IIT/FIELD MUSEUM – High School Transformation Project
Lesson: Light Bulb Lab
Prentice Hall Conceptual Physics
Unit V Electricity and Magnetism
Chapter 35 Electric Circuits
Section 35.1 A Battery and a Bulb
Section 35.2 Electric Circuits
Guiding Question:
Can you describe the configuration of a working circuit?
Context of Lesson
The Light Bulb Lab is an introduction to electrical circuits. This short lab can be
performed as in introduction to electricity or as an introduction to circuits after beginning
electricity. Students need no prior knowledge of electricity and circuits to perform this
acticity.
Main Goals/Objectives
As a result of this activity, students will be able to:
• make a complete circuit that electricity can flow through.
• explain what is needed to complete a circuit.
Nature of Science: Integrated Theme
 Explain that scientific knowledge is tentative due to new evidence or new
interpretation.
 Explain that scientists’ creativity influence their doing inquiry so they may have
different observations and interpretations of the same phenomena.
 Distinguish observations from inferences, explain that inferences should be based
on observations, and explain that the development of scientific knowledge
involves both observations and inferences so scientific knowledge is partially
inferential.
 Explain that scientists’ background knowledge influence their doing inquiry so
they may have different observations and interpretations of the same phenomena.
 Explain how scientific theories are different from scientific laws: Scientific laws
are more likely observable patterns and scientific theories are explanations for
observable patterns.
 Explain that scientific knowledge should be based on empirical data.
Scientific Inquiry: Integrated Theme
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Explain that scientific investigations all begin with a question, but do not
necessarily test a hypothesis
Explain that there is no single scientific method and provide at least two different
methods
Explain that inquiry procedures are guided by the question asked
Explain that all scientists performing the same procedures may not get the same
results
Explain that inquiry procedures can influence the results
Explain that research conclusions must be consistent with the data collected
Explain that scientific data are not the same as scientific evidence
Explain that explanations are developed from a combination of collected data and
what is already known
General Alignment to Standards
STATE GOAL 11: Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and
technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments, and solve
problems
A. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry.
 ILS 11.A.4a Formulate hypothesis referencing prior research and
knowledge
 ILS 11.A.4b Conduct controlled experiments or simulations to test
hypotheses
 ILS 11.A.4c Collect, organize and analyze data accurately and precisely
STATE GOAL 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and
interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences.
C. Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles
that explain them.
 ILS 12.C.2a Describe and compare types of energy including light, heat,
sound, electrical and mechanical.
D. Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles
that explain them.
ILS 12.D.3a Explain and demonstrate how forces affect motion (e.g.,
action/reaction, equilibrium conditions, free-falling objects).
PSAE Goals:
STANDARD 12D – FORCE AND MOTION
12.11.80 Understand that the electrical force is a universal force that exists
between any two charged objects. Opposite charges attract, like charges repel.
The strength of the force is proportional to the charges, and, like gravity, it is
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the charged bodies.
12.11.81 Understand that between any two charged particles, the electrical force
is vastly greater than the gravitational force. Most observable forces such as those
exerted by a coiled spring or friction may be traced to electrical forces acting
between atoms and molecules.
Materials – for each group (2-3 people)
• D-cell
• 1 wire <1 foot long
• small light bulb (ex:1.5V or slightly larger)
Lesson
This lesson can be completed in one class period. The majority of the class period is
spent with the students investigating how to light a lamp (light bulb) using only one cell,
and one wire. The last 10-15 min can be used to discuss the student’s findings.
Bell Ringer
Lab Activity
Have the students break into small groups of 2-3 people. Tell students that they
will be getting the following equipment: one D-cell, one wire, and one light bulb. Before
they experiment, they must come up with at least 4 (5 or 6 if you want to be difficult)
distinct ways they can light the bulb. Each group must sketch their 4 distinct ways to light
the bulb before they can begin testing them. Have the groups show you the sketches in
order to get the equipment. Tell the students that they may not cut or strip the wire in any
way. Once all the groups have their bulb, wire, and cell, they will test their ideas. If one
or more of their arrangements does not work, they are to keep trying other arrangements
until they find 4 different ways to light the bulb. They must hand in their original idea
sketches, explain whether they worked or not, and sketch all the other arrangements that
did work. They must have a total of 4 arrangements that lit the bulb, before the end of
class.
As the students work, occasionally check in with the groups to see how they are
doing. Try not to give them any answers about how to light the bulb, but make sure the
ways that they are finding are actually different. Once a group has 4 ways, you can allow
them to “sell” their services to another group that is struggling, as long as you feel that
the groups have had enough time to try a number of different arrangements.
When all groups have discovered the 4 ways, the class can discuss their findings.
Teacher Notes
This activity can be done at the very beginning of the unit on electricity. The difference
between electrostatics and electricity may be explained, but the ideas of current and
voltage are not needed for the activity. This is a discovery for the students. Give the
students as little guidance as possible; frustration is good.
Discussion (10-15 min)
Call on a member of a group to draw a sketch of one of their working ways on the
board/overhead. Have them explain what the picture is showing. If need be, standardize
how they draw the parts of their set-up (what is the cell, what is the wire, what is the
bulb). Have a second group draw a different way. Make sure they are in fact different.
The 4 working circuits look as following:
Define “circuit”; a complete circle, no openings, for electricity to travel. The
electricity (electrons) traveled from the cell ( - end) through the wire/through the bulb,
through the bulb/wire, and back to the cell (+ end). The same happens with electricity
from an outlet in your home. In your home it leaves the outlet, through the wire, into a
lamp, back through the wire and into the outlet. To get to the outlet, it came from a power
plant and through wires to your home. After it has returned to the outlet, it travels back
through a wire to the power plant.
After the class discussion, debrief the students on their knowledge of Scientific
Inquiry and the aspects of the Nature of Science. When debriefing the students, refer to
your charts posted in the classroom. Probe the students on which aspects of the Nature of
Science were applicable in this lesson. Refer to the lists at on the first page of the model
lesson. The students should be able to come up with most, if not all, of the items on the
list. If a student identifies an item that is not on the list, but has a rationale or justification
for including it, then include this item, too.
Homework
Possible home investigation: Make a list of items at home that run on electricity. Explain
the complete loop.
Assessment
The teacher will walk around the classroom as the students are working in their groups.
The students’ understanding of a working circuit will be determined from observing them
as they do the activity, their drawings, their responses during class discussion and from
their answers to the homework.
Modifications/Accommodations
This is a hands-on lab, and is well-suited for English language learners, or
students whose language skills are poor. Special education students can be paired with a
non-special education student.
Students with visual impairments should be persuaded to become familiar with
the materials. Depending on the light bulbs used, visually impaired students can touch
the light bulbs and feel the heat generated.
Extensions
1. If this lesson is at beginning of electricity: Since the students have worked with a
voltage source (the cell) this can lead to discussing electric potential energy,
voltage (electric potential energy per charge), and voltage sources.
2. If this lesson introduces circuits: Continue the investigation of circuits by
discussing series and parallel circuits (35.3, 35.4), or use the pictures drawn by
the students of their simple circuits to introduce a standard schematic
representation of a circuit (35.5).