SECTION I: LESSON DATA

A. Teacher Candidates First & Last Name:

Kimberley Horsnell, Catrina Bowman, Iman Abrar, Dave Tyme

B. Subject/Content Area:

Science
C. Grade Level:

6
D. Unit Topic:

Understanding Matter and Energy

E. Lesson Topic:

Electricity and Electrical Devices

F. Duration of Lesson:

40 Minutes
G. Materials:

Lemons
Apples
Potatoes
Alligator clips with wires attached
Low watt LED light bulbs
Copper nails, wire, or pennies
Galvanized nails
Science Journals

SECTION II: INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

A. Standards:
Ontario Standards, NY State Standards, NYS P-12 Common Core Standards
Ontario Standards: Science and Technology
Overall Expectations:
By the end of Grade 6, students will:
2 investigate the characteristics of static and current electricity, and construct simple
circuits.
Specific Expectations:
By the end of Grade 6, students will:
2.3 use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate the characteristics of
static electricity.
2.4 design, build, and test a device that produces electricity.
2.6 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including current, battery,
circuit, transform, static, electrostatic, and energy, in oral and written communication.

New York State Standards for Elementary Science

Standard 4: The Physical Setting
Key Idea: 4
Energy exists in many forms, and when these forms change energy is conserved.
Performance Indicator:
4.3a In chemical reactions, energy is transferred into or out of a system. Light,
electricity, or mechanical motion may be involved in such transfers in addition to heat.

NYS P-12 ELA Common Core Standards ELA & Literacy

Standard Strand: Writing
Grade: 6
Topic Strand: Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Item Number and Statement:
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and
refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

B. Central Focus:
In this learning segment on electricity and electrical devices, the students will learn and be able
to use scientific inquiry and experimentation to investigate characteristics of electricity. Students
will design, build and test a circuit while using appropriate scientific terms.

C. Objectives:
1.

The students will be able to define vocabulary terms. (Acidic solution, copper, zinc, metal, citric acid,
electrodes, electrolytes, electric current, electrons, conductors, volts, voltage.)

2.

The students will be able to build, design and test a circuit.

3.

The students will be able to explain the procedure, hypothesis and materials used in an experiment.

D. Assessment Plan:
- Students will be assessed on the completion of their science journal.
- Students will be given an exit ticket to check for understanding.
- Teachers will check for understanding throughout the experiment.

E. Opening / Anticipatory Set:

1.

Teacher talk, Good Afternoon class, today we are going to conclude our investigation into circuits

2.

Teacher talk, Let us take a minute to review what we will be doing during this class.

3.

Teacher will go over the flow of the lesson for the day.

4.

Teacher talk, First we are going to watch a video on circuits to refresh our memories on some key terms
and how circuits work.

5.

Teacher talk, Next we are going to look at our science investigation journals and go through to see if we
all understand our goals and expectations for this experiment.

6.

Teacher talk, We will then review some safety rules so that we will be able to conduct our experiments in
a safe environment.

7.

Teacher talk, You will then be broken up into your groups, where you will be given your experiment kits.

8.

Teacher talk, You will be given 20 min to complete your task, and then we will come back together as a
class and discuss some of the interesting things you discovered.

9.

Teacher talk, Does anyone have any questions?

F. Main Body / Procedure:

1.

Teacher will play video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2monVkCkX4

2.

Teacher will hand out science investigation journals and read through it with students, asking if there are
any questions after each section.

3.

Teacher talk, Who would like to read the first section of our journals?

4.

Teacher continues having students read through the handbook. If there is time constraints teacher will
read through checking for students understanding

5.

Teacher will read aloud laboratory safety rules (attached)

6.

Teacher talk, Is there any questions so far?

7.

Teacher talk, Please remember not to touch anything in your kits until I give the signal to begin.
Remember that this is not a race, we are investigators working together to try and find information to help
us solve our problem.

8.

Teacher talk, You all have your assigned groups, please move to your spaces and raise your card when
your group is ready.

9.

Teacher will hand out materials when all students are settled in their groups and allow groups to start their
investigations.

10. Teacher will walk around providing assistance and support to those students that may need it.

G. Closure / Ending:
1.

Teacher talk, I would like to thank you all for working so well in your groups today. Some of the things I
really liked were

2.

Teacher talk, Today we looked at circuits and different materials we can use to make electricity

3.

Teacher talk, Which materials worked the best for you? Why?

4.

Teacher talk, Which materials did not work so well? Why?

5.

Teacher talk, Why do you think it is important to know that you can get energy from different places?

6.

Teacher talk, Isnt it interesting how we can get energy from different materials?

7.

Teacher talk, We are going to watch a video on how energy from food can also be used to produce energy
we need in our daily lives.

Show Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhyekv1V32s

SECTION III: REFLECTION

A. Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT):
This lesson provides students with the opportunity to conduct an experiment to produce
electricity. The students will be investigating one method of generating electricity, but there are
many different ways. The students in the classroom are from diverse backgrounds where they
use different methods of generating electricity. In this lesson, the teacher is a facilitator and aid
to the students. They will be responsible for creating their own hypothesis and design. This is

new for some students from other cultures where the teacher is the primary source of information
and classrooms are more teacher-centered.

B. Accommodations:
The students will work in groups to conduct their experiments. This will help the students who
are English Language Learners and who have IEPs for reading.

C. Prerequisite skills:
The students will already be familiar with the scientific method and conducting experiments.
They have practiced observation, measurement, and record keeping skills. The students have
prior knowledge predicting, recording, and comparing and contrasting.
D. Misconceptions
The students may think that electricity cannot be generated from fruits and vegetables. They
might not know that electricity is generated and that it simply doesnt come from power plugs or
light switches.

5. Academic Language
The students will have to know the following academic terms: copper, zinc, metals, citric acid,
electrodes, electrolytes, electric current, electrons, conductors, volts, voltage