8th Grade Science Guided Inquiry Lesson Plan

Turn On The Lights

(Adapted and modified lesson plan from Ohio Science Fusion Textbook and resources
from Teacherengineering.com)

Objectives:
Students will demonstrate how parallel and series circuits work through a guided inquiry based
circuit experiment by correctly completing post lab problems.
Standards:
7th grade standard
PS 7.3.4
Topic: Conservation of Mass and Energy
Statement Strand: Energy can be transferred a variety of ways. Electrical energy transfers hen
an electrical source is connected in a complete electrical circuit to an electrical device.
High School standardsEnergy and Waves : Electricity.
DC and AC Currents

Key Academic Vocabulary:

Series circuits
parallel circuits
conductors
insulators
electricity
switches
currents
energy source
Direct current
Alternating current
Materials:
(1 each for 5 groups total)
1 Battery
5 wires
3 light bulb
3 bulb holders
1 switch
strand of Christmas lights
Guided instructions
5 poster papers
Guided post lab problems

Procedure:
In this lab experiment, students will have the opportunity to become engineers in order to design
a way to make the light bulbs turn on in a series circuit and parallel circuit. They will solve
problems between fixing series and parallel circuits when one light is disconnected. Students
will follow prompting questions to manipulate their design of the circuits to further understand
the content. Students will share with the class their discoveries, and once students have
completed problem solving the lab they will be asked to complete the follow up questions about
the experiment.

Engage:
(Before starting this unit we did a pre assessment paper that asked students to look around the
room for different things that could represent or use power, aka electricity)
Before starting the lesson plug in a string of Christmas lights and twist out one of the lights and
let students write down in the lab packet with an explanation of what occurred.
Ask questions to the students such as Why did one light cause the rest to go out?
How might one light control the whole entire string of lights?
What else can you relate this to?
How does light in a series make a difference than alone?
Explain to students that we will be working with two types of circuits, parallel and series.
Break students into groups of 5, and have them start discussing what they think the difference is
between these two types of circuits.
Explore:
Once students are divided give each group 3 light bulbs, 3-4 wires, a switch, and battery.
Prompt students to try and make the light bulb turn on with the materials provided, with no
guided instructions.
Let students try to think logically how they can make the light bulb turn on.
Once students have problem solved, they will be provided with poster paper in order to let them
write out a design plan of how they would light the light bulb for both circuits.
Allow students to try and build their model, and with the guided questions manipulate and
redesign if necessary.
Explain:
Have students take a gallery walk around the room and see if their peers designs on the poster
papers match their own.
Have students volunteer to explain their model to the class if it worked. In detail how they
thought about creating a parallel verses a series circuit and what differs about the two.
Explain to students about the two types of circuits which are series circuits and parallel circuits.
(you can refer to the quick slide about series and parallel circuits and can show the students)

Demonstrate a parallel and series circuit in the front and enforce how these two circuits work.

Elaborate:
With the knowledge students have gained about parallel and series circuits, have students
design a model that incorporates both a parallel circuit and series circuit.

Let students draw out what their design would look like with both circuits involved, and explain
why it would work.
Evaluate:
Students will need to complete the guided lab experiment worksheet questions provided.
There will be a written quick write question that further examines their knowledge for a
post assessment.

Explanation of Circuits for students:

Show this power point presentation for explanation.

Evaluate
Explain in a short paragraph what the difference is between parallel and series circuits and
provide a real world connection about each circuit. Be sure to include the differences in currents
and how they affect electricity within the circuit.

WORKSHEET FOR LAB:

NAME:
DATE:_________

PERIOD:__________

Turn the Lights Lab Experiment

Directions: In this lab experiment you will have the opportunity to become engineers in order to
design a way to make the light bulbs turn on in a series circuit and parallel circuit. Follow each
part of this packet to complete the lab.
A. Christmas Demonstration:
a. Explain what happened when you removed one light bulb on the strand of lights.

B. With the materials provided (wire, 2 light bulbs, batteries, switches) try to make a
design in order to make the light bulb light up in both a series and a parallel
circuit. Below draw your design of BOTH, and have one group member draw it on
the poster paper provided.
Series Circuit Design

Parallel Circuit Design

C. Build YOUR design with the materials provided. Once you have tried making your
own design, follow and answer the questions below to make modifications to the
circuits.

1. Change your design in order to make a series circuit. Make sure the wires are
connected from the battery source to each light bulb holder ( Hint all light bulbs
should be in a row sharing a 1 current).

2. Add a third light bulb to a series circuit and observe what happens to the brightness
of each bulb. Write your observations below.

3. In the series circuit what happens to the other light bulbs when you remove 1 light
bulb from the series. Why?

4. Change your design in order to make a parallel circuit (Hint the light bulbs should all
share the currents and be across from one another).

5. What happens when you add a third light bulb to a parallel circuit? Observe what
happens to the brightness of each light bulb.

6. Once you make a parallel circuit, what happens when you remove a light bulb?
Why?

D. Make a diagram of how a parallel and series circuit would look like, and explain
why you designed it this way.