Recommended Reading for Electrical Circuits

The following is a list of recommended books that provide a wide range of reading and research resources for this unit. Collect as many as you can for your classroom science library, or provide the list to your school or local public librarian.

If you have a budget for purchasing books, the Science Companion recommends the following titles to supplement the Electrical Circuits module:

Benjamin Franklin and Electricity (Cornerstones of Freedom)

Gail Blasser Riley. (2004, Scholastic Children’s Press)

This biography covers Benjamin Franklin’s accomplishments through his entire life, including his signature on the Declaration of Independence, but it also provides good coverage of his scientific experiments and inventions relevant to electricity.

Electric and Magnetic Power

Mary F. Blehl. (2006, Pearson Education, Inc.)

A Scott Foresman Science Leveled Reader (Grade 4, On-level). With clear photographs, this book introduces static electricity, electric current, and circuits.

Electrician (Career Exploration)

Karen J. Donnelly. (2001, Capstone Press)

This concise book introduces the career of an electrician, discussing educational requirements, duties, work environment, and other aspects of the job.

Electricity

Carol Levine. (2006, Pearson Education, Inc.)

A Scott Foresman Science Leveled Reader (Grade 5, Below-Level). This book introduces the idea of electric current, gives some clear examples of electric circuits, and includes a discussion of how electromagnets work.

Electricity (Eyewitness Science)

Steve Parker. (1992, DK Publishing)

With the photographs and other illustrations that make the Eyewitness Science series stand out, this book provides a comprehensive overview of electricity. It begins with early ideas and discoveries, and includes the many ways electric charges are collected and used.

Electricity (Science Around Us)

Darlene R. Stille. (2004, The Child’s World, Incorporated)

This book gives an overview of electricity, including how it was discovered and how batteries are made. It includes a brief biography of Benjamin Franklin.

Electricity (Straightforward Science)

Peter Riley. (1999, Scholastic)

This book explains simple circuits, generating electricity, and motors, and their uses in everyday life. It also includes experiments to show how electricity works.

Electricity and Its Uses

Sam Brelsfoard. (2006, Pearson Education, Inc.)

A Scott Foresman Science Leveled Reader (Grade 5, On-Level). This book discusses conductors and insulators, as well as circuits and electromagnets. It includes clear diagrams of simple and more complex circuits.

Electricity and Magnetism

Kim Fields. (2006, Pearson Education, Inc.)

A Scott Foresman Science Leveled Reader (Grade 4, Below-Level). With color photographs and simple diagrams, this book provides a basic introduction to static electricity, electric current, and magnetism.

Electricity: A Question and Answer Book

Adele Richardson and Phillip W. Hammer. (2006, Fact Finders)

Written for ages 8 to 12, this book introduces electricity and its generation, components, movement, and function. Its questionand- answer format makes it a useful reference for the Science Center.

Electricity: Bulbs, Batteries, and Sparks (Amazing Science)

Darlene R. Stille; illustrated by Sheree Boyd. (2004, Picture Window Books)

Appropriate for ages 6 to 10, this book describes and illustrates how electricity powers the appliances in a house.

Faraday: Pioneer of Electricity (The Explosion Zone)

Brian Williams; illustrated by David Antram. (2003, Barron’s Educational Series)

Michael Faraday discovered the relationship between electricity and magnetism, which led him to develop the first electric motor and electric generator. With cartoon-like illustrations, this book tells the story of Faraday’s discoveries. Each two-page spread is supplemented with a sidebar called "Here’s the Science.”

Flick a Switch: How Electricity Gets to Your Home

Barbara Seuling; illustrated by Nancy Tobin. (2003, Holiday House)

In simplified terms, this book describes electricity and introduces some key inventors, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and Alessandro Volta.

How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning

Rosalyn Schanzer. (2002, HarperCollins Publishers)

This picture-book biography describes Benjamin Franklin’s various inventions and scientific experiments, culminating in his capture of lightning’s electric power. Endpapers show some of Franklin’s original drawings of electrical experiments.

The Light Bulb

Lillian Duggan. (2006, Pearson Education, Inc.)

A Scott Foresman Science Leveled Reader (Grade 5, Advanced). Color photographs illustrate a history of the discovery of electricity, electromagnetism, and the invention of the incandescent light bulb.

