Summary Build circuits, demonstrate how electricity can make a magnet, then add motors to the circuits. Science content Physics: Electricity, Electromagnetism (7) Activities in this lesson Electric circuits with home-made wires and bulbs Electromagnet Motor (hand-wound) Motor free play Materials Materials in the activities Procedure Students free play with electric circuits (or have previously used e.g. snap circuits) to light bulbs and understand the flow of electricity in a loop. Restate that electricity will only flow in a circuit with a loop. Students make (or demonstrate, if time has already been spent on circuits) an electromagnet to show that electric current generates a magnetic field. Demonstrate a hand-wound motor: that an electromagnet can be arranged so that it spins! If time students make a circuit with motors. Allow time for art and other free play. Grades taught Gr 6 Gr 7
