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TEACHER’S NOTES – Power from the People
Event Description
Key Words
Power from the People helps pupils understand simple electric
circuits. It shows electricity can be created by passing magnets
over wire coils and the energy for this can come from a human.
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Age Range & Curriculum Links
Power from the People is aimed at 9-11 year olds.
Energy Systems:
- Grade 5 – Identify that energy can be moved in a range of
ways; for example an electric current.
Physical World:
- Grade 6 – Describe a range of applications of magnetism
- Grade 7 – Construct simple circuits
Electricity
Wire
Circuit
Electrons
Battery
Magnets
Magnetic field
Energy
Sustainable energy
The Science in the Workshop
Electricity is a mysterious force. We can’t see it like we see the sun. We can’t hold it like we hold
coal. We know when it is working, but it is hard to know exactly what it is. Before we can understand
electricity we need to learn about atoms.
An atom looks like the sun with the planets spinning around it. The centre is called the nucleus. It is
made of tiny protons and neutrons. Electrons move around the nucleus in energy levels or shells far
from the nucleus.
Electrons stay in their shells because a special force holds them there. Protons and electrons are
attracted to each other. Protons have a positive charge (+) and electrons have a negative charge (–).
Opposite charges attract each other.
The electrons near the nucleus are held tight to the atom. Sometimes, the ones farthest away are
not. We can push some of these electrons out of their energy levels and we can move them. Moving
electrons are called electricity.
Power plants use huge magnets to make or generate electricity. In a generator, a big coil of copper
wire spins inside the magnets. As it spins, the magnetic fields push and pull electrons in the wire. The
electrons in the copper wire flow into power lines. These moving electrons are the electricity that
powers our houses.
© 2012 Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee.
Useful Resources
Topic Related Websites:
http://www.need.org/needpdf/infobook_activities/ElemInfo/ElecE.pdf - a clear and accurate
explanation of what electricity is and where it comes from.
General Science Websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ - accompanies the Science Clips TV series aimed at 5-11
year olds and their teachers.
Follow-Up Activity
Make an Electromagnet
You will need:
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Iron bolt (about 8cm in length)
One nut and two washers to fit the bolt
Insulated copper wire (about 1m in length)
Nail clippers (for use by an adult only)
Battery
Paper clips
What to do:
1. Place one of the washers on the bolt. Leave 20cm of wire free at the end.
2. Travelling up the length of the bolt, wrap the wire carefully round the bolt as many times as
you can.
3. Leave 20cm of wire free at the end and slide the other washer over the bolt. Screw the nut
in place.
4. Have an ADULT carefully scrape about 2.5cm of insulation off each end of the wire with the
clippers.
5. Connect the free ends to the positive terminal of a battery and the other lead to the
negative terminal.
SAFETY: There is a risk in this experiment of the wire heating up with the potential to burn a
child’s hand. The battery in the electromagnet should only be connected for short periods of time
(up to 20 second) and should never be connected permanently.
Discussion Ideas:
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What do you see when you place the electromagnet close to the paperclips?
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Does wrapping the wire around the bolt more or less times affect the strength of the
magnet?
What was happening?
© 2012 Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee.
We can use magnets to make electricity. A magnetic field can pull and push electrons to make them
move. Some metals like copper have electrons that are loosely held. They are easily pushed from
their shells.
Magnetism and electricity are related. Magnets can create electricity and electricity can produce
magnetic fields. Every time a magnetic field changes, an electric field is created. Every time an
electric field changes, a magnetic field is created. Magnetism and electricity are always linked
together; thus, you can’t have one without the other. This is called electromagnetism.
© 2012 Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee.