Grade: 5 Subject: Science Unit: Mechanisms Using Electricity Time: 1 hour

Lesson: Gizmos

Goals/Key questions:
Goals: Have students explore how to build circuits using trial and error on
Gizmos
Students will observe and record their findings using scientific terminology
Objective (connected to PofS):
Understandings:
#2 design and construct circuits that operate lights
#3 recognize the importance of switches
#7 demonstrate different ways of lighting two lights from a single power
source. show series vs parallel circuits
Skills:
identify one or more possible approaches to solving the problem
ask questions that lead to exploration and investigation
identify one or more possible answers to questions by stating a prediction
or a hypothesis
communicate with group members to share and evaluate ideas and
assess progress
record observations and measurements accurately
Attitudes:
curiosity
perseverance in the search for understandings and for the solutions to
problems
a willingness to work with others...in sharing of experiences

Pre lesson Considerations

Lesson overview of main ideas to be learned and prelearning required:
Students have a basic understanding of definitions of terms but now get to
see examples of the terms we have discussed
Materials needed/preset up required/logistical considerations needed
(seating arrangement):
-laptop cart
-smartboard
-worksheet

Content:
Teacher Guide
Introduction
Time estimation:
10 min

Have student reflection on last

classs lesson. First we drew
symbolic diagrams of our
circuits then we tested a few.
Show students on the smart

Student Guide

board how to access the

circuit builder and then show
them how they can use it. Use
specific terminology (closed
circuit, open circuit, conductor,
fuse, series circuit, parallel
circuit, etc)
Show students the worksheet
and explain what is expected
of them to complete it and then
share it with others
Remind students about the
laptop rules.
Instruct students to get a
laptop and login
As a class we will access
circuit builder. Write
instructions on the board as to
how to access it.
Transition
considerations

Students will get their laptops

or they will be handed out
Login to circuit builder
After all students get laptops
and are working on logging in
teacher will hand out the
worksheet

Activity 1

Teacher will walk around and

help students who need help
and posing challenge
questions to other students.
Teacher will take notes on
what the students are finding
and develop questions to
pose at the end of class.

(add more if needed)

Time est: 30 min

Instruct students when they

have 5 minutes left to finish
up their current circuit and
beginning working on
completing their worksheet.
Transition
considerations

Students will put away their

laptops. The person on

Student will complete

the worksheet activities
and then will be able to
play on circuit builder,
and design their own
circuits. Students will
record their findings on
their worksheet

technology will help put them

in the cart properly.
Activity 2
Time Est: 10 min

Give students time to

complete their worksheets.
When students are finishing
up pair them with another
student who is also complete.
Have them discuss with
partners or in groups what
they hypothesized, observed
and concluded.

Conclusion
10 minutes
-

How will you know

if students learned
what you hoped?
Connections to
next lesson

Students will work for a

few minutes finishing
up their work sheets.
Teacher will pair them
with another student
and they will share their
findings.

Have everyone return to his or

her own seats and have a
class discussion about what
the students learned from this
activity.
Use the worksheet as a guide
for discussion.

Assessment:
-worksheet (formative)
Accommodations/Modifications:
Extension and extra time activity: Popsicle stick pop quiz
Reflection:

Gizmos Circuit Builder

Name: ____________
Activity #1 - Series Circuit
Construct a circuit using one AA battery and one bulb.
Hypothesis
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Add another battery to your circuit so the batteries are wired in a
series.
What happens to the brightness of the light bulb?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
In a series connection the positive terminal on one battery connects
to the _____________ terminal of the next battery.
Observe and describe what happens when one of the batteries is
disconnected.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Conclusion: Does connecting two or more batteries in series provide
more current than one battery?
_______________________________________________________

Activity #2 - Parallel Circuit

Follow the diagram below and construct this circuit, wiring bulbs in
parallel.

InsertDiagramfromMaster#6
Do both bulbs light when the circuit is closed? __________________
What happens when one of the bulbs is removed?
_______________________________________________________
Compare the brightness of the two bulbs
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Compare the parallel circuit with the series circuit. What are the
advantages of each?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Construct your own circuit. Draw a schematic diagram of the circuit
you constructed.