Electric

Circuits STUDENT

NOTEBOOK GUIDE

4th Grade Science Science Alabama Course of Study 1. Describe how electrical circuits can be used to produce light, heat, sound,

and magnetic fields. • Identifying ways to use and conserve electrical energy

• Identifying characteristics of parallel and series circuits

• Classifying materials as conductors, nonconductors, and insulators of electricity and heat

• Identifying relationships among charge, current, and potential energy

• Identifying components of a circuit

TO BE USED AS A GUIDE FOR STUDENT NOTEBOOKING.  

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Electric Circuits Table of Contents

Lesson 1- Thinking about Electricity and Its Properties

Lesson 2- What Can Electricity Do?

Lesson 3- A Closer Look At Circuits Lesson 4- What Is Inside a Light Bulb?

Lesson 5- Building a Circuit

Lesson 6- What’s Wrong with the Circuit?

Lesson 7- Conductors and Insulators

Lesson 8- Making a Filament

Lesson 9- Hidden Circuits

Lesson 10- Deciphering a Secret Language

Lesson 11- Exploring Series & Parallel Circuits

Lesson 12- Learning About Switches

Lesson 13- Constructing a Flashlight

Lesson 14- Working with a Diode

Lesson 15- Planning to Wire a House

Lesson 16- Wiring and Lighting the House

Appendix: Glossary

 

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Lesson 1- Thinking about Electricity and Its Properties

Question: What do you know about electricity? What do you wonder about electricity?

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Electricity Safety Rules

Brainstorm 3 or more safety rules about electricity and discuss them with your teammates.

1. _______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Draw a picture of one of your safety rules.

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Lesson 2- What Can Electricity Do?

Question: How can we create electricity to light the bulb?

Hypothesis: IF we wanted to create electricity to light a bulb, THEN

Plan:

Observations: Illustrate the different ways the bulb would light on and the ways the bulb would not light on.

Bulb Lights ON Bulb Does NOT Light

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Continued 

Bulb Lights ON Bulb Does NOT Light

Conclusion: What did you learn from the investigation?

Key Concepts: Electricity must be able to move from one end of the battery to the other end to create a complete circuit.

Battery- A device that can produce an electric current as a result of chemical change in it

Wire- A metal strand used to connect electrical devices in a circuit

Reflection/ Next Steps:

Lesson 3- A Closer Look at Circuits Question: Which arrangements do you think will make the bulb light?

Hypothesis: State your prediction by writing “On” or “Off” under each picture in PEN.

Activity Sheet 1 TG p. 19

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Conclusion:

Key Idea: For the bulb to light, a connection must be made to the positive and negative ends of the battery as well as to the side and base of the bulb.

Electric Current- A flow of electric charge through something

   

 Hypothesis  Result 

 

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Lesson 4- What Is Inside a Light Bulb?

Discuss and color-code the parts.

Key Concept: Light bulbs only produce light when they are part of a complete circuit.

Filament- A fine wire that becomes hot and produces light when an electric current passes through it.

View video clip of light bulb

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Investigation Question: How many D-cell batteries do you think it will take to light a household light bulb?

Hypothesis: If we try to light a household light bulb with D cell batteries, then I think it will take ________________________because______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________.

Plan:

Observations: Draw and write what you observed.

Conclusion:

Reflection/ Next Steps:

Lesson 5- Building a Circuit

Question: Which circuit connection will light the bulb?

Activity Sheet 2 TG p. 30

   

 Hypothesis  Result Hypothesis Result

   Hypothesis  Result

   Hypothesis  Result Hypothesis Result

   Hypothesis  Result

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Question: What could we use to make circuit building easier?

Draw your completed circuit that includes the battery holder, battery, wires, bulb, and bulb socket.

1. What are the crucial connections and elements necessary to make the bulb light?

2. What is happening in this circuit?

Conclusion:

Key Concepts: An electric circuit is a continuous path for electricity to travel in going from one end of the battery, through wires (including wires in the bulb), back to the other end of the battery.

Circuit- A system that connects electrical devices so that they will operate

Reflection/ Next Steps:

Lesson 6- What’s Wrong with the Circuit?

Activity Sheet 3 TG p. 37

First, draw one wire on the top two pictures so that the bulb will light. Then, complete the partially drawn wires in the bottom two pictures to make a complete circuit, which will light the bulb.

Work with problem circuit testers.

Discuss problem-solving techniques to fix a circuit tester that doesn’t work. TG p. 35-36

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Lesson 7- Conductors and Insulators Question: Can electricity flow through any type of material? Look at the materials below.  Do you think connecting them to an electric circuit tester will make the light bulb turn on?  Check “yes” or “no.” Then, test your hypothesis with the materials.  Record your actual results.