The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip

Joanna Cole; illustrated by Bruce Degan. (1997, Scholastic)

Ms. Frizzle and her class visit an electric power plant, and learn how electricity is generated and how it travels. The book is packed with information that goes beyond the scope of the unit, but it is entertaining and may stimulate students’ further interest. My Light

Molly Bang

(2004, Blue Sky Press)

Beautifully illustrated, and narrated by "your sun," this book focuses on four scenarios in which the generation of electricity can be traced back to the sun: a hydroelectric dam, wind turbines, a coalburning plant, and solar cells.

Nikola Tesla and the Taming of Electricity

Lisa J. Aldrich. (2005, Morgan Reynolds Publishing)

Appropriate for grades 5 and up, this book describes Tesla’s discovery of the rotating magnetic field and includes his great inventions, such as early remote controls, radio, and alternating current equipment.

Poles Apart

Patricia Walsh. (2006, Pearson Education)

A Scott Foresman Science Leveled Reader (Grade 4, Advanced). This well-illustrated book gives extended coverage of static electricity, electric current, and magnetism.

The Story of Thomas Alva Edison

Margaret Cousins. (1981, Random House)

This biography tells the story of inventor Thomas Edison. By the end of his career, Edison had invented the light bulb, motion pictures, and the phonograph, and made improvements in almost every other means of communication used today.

Switch On, Switch Off

Melvin Berger; illustrated by Carolyn Croll. (1990, HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Recently reissued, this book explains in simple terms how electricity is produced and transmitted, how generators supply electricity for cities, and how electricity works in homes.

Thomas Alva Edison (Rookie Biographies)

Wil Mara: (2004, Children’s Press)

This middle grade biography describes the life of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, phonograph, and movies with sound. It includes a "Words You Know" section that highlights terms and concepts from the text, and illustrates them with photos.

Thomas Edison (First Biographies)

Lola M. Schaefer. (2002, Capstone Press)

Appropriate for early elementary students, simple text and photographs highlight major events in the life of Thomas Edison. A timeline feature at the bottom of each spread captures details one at a time, culminating in a complete summary of his life on the final page.

Using Energy (Designs in Science))

Sally Morgan and Adrian Morgan. (1993, Facts on File)

This book describes how energy is extracted from its sources Electrical circuits are discussed throughout.

Where Does Electricity Come From? (Clever Calvin)

C. Vance Cast. (1992, Barron’s Educational Series)

"Hi. I’m Clever Calvin". We all use electricity every day, but we hardly ever stop to think about what it is or where it comes from. Accompanied by humorous illustrations, Clever Calvin finds out how electricity is generated and brought to our homes.

Who Was Benjamin Franklin?

Dennis Brindell Fradin; illustrated by John O’Brien. (2002, Penguin Young Readers Group)

Written for grades 3 to 5, this book introduces all of the important contributions and inventions Benjamin Franklin gave the world, including the lightning rod and his experiments with electricity.

ExploraGear™ and Classroom Supplies for Electrical Circuits

Web Links for the Electrical Circuits Mini-Module

Our writers recommended these independent websites as background information and content supplements for the Electrical Circuits lessons.

General Electricity

Electricity Misconceptions

• http://www.amasci.com/emotor/stmiscon.html

• http://www.pz.harvard.edu/ucp/curriculum/circuits/

These sites provide background information on students’ prior ideas and misconceptions about electricity.

Electricity Resources

• http://amasci.com/ele-edu.html

• http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html

A brief review of these sites will provide additional educational content in the fields of electricity and circuitry.

Static Electricity (Lessons 1-2)

Types of Natural Electricity

• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lightning/
• http://www.kidslightning.info/zaphome.htm
• http://science.howstuffworks.com/lightning.htm
• http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/aug97/871742132.Ph.r.html
• http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/stelmo.htm
• http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20031001/Feature1.asp
• http://staff.washington.edu/chudler/ap.html
• http://www.calacademy.org/science_now/archive/academy_research/shark_brown.html

• http://www.theallineed.com/ecology/06021705.htm

These sites provide information on types of natural electricity in the world including lightning, St. Elmo’s fire, and creatures that use electricity generated in their bodies to navigate, to attack, and for protection.

