Circuits
NGSS/Common Core Integrated Lesson Plans with all components found on Exploringnature.org
Goals:
Students will be able to:
1) Describe how energy is transferred from batteries by wires into light (light bulb) and/or heat.
2) Describe the parts of a circuit (including the open and closed switch).
3) Describe the difference between a series and parallel circuit.
4) Build a simple circuit (and/or series or parallel circuit) using components such as wires, aluminum
foil, batteries, and bulbs.
5) Describe the qualities of materials that would make them conductors of electricity or insulators,
based on their experiments.
Focus Questions:
1) What is electricity?
2) What is a conductor?
3) What is an insulator?
4) What is a circuit?
5) What is the difference between a series circuit and a paralle circuit?
6) What would be the disadvantage of wiring a whole house using a series circuit?
Introductory Exploration Activity (Assessing Prior Knowledge):
Electricity Word Merge - Students define ELECTRICITY, using their own words and devices in their
daily lives that use electricity.
Electricity Role Play - Students act out how conductors and insulators affect electrical flow.
Introducing New Knowledge:
Provide a Reading Assignment: About Circuits
Provide Vocabulary Assessment: Circuits – Vocabulary Assessment Quiz
Provide Reading Comprehension Assessment: Electricity and Circuits – Multiple Choice Quiz
Critical Thinking Activity: Simple Circuit Making Activity
With an Interpretive Model to better understand their demonstration: Circuits Poster
Follow with Comprehension Assessment: Circuits Diagram Questions
NGSS and Common Core Integration:
Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) (Appendix E) that apply to your lesson.
Crosscutting Concepts (Appendix G) that apply to your lesson.
Science and Engineering Practices (Appendix F) that apply to your lesson.
Common Core Standards Connections