Integrated Science Assured Experience
Title: Go with the Flow
Author: Phyllis Cohen, Terri Vitti, Cathy
Baker, and Joretta Kilcourse
Danbury Public Schools
Grade Level: 4
State Science Standard: 4.4
ISTE NETS-S Standards: 1a,1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2d, 3a, 3d,
4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a 5b 5c 5d, 6a, 6b, 6d
Time Needed: 10 sessions
Resources
Hardware
Abstract
A Guided Exploration of the Properties of Electric Circuits
Questions
Essential Question:
What is the role of electricity in our world?
Guiding Questions:
How do people use electricity?
How do batteries and wires transfer energy to a light a light bulb?
How can simple electrical circuits be used to determine which materials conduct
electricity?
How can simple electrical circuits be used to determine which materials do not conduct
electricity?
Objectives
Prior Learning
Key Ideas
Key Inquiry Skills
Danbury Learning Guide Objectives
Digital Camera
Projector
Computers
Software
• Presentation (PowerPoint or
Keynote)
• Drawing (Pixie, KidPix, ImageBlender)
• Movie editor (iMovie or Movie
Maker)
• Word Processing (Pages,
Word)
• Graphic Organizer
(Kidspiration or Inspiration)
• Instant Messaging (iChat)
Web sites
BBC Science clips website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks
2bitesize/science/physical_proces
ses.shtml
Experiment Materials
Activities
Lesson #1
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Objectives:
1. To explore the sources of electricity and the things in our environment that
operate using electricity
2. To engage students in discovery using one battery, one flashlight bulb, and
one wire to create a complete circuit
Introduction:
During a thunderstorm you may have seen a bright flash of lightening streak
across the sky. Lightening is electricity that is easy to see. Right now there is
electricity around you that can’t be seen. Even though you can’t see it, you know
that it is there because it is making things work. (Go With The Flow – Teacher
Guide) Use the multimedia presentation to introduce the topic of electricity by
asking the students to identify what the items have in common. Brainstorm with
students, additional items that are powered by electricity. How do people use
electricity?
Danbury Public Schools Revised Date: Jan 23, 2009
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Three 6 inch wires with
ends stripped
D cell battery and battery
holder
light bulb and bulb holder
base open light bulb
conductors
insulators
wire cutter
sticky notes, poster board
and science journals for
each set of students
Files:
Science Report (Kidspiration)
Science Journal Data sheets
Electricity Movie
Lesson 1
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Activity/Discovery:
Students will work with a partner. Engage student interest by providing each
partnership with one battery, one flashlight bulb, and one wire. Explain to students
that their task is to see how many ways they can arrange the wire, battery, and
bulb to make the bulb light. Students will record their findings in their science
journal by drawing a diagram of each arrangement and recording which diagrams
lit the bulb. Students may use a digital camera to document their circuit. In
addition, students will begin the inquiry process by recording “What I Did,” “What
I Observed/Noticed,” and “What I Wonder,” in the science journal. These
wonderings will be a source for future experimentations.
Materials:
Electricity presentation
data projector
chart paper
D cell batteries
wires
flashlight bulbs
science journal
digital camera
computer
Differentiation:
1. Students that are having difficulty lighting the bulb should be encouraged to visit other groups for peer
mentorship.
Optional: iChat (instant messaging) could be utilized to share ideas if enough lap top computers are
available. Chats can be printed and saved in science journals.
2. Students who are challenged by written response could record a narration in Pixie or a similar computer
program. This program can also be used to illustrate circuits using clip art or drawings.
3. Students who quickly light the bulb, should be challenged to find additional configurations. They might
extend their thinking to an additional graphic organizer such as “Predict/Observe/Explain.”
Closure:
Student groups will share their understanding and learning.
1. On chart paper groups will draw a diagram to show one way that bulb lit and a second diagram to show
one way that the bulb did not light. They will need to show the exact position of the battery, the wire, and
the bulb.
2. Once groups have described their circuit diagrams, students will discuss the commonalities of what
occurred to light the bulb.
3. The teacher will chart “things that were the same.” As students evaluate the diagrams they will begin to
recognize the flow of electricity through a complete circuit. The teacher will introduce the vocabulary
“complete circuit/closed circuit” and “incomplete circuit/open circuit.”
4. How do batteries and wires transfer energy to a light a light bulb?
Lesson #2
Objective:
1. To introduce students to materials and procedures needed to create
closed circuits.
2. To utilize introduced materials and procedures to effectively create a
complete circuit.
Materials:
Multimedia presentation,
Fahnestock clip
D cell batteries and battery holder
flashlight bulbs and bulb holder
insulated wire
wire cutters
science journal
digital camera
projector
Page 2
Lesson 2
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Introduction:
Explain to students that there are set procedures to follow when creating complete circuits. Inform students
that they will be viewing a presentation that will illustrate these procedures and that they will be practicing the
small steps prior to attempting to create a complete circuit.
