Lesson Plan Guidelines: What to Include



Richard Lahti

Lesson Plan: Circuits

Subject and level: This project is appropriate for a variety of classes and levels. This project is designed for Physical Science 170, a college class designed for sophomore elementary education majors. However, the standards that the activity is designed around are the 4th grade Minnesota Academic Standards in Science. These standards also appear (albeit in more depth) in 9th grade physical science and in Jr./Sr. level physics classes. While representing a culminating activity in 6th grade, this activity might be an introduction or review at the high school level.

In my PSCI 170 class, Day 0 occurs between lecture and lab, Day 1 occurs during the 2 hour and 20 minute lab period, and Day 2 occurs on the student’s own time between the end of lab and lecture the next week. In a K-12 setting, Day 1 would likely take 3 days to a week. One day for series circuits, one day for parallel circuits, one day for multiple batteries, plus perhaps days for closure and or introduction.

Objective: By completing the following lesson, students should demonstrate a deep conceptual understanding of:

The relationship between voltage, current, and resistance

The differences between series and parallel circuits involving up to 3 lights and up to two voltage sources (batteries).

Outcomes: Students will submit a lab report over the results obtained from the “wet” lab day, the simulation day, and then reconcile the actual experience with the theoretical.

Benchmarks: At the end of this activity, students will have covered the appropriate Minnesota Academica Standards and Board of Teaching certification standards

Minnesota Academic Science Standards

GRADE 4

II. PHYSICAL SCIENCE

C. Energy Transformations The student will understand basic electricity and its application in

everyday life.

1. The student will explore simple electrical circuits using components such as wires,

batteries and bulbs.

3. The student will identify objects and materials that conduct electricity and those that

are insulators.

BOT standard 3.d.iv.Learning goal(s).

D. A teacher of science must be able to understand and apply fundamental principles, laws, and concepts of earth and space science, life science, and physical science. The teacher of science must:

(d) electricity and magnetism as evidenced by the ability to:

iv. design a circuit using batteries, bulbs, and switches to meet given criteria for the brightness and control of the bulbs.

Although not subject to the NETS standards, the following performance indicators for 12th grade students seem appropriate, particularly #9.

|8. |Select and apply technology tools for research, information analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making in content |

| |learning. (4, 5) |

|9. |Investigate and apply expert systems, intelligent agents, and simulations in real-world situations. (3, 5, 6) |

|10. |Collaborate with peers, experts, and others to contribute to a content-related knowledge base by using technology to |

| |compile, synthesize, produce, and disseminate information, models, and other creative works. (4, 5, 6) |

Materials/resources: A computer with internet access with JAVA enabled is necessary for the simulation portion of the lab. For the “wet” part of the lab, a battery replacer, 2 D cell batteries, 3 bulb holders, 3 light bulbs of one resistance, 1 light bulb of a different resistance, and 12 wires is necessary per group of students.

Prior knowledge: Prior knowledge for this lab depends primarily on two factors – pedagogical approach and level. In PSCI 170, a) students have had prior exposure to series and parallel circuits and b) the pedagogical approach of this class is constructivist. Therefore, the students go directly into this lab. If used in an elementary classroom, introduction of basic concepts of electricity would be appropriate.

Possible obstacle or problems: It will be necessary to give the students an introduction to the simulation website. I typically do this individually with each group as I go around after students have settled into the wet lab.

Technology support: Absolutely! While students can appreciate the qualitative nature of the “wet” lab as written (for instance, the can see a bulb get dimmer when a second bulb in series is added, get brighter when a second battery in series is added, and not change when a second bulb in parallel is added), some mechanisms of the circuit are not visible. For instance, brightness corresponds only to the electrical power used, there is a voltage dial for students to see voltage, and more light bulbs is more resistance, but there is no way for the students to be able to “see” voltage. The simulation takes care of this issue, as the movement of the electrons is shown. Moreover, these electrons move faster when the current is higher.

A second advantage of doing this lab with the computer simulation is that it can automatically add numbers. While not needed for advanced science students in a 12th grade physics class, for students at a lower level (and elementary education majors in college fall into that category, unfortunately) having the numbers appear on the screen with a simple toggle of a switch is a great advantage. Students can then begin to formulate simple quantitative appreciation of the model.

Finally, the simulation makes it possible to observe configurations (such as a short circuit) that would be unsafe for the students to do in lab. When students create a short circuit, the battery catches fire, showing the danger inherent in a short circuit.

Citations:

Board of Teaching, (2006, April, 26). Minnesota Rule 8710.4750. Retrieved June 21, 2006, from Minnesota Department of Education Web site:

Minnesota Academic Standards Committee, (2003, December 19). Minnesota academic standards: Science K-12. Retrieved June 21, 2006, from Minnesota Department of Education Web site:

ISTE NETS project, (2002). NETS for students. Retrieved June 21, 2006, from International Society for Technology in Education Web site:

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