Unit Title: Electricity

Sub Unit Title: Electrical Circuits

Lesson Title: Circuit Labs

Day 2 of 3

Name: Jaime Sichmeller

Grade Level: 4th grade
School: Baltic Elementary
Date: 11/14/17
Time: 1:40-1:58

Contextual factors/learner characteristics for this lesson: There are 15 students, one has trouble
paying attention and staying on task. The students like to ask questions, limit the amount of questions or
make them more specific. The students have Science after lunch and this is a new idea and unit. Make
sure that all materials are there and ready.

Summary of previous lesson reflection: Some of the students had very interesting questions. There were
many students who really understood the ideas of open and closed circuits. Some students really
struggled to understand what the differences were. They were provided with some visuals but I believe
that the lab will help them to understand the concept of circuits. Keep students interested to avoid them
getting off task. Also lots of questions were asked, it is science so be ready to answer these.

Standards: 4-PS3-2

Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by
sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Performance Expectation
Clarification Statement: none

Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative

measurements of energy.

Science and Engineering Make observations to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an
Practice explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution. (4-PS3-2)
Disciplinary Core Idea  Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects or through
sound, light, or electric currents.(4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-3)

 Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound,

light, or heat. When objects collide, energy can be transferred
from one object to another, thereby changing their motion. In
such collisions, some energy is typically also transferred to the
surrounding air; as a result, the air gets heated and sound is
produced. (4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-3)

Crosscutting Concepts
ABCD Objective
Students will be able to
correctly label the conductors
and insulators used in their lab,
by writing them on the back of
their vocabulary sheet.
 Light also transfers energy from place to place. (4-PS3-2)
Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric currents,
which can then be used locally to produce motion, sound, heat, or light.
The currents may have been produced to begin with by transforming
the energy of motion into electrical energy. (4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-4)
Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects. (4-PS3-1), (4-PS3-
2), (4-PS3-3), (4-PS3-4)*
Assessment I Can / Target Statement
Students will label what was a I can correctly label conductors
conductor and what was an and insulators in my lab.
insulator on the back of their
vocab sheet.

In their lab, students will Formative: Students will I can successfully light my
correctly put the circuits successfully make the lightbulb in both of my labs.
together to make the lightbulb lightbulb light up in both of
light up. their labs.

Materials and Resources needed:

The Lesson – (Provide a brief summary here)

1. Introduction (Engage)
a. Use the HS science kit to plug in the lightbulb in the front of the classroom.
i. “We talked about this yesterday, how are we getting electricity to this
lightbulb?”
ii. “What are some key terms we talked about yesterday?”
iii. “What are some questions you have that you would like to learn today?”
1. How do you split an atom came up yesterday, here is your answer.
iv. Today we are going to figure out how to put together open and closed circuits,
build a circuit and use test objects and see if they are conductors or insulators.

2. Core of the Lesson (continue your “actor’s script”)

What you a. I will split students up into 5 groups of 3. Once I have my
are doing / groups set up I will pass out the materials and let the students
Methodology see if they can figure out how to set it up.
(time i. 1 battery pack, open/closed electric “gate”, wires,
allotment) lightbulb connection, green and red cups.
ii. “Everyone in your group needs to participate.”
iii. “If you need help or get stuck place the red cup on
top. If you are good to go the green cup should be on
top.”
iv. Raise your hand once your lightbulb is on.
 b. Once everyone has successfully lit their lightbulb we will
begin our next task.
i. “Okay students show me an open circuit.”
ii. “Show me a closed circuit.”
iii. “Are there any questions on what one is which?”
c. We will now begin our next lab where we will be testing
different objects to see if electricity will flow through it or not.
i. “Draw a table on the back of your vocabulary sheet
that looks like this.”
ii. “Now title one side conductor and one side
insulator.”
1. “What is the difference between and insulator
and a conductor.”
iii. “As you test each object place it in the correct box
depending on if it is a conductor or an insulator.”
d. Once the students are done testing most of the objects we will
wrap up by talking about our answers.

3. Closure (5-7 minutes)

a. When we come back together as a class I will ask the students what they got for each
object and write them on the board version of the worksheet.
b. We will then talk about toys of theirs and how they think they work. And how we will be
figuring that out tomorrow.
c. But our desks back the right way and get ready for the next transition.

4. Back Pocket Idea

a. Running long: Cut the number of insulators and conductors they need to test.
b. Running short: test different objects around the classroom out as insulators and
conductors.
i. Make a giant circuit.

5. Resources: Mrs. Filler helped me come up with the lab idea of the circuits. I had read the book
Electrical Circuits and decided I wanted to test different insulators and conductors. Also Mrs. Ochsner
helped me get things from the science lab.

Post-Lesson Reflection: (Teachers become better teachers through thoughtful, purposeful reflection. You
should have a solid 3 paragraphs with specific examples to support your claims. What went well? Why
did this aspect of your lesson go well? What did you do to make this happen? Be honest, what didn’t go
so well? What did you do or not do that caused this to happen? What will you do the same and differently
the next time you teach this lesson? How will you plan differently to improve future lessons? Reflect on
your effectiveness. Did all students meet proficiency on all objectives? How do you know? How will you
help those who did not meet proficiency get there?)