History of the Grounded Electron
Overview:
This project is unique. This project involves the completion of a writing assignment which demonstrates your understanding of
charging, charge interactions, grounding and electron movement.
Procedure:
 Compose a short narrative written in the first-person point of view from the perspective of an electron.
 The story must center on the places visited by an electron that once lived in an atom of wool and ultimately entered the ground.
The electron must visit at least 4 different locations (e.g., a balloon, a glass rod or plastic strip, an electroscope, an electrophorus
plate, a Van de Graaf generator, a person) during its journey from the wool to the ground. The electron must also travel through
both types of circuits - series & parallel.
 For each change in location of the electron, identify, describe, and explain the process (e.g., friction, contact, induction, voltage,
current...) that caused the location change.
 Utilize the language of physics in your explanations and accompany each explanation by an effective, well-labeled diagram
demonstrating the direction of electron movement.
 Be creative and have fun as you invent possible paths of movement for such an electron. Consider classroom demonstrations that
you saw and laboratory activities that you have performed during this unit.
 Please use discretion in your description and language – follow school rules and appropriateness.
To improve the appearance of your product, consider completing the diagrams using a graphics/draw program on the computer (or the
draw function of an integrated word processor). Then import (or copy and paste) the diagrams into your word processing document.
In your writing, use complete sentences and the language of physics. The assignment should be more than 1 page long and less than 3
pages long.
Assessment:
Your writing assignment will be assessed using the following scoring rubric.
1. "Technical Merit"
Accurately discussed the complete journey of the electron (including four locations); provided accurate explanations of the process by
which electrons migrate from one location to another; included effective, well-labeled diagrams for each location change.
May not have included four locations; may not have used the language of physics; the presence of many errors/omissions demonstrate
little or no understanding. 0 – 2
Used the language of physics to discuss a four location journey for the electron; tried to explain the processes, yet the presence of a
few major errors/omissions demonstrate an incomplete understanding. 3 – 4
Used the language of physics to accurately discuss and explain the e- journey (included four locations); lack of major errors/omissions
demonstrate an excellent understanding. 5 – 6
2. "Artistic Expression"
Used creativity in the production of the story line; expressed story in the first person; reflects an organized and sequential flow of
ideas; included neat and legible diagrams.
Either diagrams were absent or the expression of ideas may have been disorganized. 0
Diagrams may have been absent; expression of ideas may have been disorganized; may not have written in 1st person; may have
lacked creativity. 2 - 3
Included neat and legible diagram; story written in the 1st-person; writing was fluent and well organized; demonstrated creativity. 4