Lesson I1: Make it work

Starter activities

Problem solving

  • one calculator per group

Capture interest

  • wind-up alarm clock
  • food (could be a largebreakfast cereal box)
  • Bunsen burner (lit)
  • magnesium ribbon and tongs

Main activities

I1a Energy transfers

Four sets of:

  • a kettle of water, recently boiled
  • a whistle and disinfectant
  • a circuit to light a lamp
  • a ball
  • a clockwork toy

Plenary activities

Looking ahead

  • battery (e.g. two 1.5 V batteries in aholder) or power supply
  • two lamps in holders
  • connecting leads
  • switch
  • avoltmeter (same as pupils will be usingnext lesson)

Lesson I2: Energy in and out

Starter activities

Problem solving

  • a tray for each group of two
  • cells in holders
  • switch
  • ammeter
  • two lamps and
  • six connecting wires

Capture interest (1)

Tray 1:

  • a 13 A mains plug
  • light switch
  • socket
  • fusesand connecting cables (three-core cable)
  • maybe anitem with a warning aboutgetting a qualifiedelectrician

Tray 2:

  • batteries in holders
  • lamps
  • connecting leads
  • different types of connector and crocodile clips
  • switches, etc.

Main activities

I2a Investigating voltage: Batteries

For each pair or group:

  • five batteries
  • lamp (12 V)
  • voltmeter
  • eight leads

I2b Investigating voltage: Components

  • a battery
  • two lamps
  • a voltmeter
  • six leads

Plenary activities

Looking ahead

  • Examples of batteries: e.g. alkaline, lithium; rechargeable batteries:

e.g. car battery (lead acid), nickel cadmium (NiCD) and metal hydride

Battery demonstration:

  • a piece of zinc and a piece of copper in a glass beaker of dilute hydrochloric acid, each piececonnected to one terminal of avoltmeter

Lesson I2 Investigate: How to increase the voltage in a fruit cell

Starter activities

Setting the context

  • lead acid car battery
  • universal indicatorpaper
  • voltmeter
  • potato or fruit cell clock
  • voltmeter

Introduce the apparatus

  • one set of the equipment for Activity I2d (see Technician sheet for I2d)

Main activities

I2d Investigate: How to increase the voltage in a fruit cell

For each group

  • lemons, potatoes, apples, oranges or other similar fruits or vegetables (lemon juice or vinegar could beused instead)
  • pieces of metal of the same size and shape: magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron, lead, copper
  • voltmeter
  • connecting leads with crocodile clips
  • ruler
  • scalpel or craft knife with guard

Lesson I3: Using electricity

Main activities

I3a Using electricity

For each group (if available)

  • joulemeter
  • stopwatch
  • electrical appliances

Plenary activities

Sharing responses

  • calculators

Lesson I4: Power stations

Main activities

I4a Inside a power station

For the teacher demonstration:

Turning a turbine

  • Bunsen burner, tripod, mat and gauze
  • conical flask with bung and glass nozzle as shown
  • small fan

Lighting a lamp

  • dynamo as shown in diagram

I4b Comparing power stations

  • books or leaflets on all types of power generation
  • access to the Internet

Plenary activities

Review learning

For a Teacher demonstration:

  • model steam engine which runs on tablet fuel (e.g. Mamod)
  • tablet fuel
  • tap water will do but distilled water is better if available

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This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.