make it a good conductor or insulator?
ƒ Why are insulators attracted to charged objects?
ƒ Why is alternating current commonly used in household applications?
Pre-Assessment: Give students three-five statements about the standards listed above and a
scale that goes from true, false, maybe, and no idea. This can be done as a ticket-out-the-door
the day prior to beginning this unit. Evaluate the quiz results and group students based on their
current knowledge level. This will allow the teacher to give a brief introduction to this activity
and then work with the “no idea” group for 10-15 minutes, the “maybe” group for 5-10 minutes,
and the “true” group for only a few minutes to get everyone started. Then the teacher should be
able to navigate the room offering help where needed.
Teacher Note:
It may be necessary to review the concepts related to Newton’s Laws of Motion as they apply to
the movement of charges in a circuit prior to this activity.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y High School y Charge
9-6-07 y Page 3 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science- High School
Outcome/
Performance Level
Indicator
Performance Task:
(Detailed
Description)
Teacher role?
Student role?
Resources
BASIC
Students will
construct a series and
parallel circuit using
detailed instructions.
Students will
differentiate between
the two, measure
voltage and current
across the circuit, and
calculate the
resistance using
Ohm’s Law.
Using the materials
and procedures
below, the teacher
will explain and
demonstrate how to
set up a circuit.
Following the
teacher’s
demonstration, the
students will then
construct series and
parallel circuits.
Students will measure
voltage using a
voltmeter and current
using an ammeter.
Using voltage and
current
measurements,
students will calculate
resistance in each
circuit using Ohm’s
Law.
Students will use two
resistors.
INTERMEDIATE
Students will
construct and
differentiate between
series and parallel
circuits, measure the
voltage and current
across the circuit, and
calculate the
resistance using
Ohm’s Law.
ADVANCED
Students will design,
construct and
differentiate between
series and parallel
circuits, measure the
voltage and current
across the circuit, and
calculate the
resistance using
Ohm’s Law.
Using the materials
and procedures below,
the teacher will allow
students to construct
their own circuits.
Students will measure
voltage using a
voltmeter and an
ammeter to measure
current. Using voltage
and current
measurements,
students will calculate
resistance of each
resistor in each circuit
using Ohm’s Law.
Students will use
more than two
resistors.
Using the materials
and some guiding
questions (see teacher
note below), the
teacher will allow
students to design and
construct their own
circuits. Students will
construct series and
parallel circuits and
using the equipment
that is provided
measure voltage and
current across the
circuit. Using voltage
and current
measurements,
students will calculate
resistance of each
resistor in each circuit
using Ohm’s Law.
Students will use
more than two
resistors of different
types.
lab and websites
attached below
lab and websites
attached below
lab and websites
attached below
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y High School y Charge
9-6-07 y Page 4 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science- High School
homework attached
homework attached
Homework/Extension homework attached
below
below
below
Procedures could be translated and recorded on audio cassette by
Instructional Tasks
Accommodations for language teacher and given to student prior to lab. ELL student could
play a major role in building circuits, taking measurements, and
ELL Students
discussing observations and outcomes while lab partner (Englishspeaking) records data and writes report. Provide teacher formatted lab
sheet. Provide video clips for content. Allow simple schematics to be
used.
Pair disabled student with regular student. The disabled student could
Instructional Tasks
Accommodations for build circuits, take measurements, and discuss observations and
outcomes while lab partner records data and writes report. Provide
Students with
teacher formatted lab sheet. Provide video clips for content. Allow
Specific Disabilities
simple schematics to be used.
Working in pairs, students should show all resistance calculations.
Instructional Tasks
Accommodations for Students must also include a switch and a door bell in the circuit where
the doorbell remains on even when the lights go off.
Gifted Students
Web Resources for interactive circuits and other electronic components:
It may be beneficial for students to access these sites prior to the performance task.
http://www.physics.uoguelph.ca/applets/Intro_physics/kisalev/java/resist2/index.html
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Voltage/index.html
http://www.unitedstreaming.com
Materials:
• 2 size-D dry cells (batteries)
• Various pieces of copper wire
• flashlight bulbs, sections of holiday lights or various resistors
• bulb holders if available
• battery holders if available
• alligator clips if available
• 1 voltmeter
• 1 ammeter
• 1 switch
For demonstration purposes
• one large scale series circuit
• one large scale parallel circuit
• light bulbs, resistors of various wattages
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y High School y Charge
9-6-07 y Page 5 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science- High School
Safety Hazards: Students should wear goggles and aprons. Avoid batteries coming in contact
with water and other liquids. Caution students that battery connections will generate heat.
Student lab setups should not exceed more than 2 D batteries.
Teacher note:
Provide students with a data table to save time.
Differentiate the materials and the instructions/diagrams that are available to each group. For
example:
Group 1: (Basic)
• Detailed instructions which include a teacher demonstration.
• Diagram of each circuit.
• Only provide two resistors
Group 2: (Intermediate)
• Instructions
• More than two resistors
Group 3: (Advanced)
• Procedure is not provided for this group. This group will write their own procedure using
guiding questions. Examples of questions may include:
1. How can your group power the given resistors using the materials that are provided?
2. Design a circuit that will power resistors in the circuit even when one resistor is
disabled or removed.
• Several resistors of varying types (door bell, buzzer, holiday lights, flashlight bulbs etc.)
Procedure
1. Using the given materials, construct a series circuit that contains a power source (1
battery), a resistor, wires, and a switch. Diagram your completed circuit showing the flow
of energy when the switch is open and when it is closed. Explain what happens when the
switch is opened and why.
2. Connect the voltmeter and measure the voltage across the circuit. Remove the voltmeter
and replace with the ammeter to measure the current across the circuit. Record your
observations in your data table.
3. Repeat steps one and two adding a resistor. Diagram your circuit and record your
observations in your data table.
4. Add the second battery and attempt to power all of the resistors that were provided in
your lab equipment. Diagram each arrangement, measure the voltage and current and
record your observations in your data table.
5. In the circuit with two bulbs, unscrew one of the bulbs. Record your observations.
6. Repeat this procedure for the parallel circuit.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y High School y Charge
9-6-07 y Page 6 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Physical Science- High School
Additional Notes
Series Circuits
• Devices in series are dependent upon each other to operate properly.
• The total resistance in a circuit is equal to the sum of the individual resistances along the
current path. RT = R1 + R2 + R3 etc.
• The potential difference, or voltage, is decreased over each resistance. The voltage drop
across each device is directly proportional to its resistance.
Parallel Circuits
• Devices act independently of each other and can operate properly even when one or more
resistors become disabled.
• The total equivalent resistance is less than the value of any individual resistor.
• Each device connects the same two points of the circuit; therefore, the voltage is the same
across each device.
•
The total current is equal to the sum of the currents in each branch. IT = I1 + I2 + I3 etc.
Homework Problems
Basic and Intermediate
1. You are to draw a series circuit schematic with a battery as the source and three resistors.
Then calculate the voltage if the current of the circuit is 1875 amps and the resistors have the
following values: R1=7.00 Ohms, R2=5.00 Ohms, and R3=8.00 Ohms. What would the voltage
be across each resistor?
Advanced
2. You are to draw a parallel circuit schematic with a battery as the source and two resistors.
Then calculate the current if the battery is supplying 120.0 volts across two resistors with
R1=5.00 Ohms and R2=12.00 Ohms. What is the current across each resistor? Draw a series
circuit schematic with one battery and two resistors. Applying the same voltage and resistance
values to this circuit (as listed at the beginning of this problem), determine the total current and
the current across each resistor.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Physical Science y High School y Charge
9-6-07 y Page 7 of 7
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved