Grade 4 Science: Static Electricity
Lesson adapted from “We Energies” online site
https://www.we-energies.com/educators/classroom/static_elec_lesson.pdf
Next Generation
Science Standards
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy
The faster a given object is moving, the more energy it possesses.
(4-PS3-1)
Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects or
through sound, light, or electric currents. (4-PS3-2),(4-PS3-3)
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light,
or heat. When objects collide, energy can be transferred from one
object to another, thereby changing their motion. In such collisions,
some energy is typically also transferred to the surrounding air; as a
result, the air gets heated and sound is produced. (4-PS3-2),(4-PS33)
Light also transfers energy from place to place. (4-PS3-2)
Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric
currents, which can then be used locally to produce motion, sound,
heat, or light. The currents may have been produced to begin with
by transforming the energy of motion into electrical energy. (4PS3-2),(4-PS3-4)
ELA Common Core Standard Connections
RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining
what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences
from the text. (4-PS3-1)
RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a
historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and
why, based on specific information in the text.
NGSS Science and
Engineering
Practices
Planning and Carrying out Investigations
Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve
as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon or test
a design solution.
Specific Learning
Objectives
Students will conduct an experiment to observe static electricity in a real
life situation.
Students will be able to explain what static electricity is and how it occurs.
Materials
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Lesson Plan
Engage
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students begin to
think about static
electricity using
prior knowledge
during this portion of
the lesson.
Balloons (1 per student)
Snack sized zip lock bags filled with air and tissue paper confetti (1
per student)
Wool cloth (more than one is ideal but students can also use their
shirts)
Paper plates (1 per student)
Crushed Fruit Loop cereal (enough so that each student can have
some on their plate)
Pencils (1 per student)
Worksheets (1 per student)
Teacher asks/says/does:
Student asks/says/does:
1. Tell story about static
electricity event during a cold
evening: “I went to grab my
nice fuzzy blanket out of the
dryer while in my nice fuzzy
socks over my nice fuzzy
carpet and my blanket shocked
me! When I pulled my blanket
around me, it made my hair
stand up!”
1. Students will share stories
about static electricity. Some, if
not most, will know what it is
called.
2. Students will share with their
partner what they think causes
static electricity. Volunteers
will share ideas with the whole
class.
2. Ask students about times they
have experienced similar
events and if they know what
might have caused them to be
shocked.
3. Once enough students have
mentioned static electricity, ask
students what they think causes
static electricity. First, ask
students to share their thinking
with a partner before asking
volunteers to share with the
class. Record their thinking on
the white board to revisit at the
end of the lesson.
Instructional
Strategies Used
The discussion will build a connection between the lesson and the real
world experiences of the students. Making this connection will help all
(with rationale):
students to participate and feel like they have an important role in the
lesson.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Pair-Share
Whole Class Discussion
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
Have you experienced something
similar to the story I just told?
Explore
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students will
observe static
electricity in an
experiment.
What do you think is happening
when you experience something like
that?
1. Provide each student group
with the following materials:
• 1 balloon
• 1 zip lock baggie filled with
tissue paper confetti
• 1 piece of wool
• Handout to record
observations
2. Instruct students to place the
paper confetti on their desk.
Explain to them that they will
rub the balloon on the piece of
wool and then hold the balloon
over the confetti for five
minutes.
Students will have to recall
experiences that are similar to the
teacher’s experience.
Students will have to make
predictions about what they think is
happening when they notice static
electricity in their everyday lives.
1. Before students begin, they will
make a prediction about what
will happen to the confetti.
2. Students will perform the
experiment with the other
members in their group. After
they have conducted the
experiment, students will draw
what happened and record in
words what happened. Then
they will write down what they
think caused the confetti to
move.
3. Before students begin the
experiment ask students to
record what they think might
happen to the confetti.
4. Ask students to observe what
happens and record their
thinking on the handout. Then
ask students to explain what
they think might be causing the
confetti to move.
Instructional
The students are in charge of their own learning. The teacher acts only as a
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
facilitator, keeping students on task and answering questions as they arise.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Group Activity
Questions and
Levels of
questioning
(Blooms) used:
What do you notice happening
between the balloon and the
confetti?
Students must observe what is
happening in the experiment and
make predictions about what is
causing the confetti to move.
Why is this happening?
