Big IdeaElectricity and magnetism are part of a single force that has many useful applications such as conversion to heat, motion, and sound.

Guiding Questions

1. What are the necessary parts of a simple circuit?2. How are light and heat produced in a light bulb?

You are out for a nature hike with your friends. It is beginning to get dark. Suddenly, the group falls down into a dark cave. Fortunately no one is injured. You cannot see anything and without light you have little hope of escape.

Searching your backpacks you find a new D cell (battery), a small flashlight bulb, 2 strings, 2 plastic straws, an index card, 2 paper clips, and 2 insulated wires. You know the D cell is working because you just bought it the day before and it has not been used.

Think and talk about…

• What has happened to the hikers?• Where are they?• What materials do they have?• What do they need to do?• What is the problem?

Focus Question• Write a question in your notebook that is

related to the scenario and can be investigated.

• Your question should be correctly written; capital letter and ending punctuation.

• Your question should not be able to be answered with a yes or no.

• You do not need to have the same question as your group.

Class Focus Question

Which materials can we use to make the bulb glow and how will we properly connect them?

A light bulb is an energy receiver Glass

Filament wire

Foot contact point

Side contact point

Sustaining wires

Glass rod

Metal screw base

Insulator

Source of EnergyCONTACT POINTMetal top (bump)Positive End

CONTACT POINT Metal base (flat end under battery)Negative end

Insulated cover

Activate your prior knowledgeConductors Insulators

wire

Paper clip Index card

string

straw

Drawings, Illustrations, and Diagrams*Be sure to label all parts

Ways to connect materials that will light the bulb

Ways to connect the materials that will NOT light the bulb

PredictionI think that if we connect the ________________then________________________

because_____________________________________________________________.

Be prepared to share your thinking – you must have some reason why you think your plan will light the bulb.

Data CollectionDiagrams of our attempts to light the bulb

Use this symbol on attempts that DO NOT light the bulb.

Draw all your attempts!

Be sure to label all parts

Simple Circuit

closed

Making Meaning Conference• What part of the bulb glows?

• Why do you think the filament lights up?

• What does the data tell us about how a light bulb works?

• What materials are good conductors of electricity and what materials are insulators?

Claims and EvidenceI claim that…I know that….

I claim this because…I know this because….

Conclusion

Today I learned__________________________________________

My thinking has changed since I made my original prediction. I used to think ________________________________________________________,

but now I know ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

ReflectionI wonder what would happen if…

I’d like to know more about…