Here’s the update on what we’ve been
doing in class.
Mid
October . . .
This week, the fourth and fifth graders
worked together to identify conductors and insulators by putting a variety of
materials between the wires and seeing if the circuit was complete (by whether
a motor ran or not). They discovered that metals conduct electricity, including
iron, steel, copper, aluminum. We also discussed how electricity can be
converted into light, heat, motion and sound.
Questions to discuss during dinner:
· What
materials were conductors, meaning they could carry electricity? How did you
know the electricity was flowing?
· What
materials are insulators? How did you find out?
NOTE:
On Thursday, October 18, the kids will be working on a study guide in class and
will bring it home. Please help your child review. Their quiz will be on
Tuesday, October 22 and will cover material up until this point. Please contact
me if you have any questions!
Early
October . . .
We wrapped up our exploration of
magnetism by creating a hanging compass and detecting magnetic fields of
magnets inside boxes. Last week, we lit a bulb using just a battery and wires.
We also examined how electricity flows in a circle and requires no spaces in
wiring. We were able to turn our bulbs on and off using a switch.
- How did our hanging magnets detect the magnetic field of the earth? How were iron filings and a real compass helpful for detecting the magnetic field of magnets in a closed box?
- How did you get the light bulb to go on? What did you find out about the wiring?
- How does a switch work? What is the difference between an open and closed circuit?
