FOR TEACHERS
Thank you for visiting the site!
This site has been developed to allow students to learn about series and parallel circuits using constructivist principles. It is designed for students in the range of grade 8-10 and can easily be adapted to fit into different learning situations:
1) The equipment needed to perform some of these activities can be difficult to keep in working order. Light bulbs burn out, cells lose their charge, wired lose their connections. The use of a simulation eliminates the need for such equipment and the frustrations that go with it. These activities could strictly be completed online, working through the activities and having the students use the circuits simulation. This would be beneficial for schools that do not have access to cells and bulbs.
2) These activities could also work as part of a blended learning environment. After completing activity 1, students could work through activities 2-5 in stations before wrapping up with station 6. Students could easily use the simulation in Learning Activity #2, and then, if equipment is available, build real circuits in activity 4. Where equipment is not in perfect working order, discussions around the nature of science could be had.
It is assumed that before beginning these activities that students have some basic knowledge about the structure of the atom and that electrons can be transferred between atoms. These types of circuit activities would often follow a study of static electricity, before electricity generation, but it is not necessary. I hope the site serves its purpose and allows students to construct meaning about different types of circuits.
This site has been developed to allow students to learn about series and parallel circuits using constructivist principles. It is designed for students in the range of grade 8-10 and can easily be adapted to fit into different learning situations:
1) The equipment needed to perform some of these activities can be difficult to keep in working order. Light bulbs burn out, cells lose their charge, wired lose their connections. The use of a simulation eliminates the need for such equipment and the frustrations that go with it. These activities could strictly be completed online, working through the activities and having the students use the circuits simulation. This would be beneficial for schools that do not have access to cells and bulbs.
2) These activities could also work as part of a blended learning environment. After completing activity 1, students could work through activities 2-5 in stations before wrapping up with station 6. Students could easily use the simulation in Learning Activity #2, and then, if equipment is available, build real circuits in activity 4. Where equipment is not in perfect working order, discussions around the nature of science could be had.
It is assumed that before beginning these activities that students have some basic knowledge about the structure of the atom and that electrons can be transferred between atoms. These types of circuit activities would often follow a study of static electricity, before electricity generation, but it is not necessary. I hope the site serves its purpose and allows students to construct meaning about different types of circuits.