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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that energy is everywhere and can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.

In a functioning electrical circuit, electrical energy is transformed into motion, light, sound, or thermal energy by devices within the circuit. For example, a fan transforms the electrical energy into motion.  An LED or lightbulb transforms the electricity into light energy. A speaker transforms electrical energy into sound energy. A light bulb, resistor, or any device that is not 100% efficient will transform electrical energy into thermal energy.

a closed path through which electricity can travel  

interval of time during which a sequence of a recurring succession of events or phenomena is completed; a course or series of events or operations that recur regularly and usually lead back to the starting point

a closed (complete) path for electric current to flow as a result of a driving voltage

energy transmitted by electric currents, caused by the flow of electrons

a measurable quantity that describes how much change can occur within a system

a phenomenon of energy that involves electric and magnetic fields; can be given off or absorbed by objects 

an act, process, or instance of changing position or location  

regular sequences that can be found throughout nature

a phenomenon of energy that is produced by the vibrations of objects and moves through solids, liquids, and gases

a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole

a phenomenon of energy that measures the random motion (kinetic energy) of particles (vibrations in solids or free motion in a gas) in a substance

Research

Sandifer, Cody. “Shoe Box Circuits.” Science and Children 47, no. 4 (December 2009): 20–23. https://www.proquest.com/docview/236948831?sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals.

Summary:  Upper elementary students design a shoebox room with a complete circuit that they have created. This activity helps students understand how the electrical concepts they’ve learned in school relate to the circuits in their own homes. Students should be familiar with electricity concepts and have experience with hands-on electricity activities before this activity. Students will design a shoebox room based on a room in their home and then install a circuit into their room. Students will create a blueprint for their circuit and test their circuit to see if it meets the requirements in their blueprint. Once the circuit has teacher approval, it is installed in their shoebox. The class will then complete a report on their project, including their observations and the process they used to complete their circuit.

Research

Concannon, James P,  Patrick Brown, and Enrique Pareja. “Making the Connection: Addressing Students’ Misconceptions of Circuits.” Science Scope 31, no. 3 (November 2007): 10–14. https://www.proquest.com/docview/225991151?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals. 

Summary: The teacher in this article uses the 5E model to correct misconceptions about circuits. The lesson addresses what makes a complete circuit and explains why electric current does not travel in some circuits. The class uses common items like flashlights, batteries, and foil to try to solve a problem. Students are given a real-world scenario of being out in the woods at night with a flashlight that will not turn on. They work together in groups to use the items they have been provided to get their flashlight to produce light. Throughout this experiment, the students are asked to draw their successful and unsuccessful ideas. Students may get the flashlight on but still not understand why or how. The teacher then introduces closed circuits to the class and draws examples. The class completes the activity again with this knowledge and compares how their circuits have changed from their original attempts.