Teacher sheet · Ages 6–7 · about 45–50 minutes
Electricity: making a bulb light up
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/electricity/ages-6-7/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/electricity/ages-6-7/print/
Learning aims
- Electricity can come from batteries or the mains.
- A complete circuit is needed for a bulb to light; a switch opens and closes the circuit.
- Mains electricity is dangerous: simple safety rules.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Collect things in the classroom that use electricity. Battery or plug? |
| 10 min | Read the text together. |
| 20 min | Make the bulb glow in pairs. |
| 5 min | Play Safe or not safe? on the board. |
| 5 min | Quiz. |
Materials for the experiment
- A 1.5 V battery (AA or C) in a battery holder
- A small 1.5 V bulb in a bulb holder (or an LED for 1.5–3 V)
- Two short wires with crocodile clips
- Optional: a paper clip and two drawing pins on a piece of card, to make a switch
Safety: Use only small batteries. Never use plugs or sockets. If a wire or battery gets hot, unclip it straight away.
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| One wire is enough to light a bulb. | The electricity must go round a full loop, back to the battery. |
| Batteries and sockets are equally safe. | Small batteries are fine for experiments; mains electricity is dangerous. |
| A switch makes electricity. | It only opens or closes the path. |
Worksheet answers
- A loop: battery + to bulb, bulb to battery −.
- No.
- For example: never put anything into a socket; keep electricity away from water.
Quiz answers
- What is a circuit? A path all the way round for electricity. Electricity needs a complete loop.[2]
- There is a gap in the circuit. The lamp… goes out. With a gap, the electricity stops.[2]
- What does a switch do? Opens and closes a gap in the circuit. On closes the gap, off opens it.[2]
- What should you never do? Put anything into a socket. Electricity from the wall is dangerous.[6]
- Why keep electrical things away from water? Water and electricity together are dangerous. Keep appliances away from water and never touch them with wet hands.[6]
Going further
Test which things let the bulb light when you put them in the gap: a spoon, a pencil, foil, a rubber. (This is the start of the 10–11 lesson.)
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
- [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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