ITEM HYPOTHESIS ACTUAL RESULTS(Conductor or Insulator?) YES  NO 

1  Golf Tee 

2  Straw 

3  Brass Screw 

4  Paper Clip 

5  Aluminum Screen 

6  Plastic Screen 

7  Chalk 

8  Pencil  

9  Brass Paper Fastener (brad)

10  Finishing Nail 

11  Aluminum Nail (flat head) 

12  Marble 

13  Pipe Cleaner 

14  Copper Wire 

15  Aluminum Rod 

 1. Analyze your results. What types of materials were able to conduct electricity? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What types of materials were NOT able to conduct electricity? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 3. When electricity moves easily through an object, we call it a _______________________ Materials that conduct electricity are used to make wires for electrical circuits. 4. When electricity does not move easily through an object, we call it an

________________________. Materials that do not conduct electricity are helpful, too. Evaluate how these materials can be helpful to us.__________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

Reflection/ Next Steps:

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Lesson 8- Making a Filament Question: What do you think will happen to the Nichrome wire in a filament?

Hypothesis: If we make a model light bulb then I think the Nichrome wire will____________________________________________________________________ because

Plan:

Observations: Draw and describe how we made the filament.

Conclusion:

Filament- A fine wire that becomes hot and produces light when an electric current passes through it.

Nichrome wire- wire made of nickel and chromium

Reflection/ Next Step: What do you think the glass part of the bulb does? Does it act as a conductor or insulator? How could we find out?

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Lesson 9- Hidden Circuits

Circuit Box Puzzle

Question: How could you use a circuit tester to find hidden circuits?

Hypothesis:

Plan: Develop a systematic strategy to determine the hidden wiring pattern.

Observations: Record circuit combinations for each Circuit Box

Conclusion:

Next Steps/ Reflections:

Lesson 10- Deciphering a Secret Language

Question: How can we communicate various circuits to someone using a drawing? How do electrical engineers communicate their designs?

Electrical engineers use symbols to draw circuit diagrams of circuits they make.

A Secret Language

Use the symbols to draw a circuit diagram of this circuit.

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Circuit Diagram

 

 

 

 

 

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1. With your partner, make a circuit with one battery, two bulbs, and whatever wires you need. Draw a circuit diagram of the circuit using symbols.

Circuit Diagram (with symbols)

Reflect: What are the benefits of using a circuit diagram?

Key Concept: Electrical engineers use symbols to draw circuit diagrams of circuits they make.

Circuit Diagram- A drawing that uses symbols to show how the parts of an electric circuit are connected.

Next Step/Extension: Assume you have two batteries and two bulbs to work with. Draw a circuit diagram that includes them in one circuit. Make the circuit.

Lesson 11- Exploring Series & Parallel Circuits BATTERIES IN SERIES AND PARALLEL

Question: Which bulb do you think will burn brighter? Which bulb do you think will burn longer? Why? What are series and parallel circuits?

Hypothesis:

Plan:

Observations: Describe what you observed.

Conclusion:

A. Batteries in Series

B. Batteries in Parallel

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BULBS IN SERIES AND PARALLEL

Question: Which bulbs do you think will burn brighter? Which bulbs do you think will burn longer? Why?

Hypothesis:

Plan:

Observations: Describe what you observed.

Conclusion:

Bulbs in Series

Bulbs in Parallel

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Lesson 12- Learning about Switches

Question: What are necessary/ useful parts of a flashlight?

Where have you seen switches?

Make a switch and draw a symbol for it.

Design a plan for a flashlight.

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Lesson 13- Constructing a Flashlight Question: How can we create a working flashlight?

Make your flashlight! Draw your flashlight and circuit diagram that is in your flashlight.

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Lesson 14- Working with a Diode

Question: What us a semiconductor? How does it work?

What do you think might be the reason that some bulbs light and others do not?

Reverse your diode to see what happens.

Can you include the paper clip switch into the circuit with the diode attached so the light comes on/off?

Draw the symbol for a diode. Draw a circuit diagram that includes your circuit tester, the switch, and the diode.

Key Concepts:

• Semiconductor diode is a device that allows current to flow in one direction, but not in the other.

• Diodes are used by engineers and technicians who make radios, televisions, and other electronic devices.

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Lesson 15- Planning to Wire a House Question: How can we wire a house (or room)?

Draw a plan for your house (or a room). Use symbols, labels, and colors in your design.

Lesson 16- Wiring and Lighting the House Make a wiring diagram of the model house. Compare the diagram of what you actually did with your original plans.

What changes did you make? Why did you make those changes?

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What did you LEARN about Electric Circuits?