What is Static Electricity?

6th Grade Science

Lesson Objectives for Students:

Review knowledge of atoms and what they consist of
Know the charges of electrons, protons, and neutrons
Discover how static works through experimentation
MST Intermediate Science Standards:
Standard 1, KI 2.1b conduct an experiment designed by others
Standard 4, KI 4, 4.4f 4.4f Without touching them, material that has been electrically charged
attracts uncharged material, and may either attract or repel other charged material
Standard 6, KI 2.2 Use models to study processes that cannot be studied directly

Question Guiding the Lesson:

Why does static make objects stick to or repel other objects?
Materials: Within each experiment package-Two balloons, one piece of wool
fabric, and directions. Blank space of wall, Magnets, Static Electricity
Situation Cards, Exit Tickets
Students Prior Knowledge: The students have previously researched atoms
and created their own models. They have learned that the entire universe
consists of atoms and atoms consist of several particles. They have also
studied the charges of each particle and where they are located in the atom.
Introduction to the topic: Atoms are in everything on the earth. Atoms are
made up of tiny particles. These particles are called electrons, protons, and
neutrons. Electrons have a negative charge, protons have a positive charge,
and neutrons have no charge. Protons and Neutrons are found in the nucleus
(center) of an atom. Electrons spin around the outside of the nucleus.
When two objects are rubbed together, especially with great friction,
electrons are shared with the other object. The electrons stay on the edges of
the object they transferred to. Electrons have a negative charge, thus the
object has a strong negative charge because of the large amount of electrons
on its surface.

Just like a magnet opposite charges attract and same charges repel. If
another object has a positive charge the negatively charged object will be
attracted to it. If both objects have a strong positive or negative charge they
will repel one another. Nothing will happen if the two objects have balanced
(neutral) charges.
During this lesson, students will conduct experiments with static charge
in order to build their understanding of static electricity and components of
an atom.
Vocabulary:
Atom- The tiny building block for all things in the universe. Atoms consist of
tiny particles.
Nucleus- The center of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons.
Electron-A negatively charged particle that spins around the outside of the
nucleus.
Proton- A positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom.
Neutron- Affect the mass of an atom but do not have any charge.
Static Electricity- A large amount of imbalanced charges on an object.
Friction- The action of one object rubbing against another.
Lesson:
Engage: Pass

out magnets to all of the students. Allow them some time (2-3
minutes) to play with the magnets and talk with one another. Once they have
had time to play and experiment gain the classes attention and begin an open
discussion about the magnets.
Productive Questions:

What are some things you noticed about the magnets?

What happens when they are close together/far apart?
(If they havent already brought up positive/negative or the magnets
repelling)
What do the symbols mean on the magnets?
What happens if you put two of the same symbols together?
Why do you think that is?

Clarify that just like the atoms they learned about the magnets have positive
and negative charges in them. Connect the electrons to the negative charge
and protons to the positive. Explain that opposite charges attract but two of
the same charges repel one another.
Explore/Experiment: Split

the students into groups of 2-3. A list of student groups is

already made. (More advanced students are dispersed and placed in groups
with lower achieving students. This allows those who would struggle with the
activity to have a support.) Explain that they will be conducting several
experiments in order to witness the positive and negative charges from atoms
in objects. They will also discover the role friction has in their experiment.
Each group is given an experiment package with directions, materials, and an
area of the classroom to work in.
Students conduct the experiments in their groups while the teacher rotating
around the room assists when needed.
Extra copies of the directions are provided for students who have trouble
seeing the board from a distance.
Explain: After

the experiment gather the students together to talk about their

experiments. Ask for a volunteer to come explain what happened in the first
experiment.
Ask the following questions: Correct any misconceptions
What charge does the balloon have after you rub it against the wool?
(Negative)

Why does it have that charge?(electrons are transferred and give the balloon a
negative charge)

Does the wall have electrons? (Yes)

What happens to them? (They are repelled because the balloon has electrons with a
negative charge)

Why does the balloon stick to the wall? (it is attracted to the protons in the
wall)

What happened when they created more or less friction? (the balloon

should have stuck better when they rubbed faster)

Why did the balloon eventually fall? (the extra electrons in the balloon
transferred into the wall, the charges of the balloon and wall balanced)

Do you have any other questions?

Ask another student to explain what happened in the second experiment.

