Teacher sheet · Ages 10–11 · about 45–50 minutes
Circuits, conductors and insulators
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/electricity/ages-10-11/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/electricity/ages-10-11/print/
Learning aims
- Current is a flow of charge; a complete circuit is needed.
- Conductors (metals) and insulators (plastic, rubber, glass, wood).
- Series and parallel circuits; why homes use parallel wiring.
- Electrical safety rules.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Starter: why does a torch need a switch? |
| 10 min | Read the text. |
| 20 min | Conductor or insulator? test in groups, with predictions. |
| 5 min | Compare results: what do all the conductors have in common? |
| 5 min | Quiz or the sorting game. |
Materials for the experiment
- A 3 V battery pack (2 × AA) in a holder
- A small bulb (or LED) in a holder
- Three wires with crocodile clips
- Test objects: steel spoon, aluminium foil, coin, wooden lolly stick, plastic ruler, rubber band, paper, glass marble, string
Safety: Use batteries only, never mains. If a wire or battery gets hot, disconnect it. Do not put the clips straight onto each other for long (that is a short circuit).
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| All metals are not equally good, so some metals are insulators. | All metals conduct, some better than others. |
| Current is used up in the bulb. | The same current flows all round a series circuit; energy is transferred, not current. |
| Plastic coating is just decoration. | It is an insulator that keeps you safe from the current. |
Worksheet answers
- Battery, switch and bulb in one loop, each labelled.
- For example conductors: copper, steel; insulators: plastic, rubber.
- Plastic is an insulator, so the current stays in the wire and cannot reach your hands.
- Series: one loop, the same current through everything. Parallel: separate branches, each with the full voltage, so each can be switched on its own.
Quiz answers
- What is an electric current? A flow of electric charge. In metal wires, electrons carry the charge.[1]
- Why does a bulb go out when a wire is disconnected? The circuit is no longer a complete loop. Current needs a closed circuit.[2]
- Which is an insulator? Rubber. Rubber, plastic and glass do not let charge flow.[5]
- Why do metals conduct electricity? They have electrons that can move freely. Free electrons carry the charge.[5]
- Why are houses wired in parallel? So each appliance can work on its own. Each branch gets the full voltage.[3]
- Which of these is safe? Keeping drinks away from a computer. Keep water away from electrical appliances.[6]
Going further
Build two bulbs in series, then two bulbs in parallel, with the same battery. Which bulbs are brighter? Unscrew one bulb in each circuit: what happens?
Sources used in this lesson
- [1] College Physics 2e AP, 20.1 Current (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [2] College Physics 2e, 20.2 Ohm's Law: Resistance and Simple Circuits (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [3] College Physics 2e, 21.1 Resistors in Series and Parallel (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [5] College Physics 2e AP, 18.2 Conductors and Insulators (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [6] Using electricity safely (Power Up, under-11s) (UK Power Networks (electricity network operator)): reliability Medium-high
Full list with links and a note on each source's reliability: echoesof.science/school/electricity/sources/
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