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Electricity & Magnetism
Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 5.4
Dear Parents,
The purpose of this newsletter is to give you an overview of what your child will be learning during our
current unit of study in science. Please take a moment to look over the different sections of this newsletter.
You will see example questions, important terms to know, and some extension activities you can do at home.
Parent Background:
If you charge two balloons by rubbing them on your clothing, numerous negative charges
will be created. The balloons will repel each other because of the number of negative charges. If
one balloon is negatively charged and you have pepper on a plate, the pepper will jump towards the
balloon because it has a positive charge and the opposites attract. This is a kind of electricity-static
electricity. Molecules are the smallest bit of a substance. Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and
electrons. Moving electrons create electricity. The ability of the electrons to move freely allows for
energy to form and work to be done. Electricity will only flow when a circuit is complete. Metals
are the best conductors of electricity, offering the ability for the current to flow easily. Copper is the
most widely used conductor for wiring. Insulators are “poor conductors” of electricity.
Electricity and magnetism are closely related. Both have a magnetic field in which electrons
flow. Bar magnets attract objects most strongly at their poles (the ends). The magnetic attraction
weakens towards the middle of the bar magnet, offering little to no magnetic attraction power.
Electromagnets are created by wrapping insulated wire around a nail and connecting both ends of the
wire to the battery. The electrical current flows through the coiled wire, charging the nail. This nail
is then magnetized and will remain a strong magnetic force as long as the electrical current flows.
When the electrical current is broken, the nail is no longer considered a magnet.
Students will know…
 electricity flows easily through some
materials
 magnets attract some materials
 an electrical current through a wire
can create a magnetic field.
Students will be able to…
 demonstrate examples of static
electricity
 draw examples of a basic circuit;
 list commons insulators and
conductors
 create a simple circuit used to
determine conductivity
 build a simple electromagnet
Ways Parents Can Help
Things you can do with your 5th grader…
1) Visit an appliance repair shop & ask them to tell you
about the magnets found in appliance motors.
2) Discuss safe electrical use by visiting
http://www.miamisci.org/af/sln/frankenstein/safety.html
3) Make flashcards for the vocabulary section and
practice using the words in a sentence.
Vocabulary
circuit: complete path an electrical current flows through
conductor: substance which allows heat, electricity, or sound to travel through
electromagnet: temporary magnet formed when electricity flows through coiled
wire
electron: negative charged tiny particle found in the electron cloud of an atom
insulator: substance which does not allow heat, electricity, or sound to travel
through
Well what about the mature student
having trouble with weight and
neutron: neutral charged tiny particle found
in He
the couldn't
nucleus of
atom
mass?
tellthehis
old tons
from his Newtons
proton: positive charged tiny particle found in the nucleus of the atom
Sample Test Prep Question #1
Sample Test Prep Question #2
Which of these materials is a good
conductor of electricity?
F. Rubber
G. Glass
H. Metal
J. Newspaper
Question:
What did the baby light bulb
say to the mama light bulb?
Answer:
Electrical Enjoyment
“I love you watts and watts!”
Answers:
1) B will light when the switch is closed
2) H -metal will conduct electricity