 What happened when you rubbed the balloons on the wool? What
charge did they have? (both balloons had a negative charge because they received
electrons from the wool)

Why did the two balloons repel each other? (they both had negative charges,
similar charges repel each other)

Elaborate/Extend: After

the discussion split the students into 3 groups and pass out
the Static Electricity Situation Cards. Each group needs to choose a reader,
scribe, and two reporters. The reader will read the card out loud for the group.
(Reading out loud to each other can help struggling readers.)
The groups will then discuss the situation on the card and answer the
questions as a group. The scribe will record their answers on a piece of paper.
After all the groups have answered their questions, the whole class will
discuss their findings.
Read each question aloud for the class and then call upon a reporter to
give their groups answer. There will be enough questions for each reporter to
answer one question each.
Correct any misunderstandings.
Evaluate: After

the reporters are finished, pass out the exit ticket for the lesson.
Students complete the exit tickets individually.

Static Electricity Experiment Directions:

Experiment #1
1. Choose one person to blow up a balloon and tie it.
2. Rub the balloon slowly about 25-30 times across the wool fabric.
3. Place the side of the balloon that was rubbed onto the wall.
Did the balloon stick on the wall very long?
4.

Rub the balloon quickly about 25-30 times across the wool fabric.

5. Place the balloon on the wall.

Did the balloon stay on the wall longer than the last time?
Repeat both these strategies one more time and see if you receive the same results.
Experiment #2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Choose someone to blow up the second balloon.

Rub both balloons quickly about 25-30 times across the wool fabric.
Place one balloon on the floor
Hold one balloon in your hand with the side that was rubbed facing down.
Try to touch the balloon on the floor with the balloon in your hand.

What happened when you tried to make the two balloons touch?

Name:__________________________

Which of the following are true of static charges?

Were there any electrons shared in this situation? If yes, where? Yes, Anns hair
Ann just played
outside
with apply.
her friends. When she came into the house she took
Choose
all while
that
rubbed against
her hat
she was playing. Electrons from her hair were
off her hat and coat. When she took off her hat, Anns hair was sticking up in the
transferred to her hat.
air and reaching towards her hat. Her hair wont lay flat and seems to repel from
a. Like charges repel.
itself
Wheretoo.
did the electrons from her hair go? Anns hat

b.her
Like
Were
anydoelectrons
shared
inhave
this now?
situation?
If yes,
What there
charges
haircharges
and hatattract.
Her hair
haswhere?
a positive charge and
her hat has a negative.
Where did the electrons
fromcharges
her hairrepel.
go?
c. Opposite

Why does her hair want to attach to her hat? Her hair has a positive charge and is
What charges do her hair and hat have now?
attracted to the d.
negative
charge
in her
hat.
Opposite
charges
attract.
Why does her hair want to attach to her hat?
Why doesnt her hair want to touch the other hair? Her hair has a positive charge
On the back of this ticket: Explain why a balloon that is rapidly
so it is repelling from itself.

Exit

ticket
Grading Rubric:
Exceptional
2 Points Each

Acceptable
1 Point Each

Question one:
Question One:
Answers A. and D. are chosen Either answer A. or D. are
chosen
Short Answer:
Short Answer:
3 Vocabulary words are used
2 Vocabulary words are used.
Answer is written in complete Answer is written in complete
sentences. Student proves a
sentences.
clear understanding of
The student shows a vague
electron transfer concept. All understanding of electron
information given is correct.
transfer concept. Some
information is incorrect.

Inadequate
0 Points Each
Question One:
Neither correct answers are
chosen
Short Answer:
1 or no Vocabulary words are
used. Answer is not written
in complete sentences.
Student shows no
understanding of electron
transfer concept. Several
statements are incorrect or no
accurate information is given.

Drawing:
Illustration shows balloon,
wool fabric, and wall.
Electrons and protons are
drawn and labeled. Picture
supports answer.

Drawing:
Illustration shows balloon and
wall. Representations of
electrons and protons are
shown. No labels visible.
Picture supports answer.

Drawing:
Illustration only shows one
object.
No electrons or protons are
shown.
No labels are given.
Picture does not support
answer.

References:
AAAS. (2015). Static Electricity 2: Introducing Static Electricity. Retrieved November 28, 2015
from http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/static-electricity-2/
Drminearspage. (2014). Retrieved November 28, 2015 from the pbworks wiki
http://drminearspage.pbworks.com/w/page/73256123/Exit%20Slips
NYSED. (n.d.). Intermediate Level Science: Core Curriculum Grades 5-8. Retrieved November
28, 2015 from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/intersci.pdf
Physics, Classroom. (2015). Static Electricity Review. Retrieved November 28, 2015 from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/reviews/estatics/estaticsprint.cfm