Download Electricity Explore Lab 1st Grade INTRODUCTION: “For by faith we

Electricity Explore Lab
1st Grade
INTRODUCTION: “For by faith we understand that the entire
universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see
did not come from anything that can be seen.” Hebrews 11:3
Electricity is invisible. We can not see electricity or energy but the
affects of it are everywhere. Everything that we see has invisible
energy (electricity) flowing through it. The chair, our bodies, sound,
heat, light, everything is made up of energy in its smallest parts. We
even have electrical charges racing through our own bodies.
Electricity is invisible yet it is everywhere. By faith we have to believe
that it is there and we rely on it in many, many ways. Isn’t God
amazing? Today we will take part in four different centers that will
help us learn more about the wonder of electricity and how God made
it. Can you imagine what life would be like without electricity? Life as
we know it would cease to be. In this lab we will discover some of the
uses mankind has found to harness electricity and make our life
easier and better. Electricity can create three kinds of energy: light,
sound, and heat. There are two types of electricity; circuit and static
as well as electricity produced by magnetic effects. In today’s lab we
will discover how these kinds of energies are made.
Supplies:
Center #1: one large steel pin per student, six large paperclips, 6
large bar magnets, 70 Styrofoam bowls, liquid soap and water, 70
compass sheets, 70 plastic drinking straws, waterproof glue or tape,
iron filings and magnet, red waterproof marker, six red crayons
Center #2 two potatoes, mud, water, fruit (lemons, apples), Steve
Spangler Enviro Battery, 3 empty soda bottles,
Center #3 6”X9” cardboard, one C battery, three 3: plastic-coated
wires with each end stripped to expose the wires, one small bulb, one
small bulb holder, screwdriver, rubber band, tape, pencil, screw, key,
fork, paper clip, three posters labeled: good conductors, poor
conductors, non conductors, laptop computer
Center #4 A sheet of acrylic plastic or other clear plastic (about 1 foot
[30 cm] square and 1/s inch [3 mm] thick), a piece of wool cloth or fur,
4 supports about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) high (tuna cans work
nicely), a large piece of white paper, 11 x 17 inches (28 x 43 cm), tiny
bits of "stuff." Aluminized ceiling glitter works well, as do grains of
rice, puffed rice cereal, spices (dill weed, basil, ground cloves, or
nutmeg), or bits of Styrofoam, laminated pictures of objects that use
electricity and those that don’t for sorting.
Center #1:
1. Construct a Floating Magnetic Compass: (8.11)
Why does the Earth behave like a giant magnet with a magnetic field
surrounding it? Scientists have found out that the magnetic field is
produced by the molten metal which is found deep under the Earth’s
surface. As the Earth spins, electric currents are created in the
molten metal and these currents produce the Earth’s magnetic core.
In this experiment students will make their very own floating compass
which will point north and south.
Procedure:
1. Show the students how iron filings all line up in the same
direction when a magnet is introduced. This is what will
happen to the molecules in the needle after it becomes
magnetized.
2. Give each child a steel needle and instruct them to rub the
needle firmly and slowly about 40 times in one direction (not
back and forth) It is important not to switch poles. Move the
needle away from the magnet at each stroke.
3. Check to see if the needle is magnetized by touching it with a
paperclip. If it is magnetic it will have some attraction to the
paperclip. The needles should just stick to the paperclip.
4. Now, place the magnetized needle into the drinking straw.
Fold and glue the ends of the straws so water will not get in.
5. Put a red X on the North point of the compass paper. Set the
bowls in the center of the compass paper with the north facing
the northern wall of the classroom and add water and a few
drops of liquid detergent. This will break the water’s surface
tension, so the straws will not be pulled to the edges of the tub.
6. Now mark the north pole end of the straw with a red marker so
the students can use the compass without the reproducible
page.
Observe:
1. By stroking the needles against the magnet students are
making all the invisible electrons in the needles’ atoms spin
in the same direction.
2. The center of the Earth is a giant liquid hot mass that has a
positive and a negative charge. Electricity literally is
exploding beneath us!
