Science and Technology

Circuit Corner

Set up a corner where students can experiment with batteries, wires with alligator clips, small sockets and light bulbs, easily obtainable at hobby shops. Ask them to complete circuits and design switches to open and close the circuits.

Electricity Generation

If one of your students has a bicycle with a generator, have them bring the bike inside the classroom. Set up the bike and discuss how the generator creates electricity. What is providing the turning power? What is turning?

Discuss how electricity is generated in a hydro generating station (falling water turns the turbines that spin the generators), a coal or oil- fired generating station (coal heats the water that creates the steam that turns the turbines), and a nuclear generating station (nuclear energy heats the water to produce the steam that turns the turbines). Discuss other sources of electricity generation; wind, Sun, tidal (the ebb and flow of the tides provide the turning power).

Self and Society

Discuss with your class what is affected when there is a power failure in the neighbourhood.

Investigate alternative power sources and alternate ways of creating electricity, (solar, wind, biomass)

Explore with your students the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources employed to create electricity - coal fired generating plants, nuclear generating plants, hydro electric generating plants. What are the environmental problems associated with creating hydro generating plants? (A river is usually dammed and flooding ensues. Scientists are now suggesting that the methane created from the flooding of large tracts of land is a contributer to global warming caused by greenhouse gases).

Language

Brainstorm with the class: ask the students to identify uses of electricity at home, at school, or at play. Write these ideas on cards and use later for vocabulary or incorporation into a small story.

Discuss ways in which electricity can be conserved in each situation.

The Arts

Working in pairs, students invent an imaginary, new electrical appliance that is not currently on the market. The task is to design the shape of this new appliance. They can produce two dimensional sketches of front, side and top views, or build a three dimensional model out of cardboard, styrofoam packing materials, fabric and wire, and other scrap materials.

Math

Ask your students to calculate how much electricity is used at home over the period of one week. They can begin by locating the meter and taking a reading. Repeat this procedure every day at the same time. Have them calculate the total amount of power used during the week.

What is the average daily reading?
What is the cost per day?
Per week?

If they do not have access to their meter, they could look at their hydro bill and calculate the daily usage.

Note: Electricity is measured in units of power called the watt. The hydro company calculates the amount of kilowatts (kW) used over a period of one hour, called the kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Go back to Electricity Workshop