Finding Conductors

After doing several experiments with conductors and insulators, we we went on a conductor hunt.  Each team built a conductor tester and went exploring around the room.  We were surprised by what we found!  Some metals did not appear to conduct electricity - but we inferred that it was due to the object's shape or structure.  We found lots of metal objects in our classroom that did conduct electricity.  Here are some pictures of our scientists at work...

Finding conductors

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Studycast - Electricity and Magnets

Click here to listen to our studycast on Electricity and Magnets.  The test is Friday, October 22nd, and the study guide came home on Monday, August 18th.  If you have any questions about the material, please leave me a comment below this post or send me an email.  Good luck!

Switching On a Motor

After learning about circuits, we continued our investigation by figuring out how to make a motor run.  Our students quickly got their motors running, and then I extended the challenge - How could you use a switch to turn your motor on and off?  Once again, our students quickly discovered how to open and close a circuit.  Some of our students connected a switch to the idea of a drawbridge.  When the bridge is closed, the cars (or electricity) can flow.  If the bridge is opened, the cars (or electricity) cannot flow.  What brilliant thinkers!

Building Circuits

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Studycast - Electricity and Magnets

Click here to listen to the studycast for our upcoming test on Electricity and Magnets. You can download the audio file to by right clicking on the link and saving it to your computer.

The study guide for the test came home on Monday, October 19th; and the test is on Friday, October 23rd. If you need an extra copy of the study guide, visit our classroom website's homework page to download a copy.

Send me an email or leave a comment below if you have any questions!

Electricity - Making a Motor Run

I am loving science right now. We are in the middle of our Electricity Study and having a blast. During one of our first investigations, I gave the students a light bulb, wire, and a battery and issued this challenge - make your bulb light up. From this investigation, we learned about complete circuits and how current electricity flows. For our next investigation, I gave teams of scientists a battery, motor, and wires. I issued a challenge - make the motor run. Using their knowledge of circuits, students were able to quickly make their motor run. I then gave each team a switch and asked them to incorporate this into their circuit, therefore controlling the "on and off" of the motor. Our scientists were brilliant. Here are some pictures of our class at work...

Motor Run

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