Students will have needed components for practice and be seated next to their partners. During the
presentation students will practice inserting wires into the Fahnestock clip ensuring that the stripped wire is
inserted securely into the clip. They will also practice properly inserting the bulb into the bulb socket. It is
important that students are correctly making these connections, as making circuits will be easier if students are
comfortable using Fahnestock clips and bulb sockets.
Activity:
1. Students will take their materials and work in pairs to connect the entire system to create a complete
circuit. Students will use digital cameras to photograph complete circuit with lit bulb to be used for a
culminating multimedia presentation.
2. Once students have completed circuits, one wire connection will be cut in half to explore simple switches.
Ask students to predict how they will be able to use the clipped wires to turn their bulb on and off.
Students will record their “noticing” and “wondering” in their science journals. Students will draw their
complete circuit and their “switch” in their science journals.
Closure:
Students will come back together to share and discuss their findings. Ask students to:
• describe the way the battery, bulb, and wires must be connected in order to light the bulb.
• think about the flow of electricity through the circuit.
• turn and talk with a partner about their discoveries.
• share out ideas. You may choose to record student thinking.
End the discussion with the use of arrows to illustrate the path the electricity takes from one end of the
battery, through the wire, through the bulb, through the next wire, and back to the other end of the battery.
Differentiation:
1. ELL and resource students should be partnered with higher-level students.
2. Gifted students may create a more complex switch using a paper clip, 2
brads, 2 Fahnestock clips, 2 copper washers, and an index card in addition
to the materials in their storage boxes. ASK: “How can you incorporate
these items into your circuit to make a switch to light your bulb?”
Assessment:
Students will be assessed on their journal entries.
Teacher notes:
A simple switch can be made by cutting the wire and twisting the bare wire ends together. The teacher should
use the wire cutters to clip and strip the wires.
Page 3
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Lesson 3
Lesson #3
Objective:
1. To further understanding of circuits by constructing a
circuit that will light a 40 watt bulb.
2. To observe, identify, and evaluate the components and
structure within a light bulb.
3. To recognize the path that electricity follows through the
light bulb to complete a circuit.
Materials:
40 watt bulb (intact), 40 watt bulb (base
removed), 20 – 30 D-cell batteries,
yard/meter stick to hold batteries, 2
pieces of wire (about five feet long each)
with insulation stripped off both ends,
computer, Kidspiration/Inspiration software, science journal, camera or video
camera to record experiment
Introduction:
Students have previously used materials to create complete circuits. Remind students that a light bulb
will only light if the circuit is complete. Ask students to “stop and jot” or talk with a partner to guess
why a light bulb might complete a circuit. Display an intact household light bulb. Ask students to use
their prior learning to predict how many batteries it will take to light this bulb? Students will work
with their lab partner to record their experiment name, guiding question “How many batteries it will
take to light a 40 watt light bulb?” and hypothesis on their Kidspiration lab report. Have students
share their thinking.
Activity:
1. This experiment will be conducted within the whole group,
however students will record their findings electronically in
pairs or groups of three.
2. Begin the experiment with the lowest student battery
estimate or with five batteries. Place meter sticks parallel to
one and other to serve as a holder for the batteries. Make
sure that all batteries are aligned in a positive to negative
arrangement. Several students should be along side the meter
stick ensuring that the batteries are being held tightly
together.
3. Have one student hold the exposed end of one wire to the positive side of the line of batteries
and one student hold the exposed end of one wire to the negative side of the line of batteries. A
third and fourth student will bring the free end of the wire to the base of the 40 watt bulb. A fifth
student will be holding the bulb.
4. Have one or two students using digital/video cameras to record experiment steps and outcomes.
5. Continue adding batteries until you begin to see the filament begin to glow.
6. Record observations as batteries are added and the brightness of the light bulb increases.
7. Record questions or wonderings. Stop at appropriate points to allow students to complete
computerized lab report in Kidspiration.
Closure:
Bring students back together. Display the bulb with the removed base.
• Make sure they are able to see the internal support wires.
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Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Lesson 3
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Ask them to turn and talk with their partner(s) about
the significance of the wire inside of the bulb. How
does this wire complete the circuit?
Model a sketch of the parts of a light bulb. Have
students create a labeled sketch of a light bulb in their
science journals.
Differentiation:
1. ELL and special education students can use read aloud
feature in Kidspiration. ELL and resource students should
be partnered with higher-level students.
2. Gifted Students: Use Kidspiration without the template to
create a digital lab report.
Assessment:
Students will hand in their computerized lab report via the teacher’s “hand in “ folder. Lab reports
will be reviewed by the teacher.
