Download TEACHER`S NOTES - Electrotastic Event Description Age Range

TEACHER’S NOTES - Electrotastic
Event Description
Key Words
Electrotastic is a workshop exploring electricity. Students built
their own gadget, learnt about conductors, insulators and how
simple circuits work.
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Positive
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Negative
Age Range & Curriculum Links
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Circuit
Electrotastic is aimed at 5-8 year olds
- Grade 2:
o M2 – Group materials according to common
properties.
o M4 – Identify why particular materials are
suitable for specific uses.
- Grade 3:
o P1 – Identify that energy can exist in various
forms including electricity and magnetic energy.
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Insulator
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Conductor
The Science in the Workshop
Everything is made of atoms—every star, every tree, every animal. Atoms are the building blocks of
the universe. They are very, very tiny particles. Millions of atoms would fit on the head of a pin. The
centre of the atom 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. When an atom is in balance, it
has the same number of protons and electrons. It can have a different number of neutrons. Electrons
stay in their shells because a special force holds them there. Protons and electrons are attracted to
each other. We say protons have a positive charge (+) and the electrons have a negative charge (–).
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. When electrons are "lost" from
an atom, the free movement of these electrons constitutes an electric current. Moving electrons are
called electricity. Electricity travels in closed loops, or circuits. It must have a complete path from
the power plant through the wires and back. If a circuit is open, the electricity can’t flow. When we
flip on a light switch, we close a circuit. The electricity flows through the light and back into the wire.
When we flip the switch off, we open the circuit. No electricity flows to the light.
© 2012 Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee.
Useful Resources
Topic Related Website:
http://www.need.org/Energy-Infobooks This website has lots of resources for teaching about
electricity and other sorts of energy production.
General Science Website:
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 Your Own Electro-Magnet
You will need:
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Iron bolt about 8cm long
One nut and two washers to fit bolt
Small insulated copper wire about 1m long
Nail clippers (for use by an adult only)
Battery
Paper clips
What to do:
1. Place one of the washers onto the bolt.
2. Wrap the copper wire carefully round the bolt as many times as you can, starting
from the bottom and working your way to the top.
3. Leave about 20 cm of wire free at the end and slide the other washer onto the bolt.
4. Screw the nut onto the bolt.
5. Have an ADULT carefully trim about 2.5 cm of insulation off each end of the copper
wire with the clippers.
6. Connect one of the free ends to the positive terminal of the battery and the other
end to the negative terminal of the battery.
7. You have created an electromagnet
8. Hold your electromagnet next to the paperclips.
9. What happens when you place the electromagnet close to the paperclips?
Discussion Ideas:
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Talk about the relationship between magnets and electricity.
What is it that is flowing around the circuit?
We have used electricity to make a magnet, could we use magnets to make
electricity?
© 2012 Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee.
What was happening?:
When electricity flows along a wire it produces a magnetic field around the wire. We can
use electricity to make magnets. We can also 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; you can’t have one without the other. This is called electromagnetism.
© 2012 Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee.