Electrical Buzz

Level: Suitable for Year 3 to Year 6.

Duration: Available in a 60 or 90 minute format. We recommend a 90 minute format if budget and timetabling constraints allow.

Numbers: Each workshop can cater to a maximum of 30 children. However, smaller groups have better access to equipment and the facilitator.

State: VIC, NSW & QLD

Electricity is a form of energy that is an essential part of our way of life.

Many other forms of energy (such as solar and wind, and the chemical potential energy in coal and gas) are transformed into electrical energy in power plants.

There are two types of electricity: static electricity and current electricity.

An electrical current is the movement of electric charges around a closed loop, called a circuit. A switch turns a device on or off by joining and breaking a circuit.

As electricity moves around a circuit, the energy it has is transformed into other forms of energy e.g. light, heat, or sound.

Components in an electrical circuit can be connected in series, or in parallel.

Electromagnets are a kind of magnet that can be turned on and off with electrical energy. They are used in all kinds of electric devices.

Electric motors convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. They use electromagnets, and the attraction and repulsion of magnetic fields to produce motion.

Renewable energy sources such as solar generate electricity without producing carbon dioxide.

Critical thinking skills are used as students troubleshoot problems with their circuits.

Different materials have different capacities for conducting the flow of electricity.

Engaging demonstrations of static electricity.

Whole-class activity to demonstrate the concept of an electrical circuit, and how a switch can be used to join or break a circuit.

In pairs, students build simple circuits. They create series and parallel circuits, and discuss the differences between them.

In pairs, students build a circuit to power a propeller with a motor. They identify the energy transformations that take place, and explore the effect of reversing the wiring.

Critical thinking skills are used as students troubleshoot problems with their circuits.

Students use Snap Circuits kits to build a variety of circuits with switches, lamps, motors, speakers, LEDs and fans, using the concepts they have learned.

Demonstration of a solar cell, and discussion of the benefits of using renewable energy sources.

Demonstration of an electromagnet, and how a simple electric motor works.

Students test a variety of materials and record them as conductors or insulators.

Graphical representations of an electrical circuit or circuit schematics is introduced.

Building more complex circuits with the Snap Circuits components.

Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy (VCSSU081)

Participate in guided investigations, including making observations using the senses, to explore and answer questions (VCSIS051)

Safely use appropriate materials, tools, equipment and technologies (VCSIS067)

Questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations (ST2-1WS-S)

Plans and conducts scientific investigations to answer testable questions, and collects and summarises data to communicate conclusions (ST3-1WS-S)

Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources (ACSSU097)

Participate in guided investigations, including making observations using the senses, to explore and answer questions (ACSIS025)

With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (ACSIS054)