Electricity

Third grade scientists are having such fun as they explore electricity. They have made a motor run using just two wires and a battery. Ask your scientist how they got the motor to spin in the opposite direction...

Lighting a small bulb using only a battery and two copper wires was tricky. All students were able to make the bulb light, and the process helped us realize that the light bulb and the battery have "critical contact points." These are points that must be connected in order to create a complete circuit.

The very bottom of the light bulb, (we call that the base terminal) must be touching (directly or through metal wire) the metal part of the top or base of the battery. This must be connected (directly or through metal wire) to the opposite end of the battery. The wire must be connecting with the metal side terminal.

Why is everything attached using so much metal? Your third grade scientists can tell you because we learned about conductors on and nonconductors!

Today, the kids worked cooperatively to create their own switch. The goal was to turn their lightbulb on or off by just moving the switch. They used a small cardboard card, two metal brads and a paper clip.  Ask your third grader how they made it work and to explain what they know about open and closed circuits that allow a switch to work.