Parallel circuits lab stations activity learning objectives. I then provide time for the students to construct each circuit and to record their observations on their lab worksheet. At other nodes specifically the threeway junction between r 2, r 3, and r 4 the main blue current splits into two different ones. Also, be sure that the students are correctly placing the orientation of negative and positive ends of the fruits see figure 4. Other instructors use this as an activity later in the topic to assess understanding. Series and parallel circuits lesson plan for 4th grade. This is a good starting activity because students develop their own understanding of how parallel and series circuits appear. The author uses this activity as a motivating demonstration at the beginning of the teaching of multiresistance dc circuits. Seriesparallel dc circuits analysis wisconline oer. Fans in layout 2 are in series so there share current which cause the fans to run slower. In order for a current to flow in the circuit, one of the dipoles must be a source of current generator and the circuit must be closed. This is a handson activity in which students work in small groups and create series and parallel circuits. This seriesparallel circuit worksheet is suitable for 9th higher ed.
An electric circuit is an association of dipoles connected to one another by conducting wires. In this learning activity youll identify the various parts of a bar graph, read and interpret its data, and calculate the data to solve various application problems. Have a discussion about the applications of each type of circuit. Tell students that today they will use a simulation to build and explore series and parallel circuits. Comparing series and parallel circuits students use a battery holder, a dcell battery, a mini light socket, and a miniature lamp to build series and parallel circuits. In electric circuits this charge is often carried by moving electrons in a wire. A dipole is an electrical conductor with two poles also called terminals. This year i have the opportunity to teach students who had been learning math for the past several years and just like many of my math students in the past, they always ask. In this activity, students will stand in a circle and pass the items, changing configurations to demonstrate the movement of current through series and parallel circuits. This series and parallel circuits worksheet for ks2 will save you time when teaching circuits by providing you with a teachermade pair of tasks that will test childrens knowledge of circuits and their components by identifying where to put the relevant batteries, motors and switches in a series and parallel sequence.
In this required practical activity, it is important to. Sneed, was planning the next activity for her electricity unit. Materials list, advance preparation instructions, lab hints and tips, safety tips, rubric, worksheets, and answer key are provided. In this tutorial, well first discuss the difference between series circuits and parallel circuits, using circuits containing the most basic of components resistors and batteries to show the difference between the two configurations. For holiday lights, this means one bulb can burn out and not affect the rest of the circuit. Students solve problems on the determination of total capacitive reactance of seriesparallel capacitors. Parallel circuits worksheet ks2 science teacher made. This activity introduces parallel circuits and series circuit using chibitronics led light stickers.
Instruct students to open the circuit construction kit. Simple series circuits series and parallel circuits. Cut out guided notes for both series and parallel circuits key included venn diagram with cut outs for comparing series and parallel circuits key included worksheet with 12 questions which can be used for classworkhomeworkquiz key. Analyzing simple series circuits with the table method and ohms law. Series and parallel circuits lab report phys 2240 studocu. Dc sim and familiarize themselves with the controls and features. See more ideas about series and parallel circuits, science electricity and 4th grade science. It has two simple gap fills maybe a starter, circuits with ammeters to be labelled and a more challenging circuit designing exercise. In this circuits worksheet, students record the voltage and current for a circuit diagram. If the following resistors were replaced with the values indicated. Use this activity when pupils understand how current behaves in both series and parallel circuits.
Instead, let kids tinker with batteries, bulbs and wires. Teaching series and parallel circuits activities for kids. Compare and contrast series, parallel and combination circuits. The series and parallel circuits activity encourages students to test two different circuit designs through the use of low voltage light bulbs. Have students draw a diagram of a series and parallel circuit using a a table like this one. Here, simple ideas about electricity are applied to circuits that have real applications. Well then explore what happens in series and parallel circuits when. Series and parallel circuits activity quiz quizizz. Review the similarities and differences between the four different types of circuits that students discussed during the activity.
