COURSE: Physics DATE: 1/11/16

COS Standard(s):

12. Use the principles of Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws to design, construct, and analyze combination circuits using typical components (e.g., resistors, capacitors, diodes, sources of power).

Learning Target: I can arrange a battery, a wire and a flashlight bulb in a circuit to make the bulb light, and can describe the direction of electron flow.

Lesson Phases / Student Engagement / Assess / Evaluate / Intervention / Acceleration
Engage
Activate Prior Knowledge; Build Background Knowledge; Generate Essential Questions; Make Predictions; Discuss Essential Vocabulary; Establish Purpose for Lesson; Other / ASIM Light Bulb Circuits
PART 1: Design
ASK: How many ways can you arrange a battery, one wire, and one flashlight bulb in a circuit to make it light?
Students will work individually to create at least four different predictions for the arrangement of the 3 items and draw a picture of each arrangement in their Science Notebook that shows how the three pieces would be connected to make the light bulb light.
You can tell students they are allowed to examine all 3 pieces carefully in the Ziplock bag, just do not make any connections.
Students will then compare with their shoulder partner to see if they have any arrangements in common. If they have any common drawings indicate them with an “*” in their Science Notebook.
Read, Write, Talk, Listen, Investigate (100%) / Monitor each students drawing to make sure it is clear where the 3 parts are touching each other. There should only be one wire. Do not explain that there are two connection points on a lightbulb. / It is okay if students do not seem to be drawing the two connection points of the light bulb in their notebook. They will discover this in Part 2.
One on one assistance with struggling students.
Explore, Explain
Interact with Content; Verify and Formulate Predictions; Self-Monitor Comprehension; Construct Graphic Organizers; Summarize Content; Use Mental Imagery; Integrate New Information with Prior Knowledge;
Other / PART 2: Testing
In groups of two, let the students test each of their designs. If a design works put a √ mark beside it in the Science Notebook.
If none of the designs worked, then try new combinations and play with the 3 parts until they do work. Occasionally you may find a light bulb that needs to be replaced.
Have the students write in their own words what is required to make a light bulb work. If some of their predictions failed to work, have them explain what they did not understand or what was not clear so that “you can explain it better to the future classes.”
Read, Write, Talk, Listen, Investigate (100%) / Walk around and inspect each group’s progress making sure they are indicating which designs worked and which ones failed.
Make sure they explain why some predictions failed. Often students do not realize there are two connection points on the light bulb separated by an insulator. / If you have a couple of groups that cannot figure it out, do your best to keep them testing because discovering what works on their own is best. If they appear to be having no success a final option would be to have one of the successful groups explain to them how to make it work.
For successful groups, ask students if it makes a difference when they swap connections on the battery terminals.
Look for indications that each group has found the 4 unique combinations. Ask questions about the orientation of the battery and bulb to direct them to alternate designs
Explain, Elaborate
Reflect on Content of Lesson; Evaluate Predictions; Examine Essential Questions; Justify, Deliberate, and Evaluate Conclusions of Self and Others; Retell or Summarize; Demonstrate Proper Use and Understanding of Vocabulary; Other / PART 3: PhET Simulation
Finally, as students complete Part 2 let them build the same working structures using the PhET simulation. NOTE: To make it work in PhET you can still use one wire even though they do not bend, it just makes the items in the image overlap more. PhET can help students visualize that the electrons are moving out of the negative terminal no matter which way the battery is oriented. Be careful about the confusion over electron flow (- charge) exiting the negative terminal of the battery versus standard current flow starting at the positive terminal.
Have students add the direction of electron flow to their correct drawing in their Science notebook.
VIDEO: Shows that even graduates of the Michigan Institute of Technology (MIT) get confused over how a light bulb works: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mit+video%2c+light+bulb&view=detail&mid=807004889E5CFD527906807004889E5CFD527906&FORM=VIRE4
Read, Write, Talk, Listen, Investigate (100%) / Have students redraw the structure a couple of different ways in the PhET simulation. / Peer to peer assistance as needed.
**for gifted students you may want to move them into the next activity in the sequence where they test Series and Parallel batteries and light bulbs.

Sample PhET image below:

(Note: In this static photo you cannot see the animation effect of electrons moving)

Teacher’s Post Lesson Reflection:

1.  What were students able to do?

2.  What evidence do you have?

3.  Which students need additional instruction?

4.  How will the next lesson be adjusted to meet their needs?

This lesson adapted from Alabama Science In Motion - Chemistry. Page 3 of 3