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Series and Parallel Electrical Circuits: 8 Grade Lesson Plan

This lesson plan compares current flow in series and parallel electrical circuits. Students will build and test a one-bulb series circuit, a two-bulb series circuit, and a two-bulb parallel circuit. They will measure and compare the current in each circuit and observe how current is distributed differently between series and parallel configurations. The lesson aims to help students understand that current flow is greater in a series circuit than a parallel circuit, so Salima's advice to Bill to use a parallel circuit for his home wiring is correct.

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Dandryl Villare Soriano
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246 views2 pages

Series and Parallel Electrical Circuits: 8 Grade Lesson Plan

This lesson plan compares current flow in series and parallel electrical circuits. Students will build and test a one-bulb series circuit, a two-bulb series circuit, and a two-bulb parallel circuit. They will measure and compare the current in each circuit and observe how current is distributed differently between series and parallel configurations. The lesson aims to help students understand that current flow is greater in a series circuit than a parallel circuit, so Salima's advice to Bill to use a parallel circuit for his home wiring is correct.

Uploaded by

Dandryl Villare Soriano
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Series and Parallel Electrical Circuits

8th grade lesson plan


Bill Flatt and Salima Oudghiri
NISMEC June 2010

Standard:
8.3.19. - Investigate and compare a series and a parallel elctrical circuit

Objectives:
! Students will be able to identify the change in current when they investigate and
compare parallel and series circuits
! Students will be able to measure the current flow in a one bulb series circuit and
compare with the current flow in a two-bulb circuit.
! Students will be able to compare the differences in current flow in a parallel and
in a series circuit.

An introduction: a possible engagement scenario: Ask the students what happens at


night when they turn on the light in their room; what happens to all the other switches in
the home? Guide the discussion to develop the investigation described below.

[Bill decides to rewire his house, but she is not sure how to set up the wiring for the
electrical appliances. His friend Salima advises him to use a parallel circuit because the
current flow is less in a parallel circuit than in a series circuit. Is Salima correct?]

Guiding Question:

! How does the current flow through a series circuit compare to the current flow in
a parallel circuit

Materials: (per group)


Vernier electrical current probe with Labquest 1 battery
1 battery holder 6 connecting wires
2 1.5v light bulbs 2 light bulb holders

Investigation
Procedures
(These are very explicit, but may be put into a more independent guided inquiry format)

Teacher introduces figures of series and parallel circuits

! Students write down similarities and differences between the two circuits
! Discuss observations within each group
! Discuss observations in whole class
Possible Guiding questions: Do we know when a circuit is complete?
Will the light bulbs in the circuits light up? What is going on in the wires?
! Each group obtains materials from the lab table
! Note: - units of the Labquest current are amperes (+ and -, depending on the
direction of the current - may need some discussion)
! Set up a circuit with one light bulb
! Note the current, (direction and magnitude) and brightness of the bulb in
notebook
! Set up a series circuit with two light bulbs - CHECKPOINT - teacher checks your
circuit
! Note the current, (direction and magnitude) and brightness of the bulbs in
notebook
! Set up a parallel circuit with two light bulbs - CHECKPOINT - teacher checks
your circuit
! Note the current, (direction and magnitude) and brightness of the bulb in
notebook

Publish - sharing out the investigations


! Prepare a whiteboard with your findings, including ideas and conclusions from
the data
! Share out these results with the rest of the class
! Find a consensus about the use of parallel and series circuits (comparing the
suggestions of Bill and Salome)
! Where are series and parallel circuits used - in house, in school, in other places,
etc?

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