Triboelectric Series

• http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/static_materials.htm
• http://www.semiconfareast.com/tribo_series.htm

• http://www.ece.rochester.edu/~jones/demos/triboseries.html

These sites provide additional information on the Triboelectric Series of materials that causes static electricity.

Benjamin Franklin

• http://www.fi.edu/franklin/scientst/electric.html
• http://www.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/inventor.html
• http://www.physicstoday.org/vol-59/iss-1/p42.html

• http://www.school-for-champions.com/biographies/franklin2.htm

These sites provide additional information about Benjamin Franklin and his famous “kite and key” experiment, as well as his invention of the lightning rod.

Current Electricity (Lessons 3-7)

Alessandro Volta

• http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/volta.htmhttp://www.geog.ouc.bc.ca/physgeog/contents/10h.html

• http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/volta.html

These sites provide information about Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the “voltaic pile,” the forerunner of today’s battery.

Thomas Edison

• http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/edison.htm
• http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/50.html
• http://www.nps.gov/edis/home.htm
• http://www.fi.edu/qa98/attic12/attic12.html

• http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/history/people/pioneers.html#Edison

These sites provide information about Thomas Edison and his invention of the incandescent light bulb.

Michael Faraday

• http://www.fi.edu/franklin/scientst/faraday.html

• http://www.rigb.org/rimain/heritage/faradaypage.jsp

These sites provide information about Michael Faraday and his discovery of electro-magnetic rotations, which led to the development of the electric motor.

Electric Generators and Transformers

• http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/electricity.html
• http://www.dairynet.com/kids/electric.html
• http://www.jea.com/community/education/kidscorner/electricalfacts.asp
• http://www.kcplkids.com/pr_plant.html

• http://www.rp-l.com/makeelectricity.htm

Learn about how electricity is generated and transformed for use in homes and businesses.

Communications Technology

• http://www.knowitall.org/kidswork/etv/history/telegraph/index.html
• http://www.fcc.gov/kidszone/history_telephone.html

• http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bltelephone.htm

Visit these kid-friendly sites for information about the telegraph, telephone, and other uses of electricity in communications.

Electrical Safety

• http://www.hydroonenetworks.com/en/safety/safety_tips/children/
• http://www.statefarm.com/consumer/vhouse/articles/childout.htm
• http://www.smud.org/safety/world/
• http://www.fplsafetyworld.com/ http://www.fplsafetyworld.com/pse_ifrm.aspx
• http://www.sierrapacific.com/kids_safety/electric/html/kids1.html

• http://www.hydroonenetworks.com/en/safety/safety_tips/children/

These sites provide important information on electrical safety, with games and activities for students to engage in.

Electrical Circuits Materials Management

Special note about managing materials for this module

• Click here to see the kit lists.

• Click here to download the re-order form.

Tips and Strategies

Below are some general tips and suggestions to assist with the management of materials for the Electrical Circuits Unit:

• Check here for classroom supplies needed for the lessons. Use the following strategies to make acquiring and maintaining these materials less cumbersome:
  1. Use your school’s Open House/Parent Night to gather materials for the unit. Download the Request for Materials form, copy in needed classroom materials, and distribute the form during this time.
  2. Store classroom supplies in one or two boxes.
  3. Organize classroom supplies and ExploraGear items needed for a lesson (or week) into a separate “Active” box, so they are ready for use.
1. Rotate the “Active” box items throughout the unit.

• Obtain these recommended books for the unit.

Electrical Circuits Lesson 3

The following are instructions to help you prepare the wire in Lesson 3 of the Electrical Circuits unit. They replace the first Preparation step on page 54 of the Teacher Lesson Manual. Use these instructions and the ExploraGear items below to prepare the wire.

Item	Quantity	Notes
Wire, 22-gauge, insulated	15 cm (6 in) per pair	To use with battery and bulb.
Wire stripper	1	To cut and strip wires.

1. Cut the wire into 15 cm (6 in) lengths.
2. Use a Philips head screwdriver to set the small nut and bolt on the handle of the wire stripper to about the third mark from the right end of the scale.

1. Strip about 1 cm (1/2 in) of the insulation from both ends of each wire. Some trial and error may be necessary to ensure the insulation is cut and not the wire when it is placed in the notch of the cutting blades.