Common Knowledge Constrution Model Instructional Plan for Electricity - Bulbs and Batteries

See planning matrix with generalizations, supporting information, and assessment ideas.

Activity Overview

All students will construct a simple closed circuit with a light bulb, battery, and wire; draw a model to explain the transfer of energy through the bulb, wire, battery system; explain how the wire, bulb, and battery system works and how a model can be used to explain and predict circuits.

(Cognitive synthesis, Affective responding, Psychomotor guided response)

Materials: Light bulb, battery, and wire for each student.

Exploring and Categorizing

Constructing and Negotiating

Translating and Extending

Reflecting and Assessing

Procedure

 
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Ask students to explain how they might light a bulb.
 

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Have students illustrate and explain their examples.
     

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Do not comment on the correctness of any answers. If students ask what is correct or comment on what they believe is correct tell them they are brainstorming and you want them to listen to all ideas. Then ask them how they might find evidence to support their idea. Tell them they will get a chance to test their ideas later.
 

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Tell students that when scientists are trying to understand how something works they sometimes use the least number of objects that are needed to collect data to reason about how something works.
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Tell them that is what they are going to do with the electric circuit.
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Ask them what they think is the least number of objects that could be used to create a closed circuit.
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Lead students to conclude that the simplest circuit could be built with one wire, battery, and light bulb or to explore the possibility that it could.
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Have them categorize their examples into one of the following two categories (simple one wire, battery, bulb; or not simple)
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Give each student one battery, bulb, and wire.
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Challenge them to light the bulb.
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Encourage them to find more ways to light the bulb (four general ways are possible).
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If students can not light the bulb have them explain the strategy they are using and try to get them to abandon the strategy and try another. (decenter)
 
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Encourage students to draw diagrams of their circuits.
 
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Have students draw circuits on the board.
 
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Have students label the circuits that lit the bulb and circuits that did not light the bulb.
 
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Have them find similarities for the circuits that lit the bulb.
 
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Have students create a model.
 
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Have them write an operational definition to describe their model of a closed circuit (for the bulb, battery, and wire system).
 
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Have students write their discoveries in their science logs.
   
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Ask why alternative concept 2 and 3 do not create a closed circuit. See if students refer to their model.
   

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Ask how they could use their drawing of a continuous closed path and four connections to explain if a closed circuit is created in other circuits.
   
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Ask the students to use the model to predict if the circuit with the bulb between two batteries would be open or closed. Ask if there will be a transfer of energy according to the model.
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Have students try it.
   
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Ask students to draw other circuits (may add more objects), use their model to predict if energy will transfer (open or closed) according to their model, make the circuit, collect data, report their findings to the class, and alter their models as necessary.
 
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Have student categorize their findings and plan further investigations.

Dr. Robert Sweetland's Notes ©