Integrated Subjects:
Science/ Art

Objectives:

· Students will work in groups discovering how to light a bulb using a battery, a wire, and a small bulb.
· Students will explore other ways to light the bulb and illustrate them.
· Students will investigate what were the variables to making the bulb light up or not light up.
 

Focus:

Let the students know that they will be working in groups on a hands-on activity dealing with electricity.
 

Scaffolding:

Touch on the fact that they have been studying electricity and circuits in their textbooks.  Let them know that today they will be able to apply what they have learned through a hands-on activity.
 

Rationale:

In fourth grade science students study a unit on electric circuits.  Light bulbs are an
integral part of everyday life.  This activity is a way for students to apply what they have
learned about electric circuits to something they can relate to in everyday life.
 

Materials:

For each student:
· Tags with roles for each student in the group (ex: principle investigator, director of clean up, director of materials, and reporter).
For each group:
· 1 battery, 1 wire, 1 bulb, markers, paper to draw illustrations.
 

Activities:

Instructional input:
· Divide the students into groups of four.
· Give each person in the group their tag labeled with their responsibility and explain what is their job/ responsibility.
· Have the director of materials go get the materials for the group.
· Give the students the task of making the bulb light using the materials that they have.
Guided practice:
· Walk around the room and observe the students working.
· Offer small clues if they absolutely need them.
Instructional input:
· After each group lights their bulb explain that there are at least four ways to light the bulb and that the groups will now work together to find the four ways and illustrate them on the paper with the markers.
· Have the materials collector get the materials so their group can start.

Independent practice:
· The students will work in groups to find four ways to light the bulb.  They will illustrate each way.
· The director of clean up will make sure that all of the students clean up their area when they are finished.

Students who finish early:
They will be able to quietly talk with their group members until everyone is finished.
 

Group Evaluation:

Each group will be evaluated on if they finished their work and if the exhibited proper group cooperation during the activity.

Individual Evaluation:

Student will complete the Activity Sheet 1 and turn in for a grade.
 

Closure:

Each group will come up and share about their drawing and what they noticed had to occur in order for the bulb to light and what did not work.