Standards:

• 3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.

Materials:

• energy stick

• bowl of water

• items made of

  • wood

  • metal

  • plastic

  • rubber

Summary:

To operate the Energy Stick, make bodily contact with both ends of it. This sends a microcurrent through your body which is amplified by the circuit inside and sent to the LEDs and speakers inside. Allow students to explore with the energy stick and eventually introduce the idea of open & closed circuits. Challenge students to find objects (out of a given set of materials) that pairs of two can hold that will close the circuit and light up the energy stick.

Focus Questions:

• How can you turn on the energy stick? What is happening to make it turn on?

• What items can you use in addition to your hands to turn on the stick?

• What is the difference between materials that work and don't work?

Posted by: Lauren Pio

Materials:

• 10mm LED lights

• Lithium CR2032 3V coin cell battery

• Strong magnets

• Electrical tape

• Scissors

Summary: Students will get to be hands-on and create their very own magnetic LED lights. This Is a great way for students to explore circuits and magnetism. Students will be able to problem-solve and learn all about the circuits by completing this experiment. These lights are also great decorations for your classroom after completing this activity.

Focus Questions:

• What is occurring?

• How do you get them to light up?

• If one light burns out do the others still work? Why?

• What is the most important material In this project?

Posted by: Alyssa Costantino

Standards:

4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

Materials:

• A lemon, or other citrus fruit

• 18 (or smaller) gauge copper wire

• Steel paper clip, small galvanized nail (one that is covered in zinc), or a piece of zinc (ideal)

• Lead wires with alligator clips

• small LED light

Summary:

By inserting a zinc and copper object into a lemon and connecting the two with wire, students will have created their own juicy battery! Power generated by reaction of the metals with the citric acid can be used to power a small device like an LED light. Students will be able to explore how their electric current works on their own or even connect it with others to see if they can turn on the light.

Focus Questions:

• Why is it important that the electrodes do not touch each other inside the lemon?

• What do you think the sour flavor of a lemon tells us? What kind of chemicals are in a lemon that allow this battery to work?

• We used a lemon to provide the electrolyte for the battery. What if you used bottled lemon juice?

Posted by: Lauren Pio

Standard:

4-PS3-4 Apply scientific ideas to design, test and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

Discription:

BristleBots are a simple and cost effective experiment that teach basic electrical energy, critical thinking and problem solving. I love this experiment because it is accessible for a range of different ages (3-5)and there are many different things you can test due to the simple design. It also ties in some crosscutting concepts like structure and function, and energy and matter. PBS Kids provides and entire lesson plan for this experiment, as well as a video to introduce and explain the basics of this project.

Focus Questions:

1. What stores electricity

2. What is an example of something that is battery powered?

3. How do switches work, and what is their purpose?

4. What are changes you can make to your bot to make it move differently?

Posted By: Aubrey Jones