Teacher Notes:
Be sure that one wire touches the bottom of soldered tip and the other touches the threaded base.
You may want to darken the room to help students to see the faint light of the bulb.
The bulb should light with 15 to 20 batteries.
Rotate student “jobs” enabling them to experience the different elements of the experiment.
See Exemplar lab report (Kidspiration)
Lesson #4
Lesson 4
Objective: The students will determine the properties of insulators and conductors.
Introduction:
Explain to students that they will be using various materials with their
circuits in order to find out which items help to light their bulbs and
which items will not let their bulbs light.
Activity:
1. Hand out all needed experiment materials, science journals or
Lesson #4 handout.
2. Have students build their circuits leaving it open in order to test
objects.
3. Explain how to test materials given and how to fill out data chart.
4. Students experiment with objects in order to find out what will
complete the circuit.
5. When groups have finished, discuss what items lit or didn’t light
the bulb. Discuss that the placement of the wires on items will
sometimes determine whether or not a bulb will light (ex: pipe
cleaner).
Materials:
3 copper wires
D cell battery and battery holder
light bulb and light bulb holder,
suggested insulator/conductor
testing materials:
(chalk, tin foil, paper clip, golf tee,
pipe cleaner, brad, metal screen,
eraser. nail, rubber band, golf
pencil, twist tie, pencil with
eraser, lead pipe)
post it notes
class chart
Digital cameras
science journals
Page 5
Lesson 4
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
6. Introduce and discuss the terms “Insulator and Conductor”.
7. Have students list noticings and wonderings in t-chart in their science
journals.
8. Next, have students write one or two wonderings and noticings on sticky
notes and place on our classroom chart.
9. Students take pictures throughout lesson to be used for a culminating
multimedia presentation.
Closure:
Have students come up to the carpet to help fill in our Venn diagram of insulators and conductors.
• After Venn diagram is filled in, have students look at the objects listed under conductors. Ask, “What
do all of these items have in common?”. Students should be able to explain that each of these items
contains metal.
• How can simple electrical circuits be used to determine which materials conduct electricity?
• How can simple electrical circuits be used to determine which materials do not conduct electricity?
Differentiation
1. Resource Student: Pair resource students with higher functioning students.
2. Gifted Student: Can read more about it at http://science.jrank.org/pages/2301/Electric-Conductor-Typesconductors.html
3. ELL Student: Pair ELL students with higher functioning students or use the BBC site about conductors at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/activities/conductors.shtml
Assessment
Students will be informally assessed through their discussion of insulators and conductors, Venn diagram
discussion and circuit testing activity.
Lesson 5
Teacher Notes
Have students work in pairs or small groups. Do not give the students more than 10 objects to test.
Lesson #5
Objective: The students will create diagrams of insulators and conductors
using a graphics or word processing program.
Introduction:
Explain to students that they will be creating a digital illustration describing the
properties of insulators or conductors. Assign each student the task of creating
an insulator or conductor illustration.
Materials:
Graphics program (Pixie,
KidPix) or (Pages, Word)
digital camera
computers or mobile lab
Page 6
Lesson 5
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Activity:
Model how to set up page using the software:
a. Each page must have a title of Insulator or Conductor.
b. Clip art of items (from the software) are be placed in the center of
the page.
c. A small paragraph describing the properties of the items and why
they are considered conductors or insulators should be included.
d. Save the project and export as a .jpg and place them into your
group shared folder (print or e-mail it to you if this is not possible).
e. After students have finished their digital illustrations, have them visit
the
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/revision_bites/conductors.shtml website on insulators
and conductors as further investigation.
f. Students take pictures throughout lesson to be used for a culminating multimedia presentation.
Closure:
As an informal assessment of their knowledge of insulators and conductors, ask students to name one picture
that they placed in their illustration. This will be their exit ticket out of computer lab.
Differentiation:
1. Resource Student: Resource students can record their voice instead of typing out descriptions.
2. Gifted Student: Gifted students will type and record descriptions. If time permits, they can do both
insulators and conductors. They can also be technology helpers for ELL or resource students.
3. ELL Student: ELL students will record their voices (in Pixie or KidPix) instead of typing out descriptions.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed on the accuracy of their selected illustrations and their descriptions.
Teacher Notes:
Teachers should note that new ELL or very low functioning resource students may need to work in pairs with
other students.
Lesson #6
Lesson 6
Objective: The students will investigate their creative hypotheses through
the process of inquiry.
Introduction:
Explain to students that they will be taking one of their wonderings from our
class chart, forming it into a hypothesis and testing it using their supplies and
other materials they find in the classroom.
