Our third grade GT studies revolved around the universal theme of SYSTEMS. A great way to introduce the concept of a system is through activities involving electric circuits. We had some wonderful STEM kits, including Little Bits, which provide everything needed to build working items such as doorbells and buzzers. However, before pulling out these kits, we gave students some experiences using the most rudimentary materials! Students were always excited about creating things without the help of any kind of kit!
We’d begin by passing out some simple materials and asking students if they could create a system using what they’d been given. The materials were: a battery, aluminum foil, a tiny light bulb (which can be pulled from an old string of Christmas tree lights), masking tape, and a paper clip. Because students knew a system was an organized group of materials or procedures designed for a purpose, they immediately determined what the purpose was going to be: TO LIGHT THE BULB.
You can find the directions for that introductory activity here. It’s a fun way to get students engaged in a hands-on activity that very clearly illustrates a system.
Once students understand how a circuit works, they are ready to create something useful using their knowledge. I searched for the right project online and found directions for making an electric quiz board. This struck me as the perfect project since it would require students to relate their quizzes to topics of interest or to our studies. However, most of the directions online required wood and wires, so I adapted the project. This quiz board can be made from the same simple materials used in the introductory activity. Here is a 4-minute video created by one of my students several years ago. She did a great job explaining how to make the quiz board.
In subsequent years, we came up with some modifications. We opened up the file folder to make the board larger, added colorful paper, and created stickers for the matching items. We also purchased wires and alligator clips which lasted through many more quizzes than foil and paper clips! The ones shown in the photo below and also in the picture at the top of this post were created when we were studying the systems of the body.
After completing these activities, the students seemed to have a better understanding of how easily a circuit can be used to create many different kinds of helpful tools and resources.
Do you have a unique project for a mini-unit about simple systems or electric circuits? Please share in the comments if you do, and definitely share if you try the introductory or quiz board activity! Also, if you’d like additional lesson ideas delivered to your email inbox regularly, consider subscribing!
I found the best way for my students to make electric quiz boards. We use the lid of a paper box. The wires connect inside the box. You flip the lid over and place a large piece of construction paper to the top. You punch holes on either side of the box and place a paper fastener & a large paper clip around the fastener,and push through the lid. Then you connect theceires underneath. I have them connect one at a time. They type up questions about a topic we are studying and slide a question slip under the left side and the answer anywhere on the right side. After all questions and answers are connected, students use their circuit made of alligator clips,battery,light bulb in a holder. They test each question before having others try their board. We keep the boards and change questions throughout the year. My students really enjoy it!
Eileen, I LOVE this! One of the best things about sharing is when it continues. Teachers always tweak and change things up a little or make them better! Thank you for sharing this! I’d love for you to share photos, if you can, in our Facebook group or here in this post. If you send to me via email, I can add them. I’m sending you and email!