Lesson One – Things that Bump, Whirr, Buzz, or Ting!
Extra Classroom Materials:
None
Grade(s):
K-5
Time:
15-45 min
Strategies Emphasized:
- Thinking
- Classifying
- Reasoning
- Brainstorming
- Recalling
- Synthesizing
Lesson Overview:
This activity involves the identification of objects that need or use electricity. The instructor may find it effective to use after group discussion, formal classroom experience, or introduction to information on the Electric Universe. Adjust the vocabulary and activities to grade appropriateness.
Whole Group Instruction:
[Say aloud] We’ve talked about electricity and how it is a useful force for making things work in our world. I want to challenge you to come up with (or list) a number of (or see how many) names for objects that all need electricity to operate/run/work. Let me get you started with the first suggestion: toaster.
Possible Student Responses:
How many do we need to list? (as many as you can!) How much time do we have? (discuss any time limit) Does spelling count? (sound familiar?)
Variations on the theme:
1. The teacher may list and number items on the board as the entire class participates.
2. Students may work with a partner to list on paper. Lists may be compared at the end of the activity.
3. Older students may be challenged to list items in an ALPHABETICAL order. Certain vowels or letters may prove very challenging.
4. Older students may be given the task of playing the list version of “Cow’s Tail,” where the last letter in a word is the letter that the student will use to begin the next word: e.g. toaster…radio…oven….n….
5. Younger students may be allowed to use scissors and paste to look for and cut out items pictured in magazines that need/use electricity. Posters could be constructed with these pictures for display in hallways.
Evaluation:
Student participation and demonstrated ability to transfer metacognitive skills to other disciplines.