Materials:
Digital cameras
science journals
class charts
Photo Editor (iPhoto)
Multimedia applications
(Keynote, Powerpoint,
Kidspiration, Inspiration,
Garageband)
Activity:
1. Students choose one of their wonderings that they feel strongly about (the one that they are really
interested in).
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Lesson 6
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
2. Students discuss with their partners how they can test their ideas and
what information they will record in their journals.
3. Students will then plan their steps using their science notebooks to
record questions and steps.
4. Students will then test their ideas and record the findings.
5. Have students reflect on their findings. “What new ideas do you have
as a result of your experiment?”
6. Chart with class “What are you still wondering?”
7. Students will take photos throughout the lesson to be used for a
culminating multimedia presentation.
Students tested their “wonderings”
about conductors on the chair legs.
Closure:
Have pairs of students discuss with the class what their hypothesis was,
how they tested it, their findings and if they have any new wonderings. Student pairs can compare/contrast
hypotheses and findings.
Differentiation
1. Resource Student: Pair resource students with higher functioning students.
2. Gifted Student: Gifted students can try another experiment or test their hypothesis further.
3. ELL Student: Pair resource students with higher functioning students.
4. Resource and ELL students can record voice as a podcast instead of writing in journals. They can use their
photos as a guide to what to say.
Assessment
Students will be assessed on their discussions and journal entries. ELL and resource students will be assessed
on their podcasts.
Teacher Notes
Teachers should note that new ELL or very low functioning resource students may need to work in pairs with
other students.
Lesson #7
Lesson 7
Objective: The students will use a variety of digital media to demonstrate their newly acquired knowledge
of electricity.
Introduction:
Explain to students that they will be creating a culminating project with their
science partner(s) showing what they have learned throughout this unit. They
must present their findings using multimedia software. Some options are:
enhanced podcast, a newsletter using Pages or other word processing program,
Keynote, Powerpoint, or iMovie. Kidspiration/Inspiration or Pixie/KidPix is suggested
for lower level students or ELL students. Students will use photos, the diagram
from lesson 5, information from the science journal and experiments as content
for their presentation.
Materials:
Shared photo library
Science journals
Computer
Suggested Multimedia:
(Keynote, Powerpoint,
Pages, ImageBlender,
Pixie, KidPix,
Kidspiration or
Garageband)
Activity:
Page 8
Lesson 7
Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Discuss with students the question, “ What is the role of electricity in our world?”
Students will create a multimedia project demonstrating one role of electricity in our world.
The following items must be included in their multimedia project:
1. Answer the question “ What is one role of electricity in our world?” and defend your opinion.
2. What did you learn about the way that electricity and circuits are transformed into energy.
Suggestion: use the photos from the other lessons to illustrate ideas.
Closure:
Student presentations will be used as closure and a form of formal assessment.
Differentiation
1. Resource Student: Resource teacher or aide should co-teach this last lesson encouraging the students to
present their findings in a graphic organizer format. The speak feature in Kidspiration/Inspiration is very
helpful for the Resource students.
2. Gifted Student: Gifted students can use more sophisticated multimedia such as animations (in Keynote or
Powerpoint) or create a movie with narration (iMovie) to show how the completed circuit actually works.
3. ELL Student: ELL teacher or aide should co-teach this last lesson encouraging the students to present
their findings in a graphic organizer format. The speak feature in Kidspiration/Inspiration is very helpful for
the ELL students.
Assessment
Students will be assessed on their culminating project. See Electricity Rubric 2
Teacher Notes
Teachers should note that this final lessons will take more than one computer class to complete. Each student
in the group should be equally responsible for content and inputing information into the computer.
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Go With the Flow Integrated Science Assured Experience
Prior Learning
Understanding that lightning is electricity moving across the sky.
That the electricity that we use is not easy to see.
People have learned to control electricity in paths called circuits.
Electrical circuits are made of special materials arranged in certain ways.
Underlying Science Concepts (Key Ideas)
An electric charge can be made to move in a current.
An electric circuits allows the flow of electricity from an energy source through a closed loop back to the
energy source. The closed loop is called the complete circuit or a closed circuit.
In a series electric circuit, only one path is available for the electrons to flow through.
Key Inquiry Skills
Make scientific observations and recognize the difference between an observation and an opinion,
a belief, a fact or a name.
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Make predictions based on preliminary observations and exploration.
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Make inferences based on evidence.
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Record data in an organized way.
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Use oral and written language to describe observations, ideas, procedures and
conclusions.
Danbury Learning Guide Objectives
Initial Understanding
Give examples of electrical circuits
Developing an Interpretation
Describe how batteries and wires can transfer energy to light a light bulb
Making Connections
Explain how simple electrical circuits can be used to determine which materials conduct electricity
Describe how electricity in circuits can be transformed into light, heat, and sound
Critical Stance
Explore the properties of electrical circuits that produce light
Page 10