It’s Electric! Unit Plan
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This Physical Sciences unit addresses the principles of electricity. It explores what electricity is, how it is transferred and how energy is transformed to create it.
It consists of 7 lessons of approximately 60 minutes duration.
The sequence of lessons and suggested time frames should be regarded as a guide only; teachers should pace lessons in accordance with the individual learning needs of their class.
An assessment task for monitoring student understanding of the unit objectives is included and will require an additional lesson.
Teachers are encouraged to collect samples of students’ work throughout the unit to add to a learning portfolio. These can also be used to assess students’ understanding of the unit objectives.
For further insight into this exciting resource, read our blog What is Electricity? A Bright Spark’s Teaching Guide.
Overview
Objectives
- To introduce the physical science of electricity.
- To read and draw circuit diagrams.
- To classify objects as conductors or insulators of electricity.
- To investigate how changes to electrical circuits affect their components.
- To investigate how moving air and water can turn turbines to generate electricity.
- To investigate the use of solar panels and determine if they are a viable source of electricity.
- To consider whether energy sources are sustainable.
Preparing for Learning
This Science unit provides excellent opportunities for cross-curricular integration. Look for ways to meaningfully integrate the content of the unit with other learning areas e.g. Literacy and Numeracy.
Prior to commencing the unit, develop a classroom display which focuses on electricity. Display posters, word wall vocabulary and learning goals that the students will engage with throughout the unit to stimulate their learning. For examples of additional teaching resources to display in your classroom, browse the Electricity collection on the Teach Starter website.
The lessons and science experiments within this unit are structured in accordance with the scientific method. Ensure that the students are familiar with this process before commencing the unit. A comprehensive lesson plan addressing the concepts of fair testing in Science can be downloaded here.
Some of the resources which accompany this unit plan will need to be prepared prior to teaching. For this reason, it is advised that teachers browse through all lessons before commencing the unit.
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