Class: 4th Grade Science

Unit: Electrical Circuits

Teachers: Miss Luci Marburger, Mrs. Melinda Dwyer, & Miss Linh-Uyen Vo
Objectives: At the end of this lesson students will have basic knowledge and comprehension
about electrical circuits, their parts, and how they work. The students will also be able to
illustrate an electrical circuit and label important parts.
Standards:
4.1.3 Construct a complete circuit through which an electrical current can pass as evidenced by
the lighting of a bulb or ringing of a bell. (2010)
4.1.4 Experiment with materials to identify conductors and insulators of heat and electricity.
(2010)
4.1.5 Demonstrate that electrical energy can be transformed into heat, light, and sound. (2010)
4.PS.5 Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place
by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. (2016)
Expectations:
Students are expected to participate in class by:
-raising hand to ask questions about the lesson
-raising hand to answer questions
-volunteering to read article out loud
Students are expected to participate in small group by:
-reviewing article with peers
-quietly talking with peers to answer worksheet
Students are expected to turn in:
-completed worksheets, with correct answers

-a simple circuit with their light bulb on

Materials:
-3 Circuit kits such as Snap Circuit Jr.
OR
-Light Bulb (1.2 Volt)
-Size D Battery
-1 Simple Switch
-Insulated Copper Wire (22 Gage)
Durations: 25-30 minutes
Anticipatory Set:
Teacher will start lesson by opening a short conversation with questions, such as:
-How many of you have ever turned on a light in your house and the bulb went POP
and burnt out?
-Raise your hand if you know what electricity is.
-Who can tell me how a light switch works?
*At this point, it is okay for students to be wrong or not know the answers. We just want to
understand their schema.
Input:
Teacher, teachers assistant, or student will pass out the document called Electrical Circuits.
Vocabulary:
-Electricity

-Electron

-Current

-Battery

-Switch

-Wire

-Device/ Light Bulb

-Conductor

-Insulator

-Filament

-Closed Path

-Terminal

-Students will popcorn read the article Electrical Circuits.

-Teacher should thank each student after they read.
Modeling:
-Using the Snap Circuit Jr. the Teacher demonstrates the important parts of the simple
circuit.
- Teacher is leading by example; listening to each students reading.
-Teacher stops, reviews pictures, and points out the four parts of the simple circuit.
1. Battery 2. Switch 3. Light Bulb 4. Wire
-After each student reads, teacher reiterates what the paragraph said, using different
phrases to ensure students are taking in the information.
Checking for understanding & Questioning Strategies:
-After reading the article Electrical Circuits, students work in their small groups to
complete the worksheet.
-Teacher allows students a few minutes (5-7mins) to talk quietly with their small group to
find the answers.
-At the end of the 5-7 mins, the teacher will draw class back together to check answers.
-Teacher will call on students to answer questions. The teacher will also ask students
what paragraph they found their answer in.
-If a student answers a question out loud incorrectly the teacher will either:
a. Ask the student to try again and search for the correct answer.
b. Ask the student if they would like to call on a classmate for help.

c. Ask class if they agree or disagree, and talk about why their answer was incorrect and why the correct answer fits better.
-If a student answers a question out load correctly the teacher will:
a. Show enthusiasm YES! The wire inside a light build IS filament.
b. Thank the student for answering the question and participating.
-During this time, students should fix their answers. If they miss a question they need to
draw one straight line though the incorrect answer and write the correct answer.
Guided Practice:
-Students will build a circuit in small groups.
-Using their knowledge from the article, pictures, and demonstration the students
will successfully get the light bulb to glow.
-Each student receives a glow stick when their small group puts the simple circuit
together.
-If a group finishes early they may work on testing conductors and insulators (See
Conductors and Insulators worksheet).
Closure:
-Review the simple circuit each group as created and highlight once again on the
vocabulary terms.
Independent Practice:
-Send a blank paper home with each student to illustrate an electrical circuit. Explain to
the class that the illustration needs to be creative (by hand, cut and paste from magazine, or even
on the computer). We want to see as many parts labeled as possible (battery, wire, light bulb/

devise, switch, electrons, conductor, and filament). On the back of illustration list 2-4 items
from home that use electricity.

Interactive Bulletin Board

Electrical Circuits

Answer key

Name: _________________________________________

Date: __________________

Directions: Answer the questions about electricity. Use the reading and illustrations to
help you.

1. The negative terminal of the battery has many _____electrons_____?

2. The battery pushes electrons from the negative terminal through the switch, the light bulb, and
the wire into the _____positive_____ terminal (where there are not many electrons).

3. A special kind of wire inside a light bulb is called a _____filament_____?

4. _____Conductors_____ carry electrons very easily.

5. Which of the following is a good conductor? (Circle one)

Copper wire

or

Glass

6. _____Insulators_____ do not permit electrons to flow through them.

7. Which of the following in a good insulator? (Circle one)

Silver

or

Plastic

Electrical Circuits
Name: _________________________________________

Date: _____________

Directions: Answer the questions about electricity. Use the reading and illustrations to
help you.

1. The negative terminal of the battery has many ______________ _____?

2. The battery pushes electrons from the negative terminal through the switch, the light bulb, and
the wire into the _____________ _____ terminal (where there are not many electrons).

3. A special kind of wire inside a light bulb is called a _____________ _____?

4. _______________ _____ carry electrons very easily.

5. Which of the following is a good conductor? (Circle one)

Copper wire

or

Glass

6. _______________ _____ do not permit electrons to flow through them.

7. Which of the following in a good insulator? (Circle one)

Silver

or

Plastic

Conductors and Insulators

Answer key

Name: _________________________________________

Date: _____________

Directions: Complete the table. Predict whether each item is made from a material that is
a conductor or insulator. Then, test each item to determine if your prediction was correct.
Touch the free ends of the wire to the object you are testing. If the light bulb lights up, the
electricity is flowing and the object is made from a conductor. If it does not, the electricity
is not flowing and object is made from an insulator.
Object

Nickel

Penny

Toothpick

Paper clip

Rubber band

Key

Foil

Paper fastener

Tongue compressor

Prediction:
Conductor or
Insulator?

Result:
Conductor or
Insulator?

Whats
Happening?

Conductor

Electricity is
flowing.

Conductor

Electricity is
flowing.

Insulator

Electricity is NOT
flowing.

Conductor

Electricity is
flowing.

Insulator

Electricity is NOT
flowing.

Conductor

Electricity is
flowing.

Conductor

Electricity is
flowing.

Conductor

Electricity is
flowing.

Insulator

Electricity is NOT
flowing.

Paper

Electricity is NOT
flowing.

Insulator

Conductors and Insulators

Name: _________________________________________

Date: _____________

Directions: Complete the table. Predict whether each item is made from a material that is
a conductor or insulator. Then, test each item to determine if your prediction was correct.
Touch the free ends of the wire to the object you are testing. If the light bulb lights up, the
electricity is flowing and the object is made from a conductor. If it does not, the electricity
is not flowing and object is made from an insulator.
Object

Nickel

Penny

Toothpick

Paper clip

Rubber band

Key

Foil

Paper fastener

Prediction:
Conductor or
Insulator?

Result:
Conductor or
Insulator?

Whats
Happening?

Tongue compressor

Paper