Lesson Plan
Lesson 3: Feeling the Flow – Electrical Conductors and Insulators
A 60 minute lesson in which students will classify objects as conductors or insulators of electricity.
Preparation
Equipment
- Erasers
- Paper clips (uncoated)
- Bank notes
- Pencils (sharpened at both ends)
- Coins/metal buttons
- Circuit building kits
Lesson Plan
Tuning In
- Display the It’s Electric! PowerPoint. Revisit slides 5-9 to consolidate the concepts of electron flow and circuits.
- Watch the Science – Electric Conductors and Insulators video on YouTube. After watching, review and discuss the main points of the video.
- Introduce the statement to be investigated in the lesson: Objects can be classified as conductors or insulators of electricity.
Teacher Instruction
- Display and discuss slides 10-12. Draw attention to the diagrams and consolidate the concept that a material’s conductive capabilities relate to the properties of its electrons.
- Refer back to the video. Review how objects were connected to a circuit to confirm their conductivity.
Guided/Independent Learning
- Distribute the Electrical Conductors and Insulators Worksheet to the students. Read through the instructions on the worksheet as a class and check that the students understand the task. Have the class assist in gathering the required equipment.
- Monitor and support the students as they complete the activity. The task can be completed in small groups or individually, depending on the resources available. Encourage the students to complete the questions on the worksheet once all of the tests have been completed.
- After the activity has been completed, review the task and encourage the students to share their findings.
Wrapping Up
- Refer back to the statement being investigated: Objects can be classified as conductors or insulators of electricity. Discuss whether or not it is true, using the results from the activity to support a conclusion.
- Revist the Electricity Word Wall. Add the words ‘conductor’ and ‘insulator’ to the display.
Differentiation
Extending Students
- Encourage more capable students to test additional classroom objects to see whether or not they are electrical conductors.
Supporting Students
- Monitor and support less confident students as they complete the activity.
Assessment Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- used strategic whole class or individual questioning
- observed student participation during learning activities
- recorded student progress on a checklist
- annotated student work samples
- collected and reviewed student work samples
- facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
- encouraged student self-reflection
- administered formal assessment tasks.
Resources
NSW Curriculum alignment
- ST3-8PW-ST
Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another
- ST3-8PW-ST
Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another
Victorian Curriculum alignment
- VCSSU081
Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy
- VCSSU081
Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACSSU097
Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources
- ACSIS107
Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate
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