PR-0552UK Primary Science - Book 2

Electricity
Magnetism and electricity ~ Activity 4
Objectives
• become aware of the uses of
electricity in school and at home
• identify some household
appliances that use electricity
• become aware of the dangers of
electricity
Working scientifically
• Questioning
• Observing
• Predicting
• Investigating and experimenting
• Recording and communicating
Background information
Electricity provides us with heat; it
powers many appliances; it provides
us with light; aids in communication;
and is used by all members of
modern society. We could not
function, as we do now, without the
heat energy produced by electricity
or the energy it provides in other
ways.
Electricity can be very dangerous.
Even almost discharged batteries
have the capacity to burn or start
a fire.
Before the lesson
Materials needed
• Some household appliances to display.
Preparation
• Display the appliances at the front of the classroom.
• Pupils will need to answer Question 2 at home. They can then complete the
worksheet.
The lesson
Stimulus
• Show the class a variety of appliances. Rank the appliances according to the
importance of their use. For example, a refrigerator is more important than a
blender. Have pupils discuss the appliances they have at home.
What to do
• Pupils draw three appliances and label them.
• Ask the class to consider how many light bulbs they have at home. Some may be
able to try and count them. They write a prediction in the first box in Question
2.
• Repeat this with the predicted number of power points at home.
• Pupils will need to go home and count the light bulbs and sockets and complete
the second boxes in Question 2 the following day.
• Pupils complete Question 3 on the worksheet.
• Ask the class what they know about electricity. Write their ideas on the board.
How do they know it is dangerous? What signs have they seen before? Where
have they seen them?
• Pupils complete Question 4 on the worksheet.
After the lesson
Answers
1. Teacher check.
2.–3. Answers will vary.
4. The sign means that electricity is near (usually high voltage). Pupils should stay
right away from areas where the signs are. The signs may be warning of high
voltage electricity in mains boxes or on electric fences.
Viewing Sample
Additional activities
• Ask the class to count how many appliances they have at home.
• The following day, do a whole-class total of home appliances.
• Cross-curricular activity – maths: Graph the number of appliances recorded by
class members (e.g. power points, toasters, TVs, DVD players etc.). A wholeclass
pictograph can be completed. Pupils can draw and colour the appliances
for the graph.
Display ideas
• Pupils collect pictures of the appliances they have at home and use them to
create a collage.
68 PRIMARY SCIENCE ~ Prim-Ed Publishing ~ www.prim-ed.com