Shocking

 Topic(s):

Electricity (conductors and insulators) 

Images/Video Resources

Scenario

Do you remember when you were just learning to walk?  If you don't remember, then ask your parents what you used to do at this time.  They might have told you that you were curious and were always getting into things.  They may have also placed plastic covers over the electrical outlets in your house.  They used plastic covers because plastic is an insulator and these covers would keep your little fingers out of the outlets.  If you stuck something inside that outlet and it was a conductor of electricity then you were in a dangerous situation.

Task

Sample Investigations/Teacher Resources

Electricity is a very important part of our lives.  It makes our lives easier but it also can be very dangerous.  The problem is that young children such as those in Kindergarten do not know how dangerous electricity can be.  Now that you have learned about conductors and insulators you will a create a Prezi that for the Kindergarteners at our school that includes the following:

1.  The dangers of electricity.

2.  What are conductors and insulators?

3.   Electrical Safety

http://prezi.com/ijvupupckiiy/conductors-and-insulators/

Student Resources

http://schools.bcsd.com/fremont/4th_Sci_Electricity_Conductors.htm 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/8_9/circuits_conductors.shtml

https://nvenergy.com/kids_safety/electric/html/kids1c.html

https://nvenergy.com/kids_safety/electric/html/kids1d.html

http://www.dgelectric.com/visuals/safety.pdf 

http://www.e-smartonline.net/cl-p/videos/index.html 

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/differences-insulators-semiconductors-conductors

These four books provide information that will help you with your presentation.  You can find them in the school library or the city's public library.

Charged Up:  The Story of Electricity

by Bailey, Jacqui, Lilly and Matthew (Jan 2006)

The Magic School Bus and The Electric Field Trip

by Joanna Cole, and Bruce Degen (Jan 1, 1999)

What Is Electricity?

by Lisa Trumbauer (Sep 2004)

DK Eyewitness Books: Electricity

Steve Parker and Laura Buller (Sep 5, 2005)

Student Work

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

1. List your personal understanding, ideas or hunches.

 With your team use all the information available in the scenario to list everything that you know about conductors and insulators. You do not have to conduct any research yet. Just use the information given and write the facts that you already know about conductors and insulators.

With your team, make a list about what you do not know and would like to learn. List all the questions you will need to answer to solve the problem.   
   

4. List what needs to be done.
"What should we do?" List actions to be taken, e.g., question an expert, conduct research, go to a board meeting about topic. List possible actions. 

5. Develop a problem statement.

You will be responsible for thinking and choosing one of the questions to solve the problem.  A problem statement should come from your analysis of what you know. In one or two sentences, you should be able to describe what it is that your group is trying to solve, produce, respond to, or find out. The problem statement may have to be revised as new information is discovered and brought to bear on the situation.

Use all the resources available (Internet, library, etc) to research about the problem/topic and find a solution.

7. Present Findings

You will need to create a Prezi that will teach Kindergarten students about the dangers of elctricity and how to be safe when they are near it.  The Prezi will also need to include examples of conductors and insulators.

4.6B  Differentiate between conductors and insulators.

Electricity and Matter:  Part 5 video retrieved from http://youtu.be/hqhMTm9S88E

Insulators and conductors image retrieved from  http://physics.bgsu.edu/~stoner/P202/efield/sld009.htm