Electricity
Year 4
Unit Overview
In the Electrical Circuits and Conductors project, your child will learn about the importance of electricity to our daily lives and the two sources, mains electricity and cells or batteries. They will discuss the dangers of mains electricity and safety measures. They will learn about a range of electrical components, such as cells, batteries, wires, lamps, buzzers and motors, and use them to construct series circuits, exploring the effect of adding and removing different components. Your child will learn to recognise the difference between a complete and incomplete circuit and examine ways of fixing incomplete circuits. They will also learn about conductivity and investigate various materials to discover which are conductive or non-conductive. Your child will learn about electrical conductors and insulators and use this knowledge to make switches and examine plugs, identifying their parts, materials and safety features.
❇ MEMORABLE MOMENT
Creating circuits and using conductors and insulators in the circuits.
️✏️ WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
Children will write up full investigations in detail. This will include equipment list, method, labelled diagram, results and conclusion..
🌳 LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Children will go into the playground and make a human circuit to explore the question, "What happens if the circuit breaks?"
Unit Sequence: Learning Intentions
Exploring electricity. To compare common household equipment and appliances that are and are not powered by electricity.
Components. To construct operational simple series circuits using a range of components and switches for control.
Making series circuits. To construct operational simple series circuits using a range of components and switches for control.
Fixing circuits. To predict and describe whether a circuit will work based on whether or not the circuit is a complete loop and has a battery or cell.
Conductivity. To describe materials as electrical conductors or insulators.
Investigating conductive and non-conductive materials. To begin to independently plan, set up and carry out a range of comparative and fair tests, making predictions and following a method accurately.
Understanding plugs. To describe materials as electrical conductors or insulators.
Making switches. To understand that switches open and close a circuit and provide control.
Scientific Enquiry: Investigations
How do plugs work?
Objectives
Objectives
What conducts electricity?
Objectives
Objectives
Can you make a circuit from dough?
Objectives
Objectives
🏁 BIG FINISH
Children will complete an investigation.
📖 FOCUS TEXT(S)
The children will explore a variety of high quality texts, which link to electricity.