1. “Exploring the material world” BATTERIES
Teaching kit
“Exploring the material world”
BATTERIES

2. Batteries…
The different aspects of the discovery of the material world can only be approached from real-life situations and observation satisfying children’s curiosity.

3. Activity 14 : Batteries
This activity can be performed with or without supervision.
In either case, the mediator will begin by presenting the relevant activity sheet.

4. The voltaic cell – the first battery
Exploring the material world: Batteries Sheet n° 14
Activity 14: Inside a battery…
1,5 V
4,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
The voltaic cell – the first battery

5. The voltaic cell – the first battery
Question 1 :
- Tell me what you can see on the sheet…
L’exploration du monde de la matière : La pile Sheet n° 14
Activité 14 : Voir à l’intérieur d’une pile…
1,5 V
4,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
The voltaic cell – the first battery

6. The voltaic cell – the first battery
Sheet n° 14
If the child takes a long time to answer, the question should be rephrased.
1,5 V
4,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
The voltaic cell – the first battery

7. The voltaic cell – the first battery
Example of a prompt:
- Say what you see in these pictures…
(while showing the different batteries)
Sheet n° 14
1,5 V
4,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
The voltaic cell – the first battery

8. The voltaic cell – the first battery
- And what do you think when you see this picture?
(while showing the voltaic cell).
Sheet n° 14
1,5 V
4,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
The voltaic cell – the first battery

9. The voltaic cell – the first battery
- It’s also a battery… a funny kind of battery… It was the first battery; it takes its name from the person who invented it: Volta’s battery, or the voltaic cell.
Sheet n° 14
Activité 14 : Voire à l’intérieur d’une pile…
1,5 V
4,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
The voltaic cell – the first battery

10. At nursery school, the important thing is that children should identify and name what they see.

11. Questions to ask the child:
Look at these batteries. Are they the same?
Expected answer: “different size and shape”…
1,5 V
9 Volts
4,5 V
Point out that the different forms correspond to different voltages.

12. The mediator will ask the child to turn the sheet over.

13. What is the inside of a battery made of?
Exploring the material world: Batteries Sheet n° 14
What is the inside of a battery made of?
4,5 V
Graphite electrode =
+ terminal
A black substance =
Electrolyte
Zinc electrode =
- terminal
1,5 V
4,5 V

14. A black substance = Electrolyte - Look inside this battery. 4,5 V
Sheet n° 14
4,5 V
A black substance =
Electrolyte
1,5 V
A black substance =
Electrolyte
4,5 V

15. - Look inside this battery.
Sheet n° 14
Graphite electrode =
+ terminal
Zinc electrode =
- terminal
1,5 V
Graphite electrode = + terminal
Zinc electrode = - terminal
4,5 V

16. Observation and description are the opportunity to draw children’s attention to the functions of the different parts of the battery…

17. The mediator will ask the children to look at the next stage on the activity sheet.

18. What happens when the battery supplies electricity?
Exploring the material world: Batteries Sheet n° 14
What happens when the battery supplies electricity?
Observe the cut-away picture of a worn-out battery. Compare it with the new battery.
What has changed?
4,5 V
The zinc has been attacked and “eaten” and a white substance has formed during the battery’s use. This is a chemical reaction!
When a battery is connected, this triggers reactions, producing an electric current.
4,5 V

19. The mediator will “read” each picture to the children…
He or she will then ask the children to observe the worn-out battery…
And then to compare the worn-out battery with the new battery…
What has changed?

20. The mediator will ask the children to look at the next stage on the activity sheet for an explanation of how batteries become worn-out.

21. A simple chemical reaction…
Exploring the material world: Batteries Sheet n° 14
A simple chemical reaction…
Pour some vinegar on a piece of chalk.
4,5 V
“Foam” forms on the chalk, which is eaten away and transformed by the acid.
Vinegar
Chalk
4,5 V
When the battery is worn-out, there is very little or no power. It can no longer supply electricity to the light bulb.

22. The mediator will “read” each picture to the children…
Exploring the material world: Batteries Sheet n° 14
The mediator will “read” each picture to the children…
Pour some vinegar on a piece of chalk. .
4,5 V
“Foam” forms on the chalk, which is eaten away and transformed by the acid.
Vinegar
Chalk
4,5 V
When the battery is worn-out, there is very little or no power. It can no longer supply electricity to the light bulb.

23. This experiment will be conducted under the mediator’s supervision.
Like Isidor, we need chalk and vinegar…
Pour vinegar on the chalk…
What happens?
Expected answer: “foam” forms on the chalk.
Mediator’s explanation: the chalk is eaten away and chemically altered by the acid.

24. Ideas to get across to the children:
When the battery is worn-out, there is very little or no power.
4,5 V
It cannot supply electricity to the light bulb.

25. Conducting experiments, observing and looking after things are a unique resource for verbal expression and interaction, even for the youngest and most reserved children.

26. In the course of these exchanges with the adult, an orderly pattern of questioning, clear concepts and, ultimately, knowledge will take shape.

27. Advice for performing the activity without supervision :
1. You can test different batteries by yourself or with your parents’ help to check whether they still have sufficient power to light a lamp.
2. If the lamp shines dimly, the battery is beginning to run down.

28. 3. You can illustrate each stage in your experiments with drawings, notes and photos…
these notes and observations can sometimes be made with the mediator and sometimes independently

29. All these experiments are aids to discussion and to attempts at representation (through drawing or photography), which are themselves new subjects of discussion.

30. Making a notebook with the children
They will be able to illustrate the things they learn at each stage in the experiments with drawings and photos :
- drawing the different batteries,
- drawing the chemical reaction,
- drawing the inside of a battery.
(these notes and observations can sometimes be made with the mediator and sometimes independently)

31. The written recording of observations (dictated to an adult) helps to memorise knowledge, become aware of relationships in space and time and identify causal links.

32. All these experiments are aids to discussion and to attempts at representation (through drawing or photography), which are themselves new subjects of discussion.

33. the child should be able to…
On completion of the activity
the child should be able to…
- recognise the components of a battery
- identify batteries according to their voltage
- produce a simple chemical reaction.