Grade 6 Science
Unit 2: Electricity
TERMS:
1.
Charge – The amount of electricity in a substance
2.
Conductor – Material that electricity can travel through.
3.
Current – Electricity that moves through a circuit.
4.
Electricity – A form of energy produced by a current of
electrons that flow quickly through a wire or other object.
Electricity can be used to produce light, heat, and sound.
5.
Electrode – The part of a battery that carries electric
current into or out of a battery.
6.
Electrolyte – A liquid or paste in a battery that can conduct
electricity.
7.
Electromagnet – An iron or other metal rod wrapped with wire
that becomes a powerful magnet when electricity is passed
through the wire. Electromagnets are used in switches,
electric bells, and metal-lifting cranes.
8.
Energy – The force that makes things move or change. There
are many kinds of energy including electric, heat, light and
sound.
9.
Fossil Fuel – Fuel formed over millions of years from
compression of the decayed remains of living matter. Coal, oil
and natural gas are fossil fuels.
10.
Friction – The rubbing of one surface against another.
11.
Fuse – A fuse lets electricity flow through it but breaks the
circuit when the current becomes too strong. A fuse is usually
a thin wire that will melt with too much electricity.
12.
Generator – A device that turns motion and other forms of
energy, especially mechanical energy, into electricity. For
example, a generator on the wheel of a bike will turn the
spinning of the wheel into light.
13.
Magnet – A substance that has the power to attract iron and
steel toward it.
14.
Parallel Circuit – A circuit in which the current travels along
two or more separate paths to different devices; the current
travels through each part of the circuit at the same time.
15.
Series Circuit – A circuit in which the current travels along a
single path to two or more electric devices; the current
travels through each part of the circuit in turn.
16.
Static Electricity – A form of electricity that is produced
when some materials are rubbed together.
17.
Switch – A device that controls the flow of electric current
through a circuit. In an open circuit, a light will be off; in a
closed circuit, a light will be on.
18.
Turbine – A machine with blades that are turned by the force
of moving water, steam, or other gases. Turbines are used to
power generators, water pumps, and other devices.
19.
Renewable Resource – A natural resource which can replenish
itself to overcome usage and consumption. For example: Solar
Power, Geothermal Power, Wind Power.
20.
Non-Renewable – A resource that does not replenish itself to
suit human demand and extraction. For example: Fossil Fuels.
21.
Magnetism - A force of attraction or repulsion that acts at a
distance due to a magnetic field, which is caused by moving
electrically charged particles and is inherent in magnetic
objects.
22.
Attraction – A force that brings two objects near to each
other, caused by two unlike charges (+ and -) or two unlike
poles (North and South Poles) face each other.
23.
Repulsion – A magnetic force that pushes two objects away
from each other, caused by two like charges (+ and + or – and ) or two like poles (North and North or South and South) face
each other.
24.
Electrons – The negatively charged particles which are found
outside the nucleus of atoms which are lost and gained,
resulting in atoms having positive and negative charges.
25.
Positive Charge – The positively charged particles found inside
the nucleus of an atom.
OUTCOMES/EXPECTATIONS:
1. Use tool and apparatus such as batteries, bulbs, and wires in a manner that ensures
personal safety and the safety of others.
2. Identify and explain the dangers of electricity at work or at play.
3. Describe examples of how our knowledge of the hazards of electrical shock has led to
the development of electrical safety features.
4. Record observations while exploring and solving static electricity challengers.
5. Suggest possible explanations for variations in the results of investigations involving
static electricity.
6. Use terms attraction, repulsion, electrons, positive charge and negative charge in
meaningful contexts while exploring static electricity.
7. Compare a variety of electrical pathways by constructing simple circuits and illustrate
the electrical circuits with drawings and appropriate symbols.
8. Follow instructions for testing the conductivity of different solids and liquids, and draw
conclusions as to which materials tested were insulators of conductors.
9. Describe the role of switches in electrical circuits, and identify materials that can be
used to make a switch.
10. Compare characteristics of series and parallel circuits.
11. Compare the characteristics of static and current electricity
12. Describe the relationship between electricity and magnetism when using an
electromagnet
13. Propose questions about the factors that affect the strength of electromagnets, state
predictions and hypothesis related to these factors and carry out a fair test of these
factors.
14. Describe how knowledge of electromagnets has led to the development of many
electrical devices that use them
15. Demonstrate how electricity in circuits can produce light, heat, sound, motion and
magnetic effects.
16. Propose electrical circuitry problems to investigate, and plan a set of steps to solve them
17. Describe how knowledge of electricity has led to many new inventions that have
changed the way we live, and describe ways in which we have become increasingly
dependent on electricity over the years.
18. Describe how knowledge that magnets can produce electric current led to the invention
of electrical generators.
19. Identify and investigate various methods of generating electricity (past, present, and
future) and describe some ways in which these methods affect the environment.
20. Identify and explain sources of electricity as renewable or non-renewable.
21. Identify and explain different factors that could lead to a decrease in electrical energy
consumption in the home and at school and how this will help protect the environment.