Questions to Ask:
1. Why do we stroke the needle against the magnet? To make it
act like a magnet. It will become a plus or a minus charge just
like a magnet.
2. Is there electricity beneath the Earth? Yes, the center of the
Earth is a hot boiling magnet.
3. How can we use the electrical magnet inside the Earth to find
our way around? We can make a compass using the Earth as
a magnet to get our directions.
Center #2: Enviro-Battery Experiments 8.10, 8.11
Students discover how natural products like mud, lemons, and water
can power a light bulb, a watch, and activate a music chip.
Procedure:
1. The Explore Lab Instructor will set up all three experiments
according to the Enviro Battery directions.
2. Parents point out to the students the positive and the negative
terminals that are connected to the conductors (potato, lemon,
mud) and to the power source (light bulb, watch, music chip).
3. Show the students how all three items are powered
Observe:
1. Invisible electricity (current) flows through the wires to power
the watch, light bulb, music chip.
2. Copper wire is more powerful than zinc wire so the current
flows from copper to zinc
3. The acid in the potato, lemon, and mud break down the atomic
structure of the copper and zinc wires causing individual
electrons to be released. The zinc electrons break down faster
and cause current to flow to the less reactive metal (copper).
This is what causes the items to power up.
Questions to Ask:
1. What would happen if the copper wires were attached to the
same metal? Example zinc to zinc and copper to copper.
Answer: the current would not flow. There has to be a positive
and a negative charge for energy to flow.
2. Electricity is used to power lights, watches, sound chips, and
lots of things. Energy (electricity) has to come into these
objects in order for them to work. They can not just power up
on their own.
Center #3:. Testing Conductors (8:10, 8:11) Using a battery, wires,
and a light bulb understand current electricity and the value of good
conductors by testing various objects for conductivity.
Procedure:
1. Show students the test circuit and ask students guided
questions about their observation.
2. Take turns replacing the paperclip with various objects like a
pencil, screw, key, and fork.
3. Ask students to guess if the object is a conductor before each
test.
Observe: All circuits need an energy source. In this case it is the
battery. The wires take the energy from the battery to the load (the
object using the electricity – the light bulb. When the circuit is
complete the electricity can flow and the light powers up. When the
circuit is broken the light will not light up. A conductor is like a car
that takes you to a destination. You can not expect to sit on a rock
and have it take you to the store. Only certain objects (like cars) can
take you where you want to go. Not all objects are conductors of
electricity.
Learn how electricity works in a battery and how electrons flow
through a circuit at:
http://www.southernco.com/learningpower/h204kids.asp
Questions to Ask:
1. Guess which objects are conductors (electricity can flow
through it) and which ones are not.
2. What is the battery for in this circuit? It is the power source.
The electricity comes out from it.
3. Are our bodies conductors? Can electricity flow through our
bodies? Yes. The human body is made up of 70% to 90%
water and water is a very good conductor of electricity. This is
why your parents advise you to get out of the pool when there
is a lightning storm and why it is dangerous to be outside when
lightning strikes.
Center #4: Ecstatic About Electricity (8:10) Perform the Electric Flea
Experiment. You're probably familiar with some of the effects of
static electricity: Static electricity makes the sparks when you comb
your hair on a cold day, and it makes balloons stick to the wall at a
birthday party. In this experiment, static electricity makes electric
"fleas" jump up and down.
Procedure:
1. Put the piece of paper on the table. Place the supports on the
paper beneath the four corners of the plastic, and scatter the
tiny bits of Styrofoam, spices, ceiling glitter, or rice under the
plastic.
2. Charge the plastic by rubbing it vigorously with the piece of
wool cloth or fur. Watch the "fleas" dance! Try different types of
material for charging the plastic, including your hand, and
experiment with other materials for fleas. Also, try the plastic at
different heights.
3. While the fleas are dancing, put your ear on the plastic plate.
Listen to the tapping of the fleas as they hit the plastic. The
tapping rate slowly decreases as the charge on the plastic is
depleted.