Compare and contrast a series and parallel circuit. We take the direction of conventional current to be from the positive terminal of the battery to the negative terminal in the battery. They identify which is which and provide justification for their choices. Dont skip straight to series and parallel circuits. Students begin the handout with a picture of a series circuit and a parallel circuit. Series and parallel circuits activities teaching resources. With handy illustrations depicting the key elements, this series and. Design a circuit with multiple devices that allows current to flow even if one device is broken. Learn about current flow and the operational differences between series and parallel circuits. The students will be able to identify and represent things that are part of their world by making a lightup card. In a series circuit, the parts of the circuit are in a row, one after the other so current flows through them. Explain what happens when you add more electrical devices to a series or parallel circuit.
Each arrangement provides a different way for electricity to flow through a circuit. Series and parallel resistors grade 10 displaying top 8 worksheets found for this concept some of the worksheets for this concept are series and parallel circuit work, resistors in series, circuits work r, series and parallel circuits, series parallel resistors activity, electricity unit, series parallel dc circuits, 6 series parallel circuits. However, the method we just used to analyze this simple series circuit can be. If students are having difficulty with their circuits, refer to the troubleshooting tips section for suggestions. The link between voltage and energy transfers leads to ideas about energy and power. Seriesparallel circuit worksheet for 9th higher ed. Up until now, we have only been looking at simple circuits. The supply voltage in a series circuit is equal to the sum of the individual voltage drops. Students work in teams to predict the difference between the two circuit designs, and then build examples of the two. Series or parallel circuit an activity free flash animation for electricity learning interactive flash simulation to associate two dipoles bulbs lamps in series or parallel and see the difference between both. Theyll discover the difference between open and closed circuits.
Help me give my students access to the basic materials needed to build series and parallel circuits so every student will have his own set of the breadboard, diodes, jumpers, and a battery. Series and parallel circuits interactive simulations. A complete lesson aimed at ks3 classes on series and parallel circuits. Circuit construction kit series of three activitites inquiry based using phet in electricity unit. Parallel circuits are set up so that the current has an independent path to take through each piece. You will have to drag them away from the equipment because they like it so much. Laboratory in wave motion, electricity, magnetism and optics phys 2240 uploaded by. Parallel circuits series and parallel circuits siyavula. Required practical investigating series and parallel circuits there are different ways to investigate resistor networks.
This series and parallel circuits lesson plan is suitable for 4th grade. Do all this without the fear of being electrocuted as long as you dont use your computing device in the bath tub. Series and parallel circuits guided notes and worksheets. Previous reading in series and parallel circuits should be assigned. Conservation laws charge and energy lead directly to kirchhoffs laws and these in turn provide a method for. Notice that in some nodes like between r 1 and r 2 the current is the same going in as at is coming out. I ask students to copy the diagrams into their series and parallel circuits lab worksheet and to make predictions about the longevity and brightness of each circuit.
We will now examine the concept of series and parallel circuits. Sneed plans series and parallel circuits activities. As a result of this activity, students should develop an understanding of. What are series and parallel circuits series and parallel arrangements in circuits describes two different types of circuit arrangements. Give students the example of street lights being configured in parallel. Physics and chemistry by a clear learning in high school, middle school, upper school, secondary school and academy. Series and parallel circuits activities teach kids about paths electricity can take. Series and parallel circuits lesson teaching resources. Why would it be a problem if your household appliances were connected in a series circuit.
Two dipoles are in series when they share only a single terminal and, between shared. Series and parallel circuits donorschoose project by mrs. This lab uses the simulation and lab equipment both. Seriesparallel dc circuits analysis power calculations in a seriesparallel circuit effects of a rheostat in a seriesparallel circuit knowledge check 1. We will look at the difference between these two setups in circuits, specifically looking at the effects of adding resistors in series or in parallel and observing the change in brightness of bulbs. We begin by considering the effective resistance when components are connected in series and in parallel. Thats the key difference between series and parallel series circuits defined. Two components are in series if they share a common node and if the same. The worksheet guides them as they work through increasingly more complex circuits. The current in a series circuits splits through each parallel branch such that the total current in the main circuit is equal to the sum of the currents in each branch. Series circuits series and parallel circuits siyavula. Required practical investigating series and parallel.