This morning a group of 4th grade students are connecting to LEARNnco for a lesson on Electricity with Andy Campbell.

After a review of electricity terms, students engaged in several hands-on activities to explore and increase students’ understanding of electricity concepts.

In one activity, students used tennis balls to represent electrons passing from a power source to the power load (blender, TV, etc.) directly and then using a circuit.

In another activity, students created a circuit with foil, a clothes pin, a battery, and a light bulb. Fun to see kids reaction. Even though they predicted what would happen (light would turn on), they were still amazed. Wow! Whoa! Major excitement. This experiment was extended using a paper clip as a switch to learn about open and closed circuits and switches.

Students also learned about power sources, and how power plants work in an experiment with water, salt, pencils, wires and a battery. (Most of these materials are sent to you in a box of materials, with the exception of water!).

This lesson reinforced a major concept students were learning: energy transfer. Energy isn’t made or destroyed; only transferred.

We love Andy’s programs and this particular teacher uses at least one of his science programs every year!