Download Science Medium Term Planning – Spring 1 (year 5)

Science Short Term Planning – Spring 1 (Year 4-Circuits and Electricity)
1
Activity
Learning
objectives
Children learn:
Core
vocab
Resources
Learning outcomes
Children:
Tell the chd the new topic that we are going to be
looking at this term.
Put on the board the words circuits and
conductors. Ask the chd to write this in their
books for a title page.
Then ask them to write it again on the next page
but this time write or draw all the things they can
think of that are to do with circuits and
conductors (mention the word electricity)
Circuits
Show the children the picture of the drawn circuit
with the diagram of the circuit in the centre. Why
do we use diagrams instead of drawings? That’s
because bulbs, plugs, cells look different from
country to country, but the image in the diagram
can remain constant.
that a circuit needs
a power source
Battery
Bulb
Cell
Circuit
Electricity
Lead
Component
Cells
Wires
Buzzers
Crocodile clips
Pictures of
circuits
explain why devices in
some circuits shown in
drawings will work but
devices in other circuits
will not eg the switch is
open so there is a break in
the circuit and the bulb
won't light
Have the children use the poster resource to draw
and complete three circuit diagrams in their books
giving them a time limit to complete.
Once finished challenge the children to make a
simple circuit that contains a buzzer. Demonstrate
what the children might do that could cause their
circuit not to work, e.g. connect to plastic not the
metal wire, connect the wrong end of the buzzer to
the positive side of the cell.
that a complete
circuit is needed for
a device to work
that circuits
powered by
batteries can be
used for
investigation and
experiment,
appliances
connected to the
mains must not
identify the purpose of
components in a circuit
2
When the children have made a simple buzzer
circuit ask them to consider how to make the
buzzer quieter. How many options can they list in
their books? Discuss some answers, i.e. add more
wires; add a cell with less voltage; add another
component that will use the power like another
buzzer or bulb.
Show the images of circuits questions taken from
SATs papers and discuss their responses.
Insulators and conductors
Show the children a plastic covered lead and ask
them:
What is inside the plastic covering for electricity
to pass through?
What is the plastic covering for?
Explain that an electrical conductor is a material
that allows electricity to pass through. A material
that does not allow electricity to pass through is
called an insulator.
Provide children with a range of materials and ask
them to carry out an investigation to find out which
are insulators and which are conductors.
Ask them to predict which objects will allow
electricity to pass through (conductor) and which
will not let electricity to pass through (insulator).
Record their results on the table provided.
Discuss results and identify a pattern – all metals
are conductors and other materials are not.
Provide objects that are made of two materials,
e.g. scissors with plastic handles – the answer will
depend on where the children clip the wires.
that some materials
are better
conductors of
electricity than
others
how to find out
which materials
allow electricity to
pass through them
to use results to
draw conclusions
about which
materials conduct
electricity
that metals are good
conductors of
electricity, most
other materials are
not and that metals
are used for cables
and wires, plastics
Circuit
Conductor
Insulator
4F PM1
Wires
Bulbs
Bulb holders
Cells/batterie
s
Crocodile clips
Range of
materials:
Nails
Paper clips
Coins
Lolly stick
Scissors
Corks
Fabric
Plastic
bag/carton
Safety pins
Spoons
Forks
construct a circuit to test
which materials let
electricity pass through
explain that with some
materials the bulb did not
light because the circuit
was not complete
make a generalisation
about which materials
did/did not conduct
electricity eg metals let
electricity pass, plastics
did not, metals are good
conductors of electricity
and plastics are not
explain that metals are
used eg for cables and
wires because they are
good conductors and
plastics eg for plugs
because they are
3
At the end discuss whether water is a conductor or
not. Have the children give you their various
opinions. Ask do they have plug sockets in their
bathroom? Explain that water is a conductor but
not for small amounts of voltage, e.g. in the 9v cells
they’re using. But when the voltage is huge, e.g. a
plugged in household items.
are used to cover
wires and as covers
for plugs and
switches
Two tasks this week
Quiz board
Building on last week’s lesson on conductors and
insulators show the chd a quiz board you have made
and explain that it works by using conductors taped
to the back of the board. Explain that the chd will
be making their own quiz board using aluminium foil
and masking tape. They punch a set of holes down
both sides of an A4 card then write questions on
one side of the card and then the correct answers,
jumbled up, on the other side always above one of
the punched holes. They then connect the correct
answer to each question on the back of the board
using a strip of foil. They then must insulate the
strip with a layer of tape before connecting the
next answer. They can then use a simple buzzer
circuit to test if they have set up their quiz board
correctly, i.e. the buzzer should only sound when
they connect the right answer to the question.
Switches
Demonstrate a range of switches on familiar
devices and how they can be used to turn devices
on or off. Can chd think of any other appliances
which use switches? What does the switch do?
Ask chd:
that I can apply my
knowledge of
insulators and
conductors to make
a simple toy
that a switch can be
used to make or
break a circuit to
turn things on or off
(using both
batteries or mains)
insulators
Insulator
Conductor
Switch
4F PM2
Aluminium foil
Card
Colouring pens
and pencils
Circuit
components
Paper clips
Split pins
Card
construct a circuit to test
which materials let
electricity pass through
construct a circuit in
which a switch turns a
specific device on or off
explain how their switch
works
Why is it useful to use switches in circuits?
How do switches work?
Show chd a simple aluminium foil ‘fold switch’ and
ask them to make one to control a circuit.
Ask children:
Why is aluminium used in this switch?
Could we use cling film instead?
Give the chd the sheet showing various designs of
switches they can make themselves using pegs,
card, paperclips etc…and allow them to make each
one at their tables.
Can they then make a circuit that incorporates
their switch so that it works?