Explain
Concept/Learning
Goal:
1. Bring students back together as
a class. Ask students to discuss
what they have seen and how it
might relate to static electricity.
2. Elaborate on the basics of static
Students will
electricity, focusing on the fact
understand how
that every object has a charge
electrons in an object
due to the electrons in it. If the
cause static
charges of two objects are
electricity.
opposite, they will attract each
other. If they are the same they
will repel each other.
3. Refer back to the tissue
paper/balloon experiment. Ask
students if they can apply what
they just learned to explain what
happened in the experiment.
Explain to them that the balloon
carries a negative charge. The
confetti carries a positive charge
and so is pulled towards the
balloon. Overtime the confetti
gains the negative charge from
the balloon, and thus falls off
because they two objects now
have the same charge.
4. Explain to students that different
objects have different charges,
positive or negative. The charge
of an object can change because
1. Students give input about what
they saw and how it might relate
to static electricity.
2. Students will return to their
drawings from the experiment.
They will label the charge of the
objects. Students will explain to
a partner how the transfer of
electrons occurred in their
experiment.
electrons jump from one object
to another and this causes an
imbalance of electrons in both
objects. This imbalance is static
electricity.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
This portion of the lesson is taught through direct instruction. Once
students are given the relevant content and vocabulary they will be able to
apply it to their previous experiment.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Partner Share
Whole Class Discussion
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
What can en electron do?
What happens when we rub a
balloon on something?
Students will have to apply their
new learning about electrons to the
experiment. They have to analyze
what happened in the experiment to
determine the charge of the confetti.
What happens when that balloon is
held over the tissue paper?
What was the charge of the confetti
during the experiment?
Elaborate
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students will
conduct a second
experiment to
solidify concepts
they learned in the
previous portion of
the lesson.
1. Provide students with plates of
crushed Fruit Loops. Have
students repeat the experiment
with the balloon replacing the
confetti for Fruit Loops.
2. Monitor students as they make
a prediction about what will
happen, observe the
experiment, and record their
observations.
1. Students will conduct a similar
experiment to that which they
conducted in the explore
portion of the lesson. Students
will complete a worksheet
identical to the one used in the
previous experiment.
2. Students will draw and write
about what happened. They
will use the vocabulary learned
in this lesson in their writing.
3. Ask students to record the
transfer of electrons on their
drawing and to identify the
charge of the objects
throughout the process.
Instructional
Strategies Used
This portion of the lesson uses student-guided learning. The students are
leading their own learning, relying on the teacher only when they need
(with rationale):
clarification or need to be reminded to stay on task.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Group Activity
Individual Recording of Observations/Notes
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
What is happening?
Why is this happening?
How is this similar or different to
the previous experiment?
Students will have to apply their
learning to a new experiment. They
need to analyze what they observe
to explain how the transfer of
electrons occurs in the experiment.
What is the charge of the balloon?
What is the charge of the Fruit
Loops? Is it the same throughout
the entire experiment?
Evaluate
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students will
synthesize their
learning throughout
the lesson.
1. To evaluate student learning,
ask students to work with a
partner to come up with a
definition of static electricity.
2. Ask students to share their
definition with the class.
3.
As a class, decide upon a
definition for static electricity
and a description of how it
works.
1. Students will work in pairs to
come up with a definition of
static electricity and a
description of how static
electricity works. They will then
share these with the class. They
will work as a class to come up
with a class definition and
description.
2. Students will work on a
worksheet that contains multiple
levels of questions that will
4. Write the definition on the board
evaluate what they have learned.
and compare to what students
thought at the beginning of the
lesson.
5. Pass out a worksheet with
questions about the main
concepts taught in the lesson.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
Students will synthesize the main ideas of the lesson by writing a definition
for static electricity.
How is student
Partner Share
participation
ensured?
Whole Class Discussion
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
What is a definition of static
electricity?
Describe static electricity.
Given a set of objects with only one
object filled in with a charge and an
arrow showing either attraction or
repulsion, fill in the charge of the
other object.
If you have three balloons and two
are attracted to each other and the
other is just floating free of
attraction or repulsion, what are the
charges of the balloons?
Draw a diagram that shows static
electricity at work in your everyday
life.
Students must synthesize their
learning to write a definition for
static electricity. Students must
apply their learning to a new
situation.