How Do I
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Objective:
Students will learn about Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and their inventions and experiments with electricity.
Grade Level: 3-5
Books:
Ben and Me: A New and Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin as Written by his Good Mouse Amos
Benjamin Franklin's companion, Amos the mouse, recounts how he was responsible for Franklin's inventions and discoveries.
Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
Introduces Benjamin Franklin's inventions and how they are still used today.
So You Want to be an Inventor
Presents some of the characteristics of inventors by describing the inventions of people such as Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and Eli Whitney.
Energizing Science Projects with Electricity and Magnetism
Presents experiments designed to unlock the mysteries of electricity and its connection with magnetism.
Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities
Discusses Thomas Edison as a scientist and encourages kids to persevere with their own ideas.
Return to the topActivities:
Make your own lightning
As you rub the Styrofoam, it steals electrons from the wool and becomes negatively charged. Because like charges repel (move apart) and opposite charges attract (move together) the excess electrons on the Styrofoam repel the electrons on the pie plate and push them to the top edge of the plate. The pen acts as an insulator, preventing the built-up charge from moving through to the ground until you touch it. When you bring your finger close to the edge of the plate, the repelled electrons jump across the gap and escape through your body, giving you a small shock.
Materials: aluminum pie plate, ball point pen, thumb tack, Styrofoam, wool sock
- Push thumb tack through center of pie plate
- Push end of pen onto thumb tack, secure with glue if needed
- Rub Styrofoam quickly with wool sock
- Pick up the aluminum plate and put it down on top of the Styrofoam. (Pick up by pen without touching the pie plate with your hands)
- Turn out the lights and slowly bring your finger close to the pie plate. You should see, hear and feel a tiny spark.
Electricity in a bag
Materials: Ziploc bags, C cell batteries, insulated copper wire, battery holders, battery clips, sockets, flashlight bulbs
- Put children into groups of 2 or 3
- Give each group a bag (electricity kit)
- Each kit includes a Ziploc bag, one C cell battery, two insulate copper wires, one battery holder, battery clips, one socket
- one small flashlight bulb should be passed out to each group
- Allow the groups to open their bag and explore the materials for 10 minutes. (see if any students can complete the circuits)
- After 10-minutes have the students that were able to complete their circuit, demonstrate the steps to the other groups. (or the instructor can do this)
- Have them draw a picture and label the parts.
Vocabulary:
Circuit: A closed, usually circular line that goes around an object or area.
Electricity: The physical phenomena arising from the behavior of electrons and protons that is caused by the attraction of particles with opposite charges and the repulsion of particles with the same charge.
Inventor: Someone who is the first to think of or make something
Invention: A new device, method, or process developed from study and experimentation
