Learning Cycle Procedure for Electrical Circuits - Bulbs and Batteries Karplus & Their Model

See planning matrix with generalizations, supporting information, and assessment ideas.

Activity Overview

All students will construct closed circuits with a light bulb, battery, and wire; draw a model to explain the flow of electricity in the bulb, wire, battery system; explain how the wire, bulb, battery system operates; and how a model can be used to explain and predict circuits.

(Cognitive synthesis, Affective responding, Psychomotor guided response)

Materials:

Light bulb, battery, and wire for each student. Motors for assessment

Exploration Procedure

  1. Ask students to describe how they would light a bulb with one wire, one battery, and one bulb.
  2. Ask them what they will do if there first idea doesn't work.
  3. Share their ideas with the class but do not tell what will or won't work. If students want to discuss why they think one will or will not work, then let them. Don't give away the "answer".
  4. Give one wire, battery, and light bulb to each student
  5. Challenge them to light the bulb.
  6. Encourage them to find more ways to light the bulb.
  7. If students can not light the bulb have them explain the strategy they are using and try to get them to abandon the strategy and try another. (decenter)
  8. Encourage students to draw diagrams of their circuits.

Invention Procedure

  1. Have students draw circuits on the board.
  2. Have students label the circuits that lit the bulb and circuits that did not light the bulb.
  3. Have them find similarities for the circuits that lit the bulb.
  4. Have them write an operational definition for the circuit. (A closed circuit for a flashlight bulb, battery, and wire system is created with a continuous path (closed circuit) with the following parts in the path: (1) top of the battery, (2) bottom of the battery, (3) bottom of the bulb, and (4) threaded side of the bulb.)
  5. Have students write their discoveries in their learning logs.
  6. Ask why alternative concept 2 and 3 do not create a closed circuit.
  7. Ask how they could use their model of a continuous closed path and four connections to transfer electricity to a motor
  8. What strategies did you use?
  9. How else might the strategies be used?
  10. Use the model to predict if other circuits will or will not transfer energy Could we add bulbs and batteries to do the same thing?
  11. How do you feel about the discussion of the circuits?
  12. Do you want to create more models for how other electric circuits work?

Discovery Activity

  1. Have students make circuits with more objects.
  2. Have students make a closed circuit for a circuit tester and test objects to see if they close the circuit (concept of conductor and non conductor).

Dr. Robert Sweetland's Notes ©