Observe: (For the parents) Both the plastic and the fleas start out
electrically neutral. That is, they have an equal number of positive
and negative charges. When you rub the plastic with the wool
cloth, the cloth transfers negative charges to the plastic. These
negative charges polarize the fleas, attracting the positive charges
to the tops of the fleas and pushing the negative charges to the
bottoms of the fleas. The attraction between the negative plastic
and the positive charge concentrated on the top of the fleas makes
the fleas jump up to the underside of the plastic.
When a flea actually touches the plastic, some of the plastic's
negative charge flows to the flea. The top of the flea becomes
electrically neutral. But since the whole flea was originally neutral, the
flea now has some excess negative charge. The negatively charged
flea and the negatively charged plastic repel each other strongly,
which causes the flea to jump quickly back to the table. As the flea's
excess negative charge slowly drains away to the tabletop, or to the
air, the flea again becomes neutral and is ready to jump up to the
plastic once more. (For the children) Electricity is present in these
items even though you can’t see it. By rubbing the wool onto the
plastic the objects became charged up and started to jump. Static
electricity made the “fleas” jump around.
Questions to Ask:
1. What kind of electricity did we observe here, static or current?
Static
2. Did the “fleas keep jumping around or did they stop after a
while? Why? Static electricity is not as powerful as current
electricity and will neutralize or weaken over time.
Educational Science Motion and Energy Standards for 1st Grade
8.10 Recognizes the uses of electricity in everyday life.+
8.11 Discover that electricity in circuits can produce light, heat,
sound, and magnetic effects. #
Interesting Background Information For Parents
 Electricity is a basic feature of all matter, of everything
in the universe. Electrical force holds atoms and
molecules together. Electricity determines the structure
of every object that exists. Together with magnetism, it
causes a force called electromagnetism, a
fundamental force of the universe.
 Electricity or electrical signals are essential to many
biological processes. In our bodies, electrical signals
are carried through the nervous system, moving
information to and from the brain. Electrical signals
communicate to our brain what the eyes see, what the
ears hear, and what the fingers feel. Electrical signals
from our brain causes our muscle movements.
Electrical signals cause each heartbeat.
 One of the most important forms of electricity is in
electrical current. During the industrial revolution of the
1800s, people began to find ways to use electricity to
do work. Today electricity is used throughout our
homes, at work, in communication, in transportation,
and in medicine and science. Electrically powered
devices are prevalent. Relatively cheap electricity has
made electrical appliances, machines, and other
devices possible.
 Everyone has seen the paintings of Ben Franklin flying
his kite on a rainy day during a thunder and lightening
storm. Some people, including a Russian Prince, saw
these pictures and actually tried the experiment for
themselves. When they did, they got a shocking
surprise. The Prince died of electrocution!
 The human body has a large enough conductivity so
that it too is considered to be a conductor. For this
reason, it is ill-advised to plug in a radio while taking a
bath.
 Electricity is a form of energy that provides heat, light
and power.
 There are two forms of electricity: static and current.
 Static electricity jumps. Often it can be created by
rubbing two objects together.
 Current electricity is electricity that flows. Most people
use current electricity in their homes.
 A circuit is a complete path on which electricity travels.
 Conductors are materials that let electricity pass
through them.
Parents,
We use the Scientific Method in Explore Lab. Ask the
students guided questions that enable them to think and
explore
The Scientific Method
1. Ask a question
2. Gather information through observation
3. Make an educated guess or hypothesis about the answer to your
question
4. Design an experiment
5. Evaluate the results
Websites and References:
http://phun.physics.virginia.edu/topics/electrostatics.html
Smith, Valerie and Wagner, Laura (2000). Energy, Light, & Sound.
Greensboro, NC. The Education Center, Inc.
Badden, Diane, (2003), Quick and Easy Science Fun, Greensboro,
NC. The Education Center, Inc.
Le Besque, Susannah (1995), Science for Fun Playing With Magnets,
London WIP OLD, Alladin Books Ltd.