Materials:
Before you start you have to teach the children already some concepts about building circuits.
Start by explaining that we will be going to build a custom circuit that they will design completely themselves. Recap of what they already know from the last lesson, or introduce the concept of building circuits. For this lesson we will build parallel circuits, so that you can light up multiple LEDs on just one battery.
After they are done creating their art, they will poke holes with a nail into the cardboard to push the LEDs through. Tell them that LEDs have a long leg and a short leg. That's important because it will indicate which of the legs of the LED is the negative and the positive. If they aren't connected right, your LED will not light up. Make sure that all the legs will point in the same direction. That will make it later on easier when you have to connect all of them.
It also helps if you have already made an example for them.
Building the Circuits:
Once the students are done creating their art, they will need to decide where to place the LEDs. That's where they will poke the holes through the cardboard.
When the holes are made, they draw the circuit with a marker on the back of the cardboard. A little piece of paper will be glued on the back, to make the connection for the battery later.
The LEDs are put in the holes and their legs bend over the copper tape. It's really important that all the long legs are on one side (the + side) so they will light up. I had the children put some copper tape over the legs too, so we'll be sure that a connection is made.
Place the battery with the minus side on the copper tape with the sign.
Bend the paper over to the plus side and the circuit is complete: The LEDs will light up!
Extension:
- Cardboard/Cardstock
- LEDs. (3 per student)
- Batteries- I used CR2032 3V batteries. 1 per student
- Coppertape
- Markers
- Colored Pencils
- Paint
Before you start you have to teach the children already some concepts about building circuits.
- https://educators.brainpop.com/bp-topic/electric-circuits
- https://shptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.mfe.lp_electric/electric-circuits
- https://www.circuitlab.com
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taszKVykMBQ
Start by explaining that we will be going to build a custom circuit that they will design completely themselves. Recap of what they already know from the last lesson, or introduce the concept of building circuits. For this lesson we will build parallel circuits, so that you can light up multiple LEDs on just one battery.
After they are done creating their art, they will poke holes with a nail into the cardboard to push the LEDs through. Tell them that LEDs have a long leg and a short leg. That's important because it will indicate which of the legs of the LED is the negative and the positive. If they aren't connected right, your LED will not light up. Make sure that all the legs will point in the same direction. That will make it later on easier when you have to connect all of them.
It also helps if you have already made an example for them.
Building the Circuits:
Once the students are done creating their art, they will need to decide where to place the LEDs. That's where they will poke the holes through the cardboard.
When the holes are made, they draw the circuit with a marker on the back of the cardboard. A little piece of paper will be glued on the back, to make the connection for the battery later.
- Have students check with you to see if they constructed the circuit correclty.
- Use the adhesive copper tape to tape it over the lines:
The LEDs are put in the holes and their legs bend over the copper tape. It's really important that all the long legs are on one side (the + side) so they will light up. I had the children put some copper tape over the legs too, so we'll be sure that a connection is made.
Place the battery with the minus side on the copper tape with the sign.
Bend the paper over to the plus side and the circuit is complete: The LEDs will light up!
Extension:
- Renewable Energy
- Clean Engergy vs Renewable Energy
- Innovative Ways to Save Energy