1. Teacher Resources Chapter 6 Color Teaching Transparency
Ch 6.1a Ch 6.1b Ch 6.1c
Laboratory Black line Masters
Electronic Book
Skill Sheets
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2. Chapter 6.1 What Is A Circuit?
CPO Science
Integrated Physics & Chemistry
Chapter 6.1 What Is A Circuit?
This PowerPoint covers the investigation & textbook reading 6.1.
The Learning Goals for this investigation are:
Build a simple circuit.
Trace circuit path.
Read & use the electric symbols for battery, bulb, wire, and switch .
Draw a circuit diagram of an actual circuit.
Explain why electrical symbols and circuit diagrams are used.
Explain how a switch works.
Identify open and closed circuits.
Key Vocabulary: electric circuit, circuit path, circuit diagram, electrical symbol, closed circuit, & open circuit

3. Developing A Model How important is electricity to you?
Why do you think the study of electricity falls in physics?
What do we know about electricity already?
Discuss these questions with the students. Write the information the students come up with down on a sheet of chart paper, white board, or chalk board. Remind the students that some of their ”knowledge” may not be correct. Most students will have an intuitive sense of what electricity is but not enough to verbalize. Hand out a battery, wire, and a bulb to each group. Make sure the students have their investigation manuals out.

4. Key Questions What is a circuit? How do we represent a circuit?
How does a switch work?
Use the questions to aid the students in developing four different ways of connecting the battery, wire, and bulb to make the bulb light. It would be useful to have the students record every attempt in the lab note book for discussion later. It is important that the students distinguish between the 2 ends of the batteries in their drawings. You may find it necessary with some groups to point out the light bulb and the connection on the threads.

5. Developing A Circuit How many ways did you find to light up the bulb?
Come and draw the four ways
What does each path have in common?
What is unique about the way the bulb is connected in the circuit?
Steer the students to the realization that all circuits must be complete with no breaks. This is a good time to define a closed circuit. The students should also realize that the light bulb needs to be connected to the circuit by the tip and the threads. Have the students examine the light bulb and identify the connections.

6. Trail and Error Why do some circuits work and others do not?
Have the students tell you why each bulb works or does not work.

7. Electric Circuit Set
Build one of the four working circuits using the circuit board
Your circuit should contain: one battery and battery holder, one bulb and bulb holder, and two wire connectors
You may find it necessary to show the students how to connect the pieces together using the pegs on the circuit board.

8. Drawing A Circuit Circuit Diagrams
We have an easier way to draw circuits
Circuit Diagrams
We use electrical symbols for shorthand
Use these symbols to draw the circuit you just built
Make sure to inform the students how to label the positive and negative end of the battery.

9. How Does a Switch Work? Add a switch to your circuit board
You may need a another wire or two
How does the switch control the circuit?
The lead the students to the conclusion that the switch simply breaks the complete circle. This is the time to define an open circuit. At the conclusion of this discussion have take several minutes and answer the questions in part 5.

10. What do you know about electricity? What is an electric circuit?
Summary
What do you know about electricity?
What is an electric circuit?
How does an electric circuit operate?
How does a switch control an electric circuit?
Have the students verbalize what they know about electricity and circuits. You may need to remove or add some material to the list you created at the beginning of the discussion.