A simple circuit

• In our country, the population has grown tremendously and more people are using electricity.

• Show Video clip 1: Schoolhouse Rock – Electricity, Electricity. (3:01 min.).

• Greet the learners.
• Ask them the following questions:
• Which appliances in your homes use electricity for their energy?

(E.g. irons, stoves, kettles, television sets, refrigerators, freezers, vacuum cleaners, toasters, washing machines, fans, heaters, dish washers, blenders, drills, razors, hairdryers, coffee makers, computers, cd players, etc.).

• Which appliances in your school use electricity for their energy?

(E.g. refrigerator, computers, laptops, photocopy machine, kettle, stove, projectors, fans, cd players, televisions, DVD players, printers, scanners, laminators, etc.)

• Tell them that it is important to understand how to use electricity correctly and safely.
• Show Video Clip 2: Introduction to Electricity. (5:15 min.).

• The learners explain what they had watched on the video and elaborate on it

(E.g. electrons, battery, conductors, negative and positive charge, current, amperes, voltage, volts, safety, short circuit, circuits, etc.).

• Allow the learners 10 minutes to explain.

• Present an overview of a simple circuit by using Presentation 1: A simple circuit.

• Ask the learners to work in groups.
• They must make a simple circuit.
• Each group receives the following:
• small bulb
• D/ C/ AAA / AA / etc. Battery
• conducting wires (2)
• They complete their simple electric circuit.

• The teacher informs the learners that they will watch the video clip that explains how an electrical circuit works.
• Show Video clip 3: Explaining an electrical circuit.  (2:26 min.).

• Tell the learners that they will investigate how a switch works.
• Each group is given a list with the material that the group leader must select (battery, light bulb, a paperclip, 3 pieces of conducting wire, a piece of cardboard, 2 drawing pins).
• The following instructions are written on the board:
• Bend the paperclip (as shown on the picture of the switch).
• Use the 2 drawing pins to pin down the ends of the two wires.
• One of the drawing pins must also pin the paperclip down.
• Move the other end of the paperclip to make contact with the 2^nd drawing pin.
• Move the paperclip so that it does not make any contact with the drawing pin.
• The switch will be used now, the exact same set-up of the simple electric circuit which were constructed with a battery, a bulb and 2 wires are used.
• Use the 3^rd wire to connect the paperclip switch to the battery.
• The wire ends can be kept in position with Prestik/ cello tape.

• Hand out WORKSHEET A: A simple electric circuit.
• Explain that the questions in the worksheet are based on the video clips, the presentation and the practical construction.
• Divide the class into groups of 6 – 8 learners
• Let the groups complete the worksheet.

• Each group discuss and make a list of different equipment that use different batteries.
• The group leader reports back to the class.
• Each group selects a battery from a box with different sizes batteries.
• Discuss the following and the scribe make notes on a chart/newsprint:
• A description of the battery (material, ends, voltage, shape, etc.).
• Determine at which side the (-) and (+) signs can be identified.
• Draw a sketch of the battery.
• Each group gets an opportunity to present their battery and the chart/poster is left on the walls.
• The teacher informs the learners that it is very important to insert the battery in the correct direction when it is inserted into an appliance.
• Teacher to use WORKSHEET A: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.

• Ask the learners the following questions about bulbs:
• Do all the bulbs look the same?
• What is the difference between a screw and a bayonet bulb?
• Present an overview of different bulbs circuit by using Presentation 2: Different bulbs.

• The learners draw and label the bulb according to the instructions of slide 4.