Funded by the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust

BASICS Project

Books And Stories In Children’s Science

Millennium Integrated Primary SchoolMillennium Integrated Primary School

P.3 Mrs Finn Magee

BASICS ProjectBASICS Project

Topic:Topic:

Theme:Theme:

‘‘The Electrician’s Academy’The Electrician’s Academy’

The Electrician’s Academy: Big The Electrician’s Academy: Big BookBook

Using A Class Big BookUsing A Class Big BookWhy?Why?• Limited resources• Constructing own book

ensured relevance to topic

What it consisted of:What it consisted of:• Story providing Job Task• Learning Intentions• Record of work• Illustrates progression• Means of concluding lesson

The Electrician’s Academy: Lesson’s The Electrician’s Academy: Lesson’s CoveredCovered

Week 1Week 1Friday 25th April - Health and Safety CourseHealth and Safety Course

Week 2Week 2Thursday 1st May - Making a simple circuitMaking a simple circuit

Friday 2nd May - Complete/ Incomplete CircuitsComplete/ Incomplete Circuits

Week 3Week 3Thursday 8th May - Conductor’s and InsulatorsConductor’s and Insulators

Friday 9th May - Making A Lighthouse (Part I)Making A Lighthouse (Part I)

Week 4Week 4Thursday 15th May - Making A Lighthouse (Part II)Making A Lighthouse (Part II)

The Electrician’s AcademyThe Electrician’s AcademyLesson: Making A Simple CircuitLesson: Making A Simple Circuit

Lesson OutlineLesson OutlineIntroduction:Introduction:

• Book/ Job Task

Development:Development:

• Work with components, build circuit.

Conclusion:Conclusion:

• Record Circuits

Big BookBig Book• Introduced task, set out learning

Intentions.• Put task into context and made it relevant.• Introduced new language.

TaskTask• Class given time to work with components• Familiar with how components worked• Made circuits with ease• Success created confidence and boosted

morale• Children intrinsically motivated by

completing job.

The Electrician’s AcademyThe Electrician’s AcademyResponses/ Discussion throughout the lessonResponses/ Discussion throughout the lesson

• ‘Look Miss Thompson we made a circus!’• ‘We have to share ideas then if someone gets stuck then another

person will know the answer’.• 'Miss Thompson we didn't want to waste the battery so we took

the batteries out of the circuit' • 'If I had a switch I could turn the light on and off whenever I

wanted to’.• 'We can turn the light off and on coz the battery is pulled away

from the connection' .• 'We have to attach everything up in a circle for the electricity to

move around’. • ‘Circuits are when we put batteries and bulbs together with

wires'.

The Electrician’s AcademyThe Electrician’s AcademyLesson: Conductor’s and InsulatorsLesson: Conductor’s and InsulatorsLesson OutlineLesson OutlineIntroduction:Introduction:

• Book/ Job Task

Development:Development:

• Test Materials

Conclusion:Conclusion:

• Sort Materials

Big BookBig Book• Introduced task, set out learning Intentions.• Put task into context and made it relevant.• Introduced and supported new scientific

language.

TaskTask• Pupils applied their previous knowledge of

making circuits.• Feeling of real purpose to this lesson seen in

children’s discussion.• Remained engaged and enjoyed what they

were doing.• Evidence of self directed learning - test their

own materials available.

The Electrician’s AcademyThe Electrician’s AcademyResponses/ Discussion throughout the lessonResponses/ Discussion throughout the lesson

• 'I would send the conductors back to the factory because they would be the best for making wires'.

• 'my sharpener and my key ring would make great wires for the factory.‘

• ‘Conductors would make good wires and insulators would not make good wires’.

• ’We need the space in between the wires so that we can put our materials in there to test them'.

• 'Insulators stop electricity going round the circuit, that’s why the bulb won't light‘.

• 'There's plastic around the wires so that I don't get shocked when I touch it (the wire)‘.

• 'Water is a conductor, that’s how we lit the ball up (the ghost ball) coz we have water in our body’.

The Electrician’s AcademyThe Electrician’s AcademyWhy did it work so well?Why did it work so well?

• Use of a theme.Use of a theme.

• True to life.True to life.

• Context made it easy to Context made it easy to understand and relevant.understand and relevant.

• Work very practical, increased Work very practical, increased enjoyment.enjoyment.

• Collaboration and discussion Collaboration and discussion aided learning and aided learning and understanding.understanding.

• Pupils responsible for own Pupils responsible for own learning.learning.

• Very little T.T.T (Teacher Very little T.T.T (Teacher Talking Time).Talking Time).

The Electrician’s Academy:The Electrician’s Academy:In ConclusionIn Conclusion

By the end of the course the pupils were able to:• Develop safety rules when working with electricity.Develop safety rules when working with electricity.

• Make Circuits with and without a switch.Make Circuits with and without a switch.

• Understand concept of conductors and insulators.Understand concept of conductors and insulators.

• Draw and record circuits.Draw and record circuits.

• Comprehend why circuits may or may not work and the factors affecting Comprehend why circuits may or may not work and the factors affecting the completion of a circuit.the completion of a circuit.

Pupils also developed a wide range of scientific language as well as improving and expanding their knowledge of electricity in general.

Their level of understanding was remarkable for their age.