Inquiry Based Activity Understanding Matter and Energy: Electricity and Electrical Devices Grade 6

Activity Title Bending Water with Static Electricity

Rationale: Students will learn about the properties of static electricity and electrons in this
experiment. The grade 6 curriculum deals heavily with static electricity, how it is created and how it is
applied. This activity is based on a Science Bob.com activity titled Bend Water With Static Electricity.
In this experiment students will explore static electricity can be created and how it can be
demonstrated in an everyday example.
Learning Goals
1. Investigate and understand how static electricity can be created through friction.
2. Investigate what factors can affect the creation of static electricity.
3. Understand the properties of static electricity.
Resources
1. The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 Science and Technology
2. Science Bob.com Bending water with static electricity

Expectations
Curriculum Expectations
Overall Expectations
2. investigate the characteristics of static and current electricity, and construct simple
circuits;
Specific Expectations
2.3 use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills (see page 12) to investigate the
characteristics of static electricity
3.3 identify materials that are good conductors of electricity (e.g., copper, gold, silver,
aluminum, water [when it has a high mineral content]) and good insulators (e.g., glass,
plastic, rubber, ceramics viscosity

Introduction Activating Prior Knowledge, Engagement

Day 1 Bending water with static electricity Assessment Information
Predict (15minutes) Assessment for Learning:
Procedure P.O.E worksheet will be
-Introduce the materials for the demonstration, comb, faucet with submitted at the end of class
water, hair. and will be given back with
-have students predict what they think will happen when you comb On next steps or how to
your hair and then place the comb next to a stream of water from improve
the tap. content for the next P.O.E. as
-Allow students to write predictions on their P.O.E sheet. well as the current
-Take suggestions and write down their thoughts. investigation.
-Take a blind pole.
-Give students the opportunity to interact with the objects and look
for themselves before the experiment.
Observe (15minutes)
Teacher will comb hair about ten times to transfer static electricity
from the hair to the comb. The teacher will then turn on the tap to
the point where the flow rate is a gentle stream. The teacher will
then place the comb next to the water. The water should bend
towards the comb.
Explain (15minutes)
When you brushed the comb through your hair, electrons collected
on the comb. These electrons have a negative charge. Now the
comb has a negative charge. It is attracted to things that have a
positive charge and vice versa. It is like the way some magnets are Assessment As Learning
attracted to certain metals. Students will complete a self-
When you bring the negatively charged comb near the faucet it is assessment chart evaluating
attracted to the positive force of the water. The attraction is strong their learning behaviour
enough to pull the water towards the comb as it is flowing! during day 1
Students will fill out the remainder of their P.O.E sheet.
Day 2 Assessment As Learning
Planning for Investigation In the groups meeting with
Teacher will facilitate questions such as the teacher, each group will
1. Does water temperature affect how much the water bends? be given constructive
2. Does the size of the comb affect the static power? feedback on how to effectively
3. Does the amount of moisture in that air affect the static power? create their presentation and
4. Does the material that the comb is made of affect the static discuss their findings.
power?
Students will then be placed in groups of 3 and decide on answering
2 of these questions. Class will develop success criteria for
presentations.

Days 3 and 4 Exploration

In their groups students will be asked to complete the Smarter
Science Step 4 handout.
Once completed, students will receive feedback from the teacher
then be given supplies needed.
2. Students will conduct experiments and record all finding in the
provided “bending water with static electricity worksheet”
Assessment of Learning
Day 5 Presentation of Findings Students will be evaluated
1. Each group will present their findings in some sort of visual based on the success criteria
presentation format(bit strips, powerpoint, etc.) discussed in class
2. During presentations, Teacher will model how to summarize and
records information and in a format that illustrates a comparison
between various experiments.
3. As a class, students will generate a list of their findings and
common themes between their experiments
To conclude the activity student will understand how static
electricity is transferred, the factors that affect this transfer and how
static electricity can affect other objects.
Bending water with Static Electricity
Predict Observe

Explain Explain
Self Evaluation
⃝ I listened and followed instructions to

Awesome! The absolute best of my ability.

⃝ I completed all of my P.O.E Worksheet
⃝I went into great detail, was creative and used
good scientific vocabulary
⃝ I tried my absolute best

⃝ I listened and followed instructions to

Great! Most of the time.

⃝ I completed most of my P.O.E Worksheet
⃝I went into detail, was creative and used some
scientific vocabulary
⃝ I tried pretty hard

⃝ I listened and followed instructions to

Good! Some of the time.

⃝ I completed parts of my P.O.E Worksheet
⃝I went into some detail, and used a few
scientific words
⃝ I could’ve tried harder
Assessment
Expectations
Overall Expectations
2. investigate the characteristics of static and current electricity, and construct simple
circuits;
Specific Expectations
2.3 use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills (see page 12) to investigate the
characteristics of static electricity
3.3 identify materials that are good conductors of electricity (e.g., copper, gold, silver,
aluminum, water [when it has a high mineral content]) and good insulators (e.g., glass,
plastic, rubber, ceramics viscosity
Assessment of Student Engagement
Student Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Participation
Active (A),
Prompting
Required (P),
Limited(L)
 Assessment of Student’s Work
Excellent(E), Day 1 Predict Observe Day 3 and Day 4 Day 5
Proficient(P), explain
Needs
Improvement(N)
Student Student Student Student Student Student Presentation Student
Identified accurately thoroughly effectively correctly Created an was showed a cear
2-3 described and explained Identified effective effective and understanding
Physical the effectively what could the hypothesis showed the of the subject
Attributes experiment filled out be independent for their students material
of the using observation measured and experiment inquiry
comb, the scientific chart for and how it defendant process and
hair or words and investigation would variables. results
the filled in affect the
water. their entire experiment
POE Chart