Conductors

• Show Video Clip 1: Circuits Conductors Song. (2:01 min.).

• Examine the inside and outside of a piece of electrical cord used for an electrical appliance.

• Strip the plastic off from the one end of the electrical cord.

• Greet the learners.
• Ask them the following questions:
  • What do they see on the outside of the electrical cord?
  • e.g. Coloured plastic insulation material.
  • Name the three colours on the inside of the electrical wire.
  • e.g.  green/ green & yellow; blue; brown
  • Do not tell the learners who were right or wrong.  Let them discover for themselves when they watch presentation 1.

• Present an overview of our country’s three pin plug by using    Presentation 1:  A South African three pin plug.

• The teacher gives each group a 3-pin plug to wire.
• Reward the group that finished first as an incentive.

• Present an overview of conductors and insulators by using

     Presentation 2:  What are electrical conductors and insulators?

• Hand out Worksheet A: Conductors of electricity.
• Let learners complete the worksheet.
• Teacher to use WORKSHEET A: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.

• Show Video Clip 2: Conductors and insulators. (3:19 min.).
• Present an overview of conductors and insulators by using Presentation 3: Electrical conductors and insulators.
• Learners will investigate the types of materials that can be used in electric circuits.
• Different objects: teacher can select 10 items/ allow groups to choose/ add other objects:
  • pen, cardboard, metal paper clip, paper clips covered with plastic, elastic band, copper coins, silver coins, glass, metal spoon, chalk, steel wool, drinking straw, chalk, rubber, piece of wood, pencil, drawing pin, scissors, etc.
• Each group gets a bulb, two pieces of electric wire and a battery.
  • Work in pairs/ groups of 6-8.
  • Encourage the learners to communicate softly while investigating.
  • Each group must first write down a hypothesis of the materials that they think would conduct electricity.
  • A scribe must complete Worksheet B of the objects that make the bulb light up and the objects that do not make the bulb light up.
  • Learners must be able to conclude that conductors are normally metals.
  • Allow the learners 20 minutes to complete the activity.
  • This will help the learners understand that certain materials conduct electricity more easily than others.
  • Emphasize the proper position of holding an object that is being tested.
  • Remind learners that it is important to record their findings correctly on Worksheet B.

• Hand out Worksheet B: The conductivity of different types of materials.
• Explain that the questions in the worksheet are based on their investigation.
• Let learners complete the worksheet.
• Teacher to use WORKSHEET B: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.

• Show Video Clip 3: Electricity Rap Song.(1:44 min.)

• Present an overview of electrical conductors and safety by using Presentation 4: Electrical conductors and safety.

• Present an overview of electrical safety tips by using Presentation 5: Electrical safety tips.
• Show Video Clip 4: Captain Safety Electrical Safety.(2:35 min.).

• Divide the learners into groups.
• Let each group choose one of Captain Safety’s slides and dramatize it.
• Learners complete QUIZ 1. 
• Teacher to use QUIZ 1: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.
• Learners complete QUIZ 2.
• Teacher to use QUIZ 2: Memorandum to mark the learners’ work.