Investigating Circuits: Building and Comparing Current Intensities of Series, Parallel, and Complex Circuits

Students develop the current model used within electricity.
Students construct series, parallel, and complex circuits.

Students will review the following vocabulary words: series circuit, parallel circuit, complex circuit, short circuit, incomplete circuit, current, and resistor.

This project can be used for physical science as well as high school physics. This has been used for classes as large at 26 students and as small as 6 students.

For a 50-minutes class period, this project can be completed within 1 week.

Materials needed (for each group of 4 people):
6 small light bulbs (Christmas light work well)
3 9-volt batteries
3 switches
Wire with alligator clips
Buzzer
2-3 Foam-core paper sided project board
XACTO knife or single-edge razor blade
hot-glue gun
sand paper

Students should have knowledge of what a series, parallel, and complex circuit looks like. Students should have basic knowledge of how to construct a circuit.

I have used this project as both an assessment as well as a concept development activity of the current model of electricity within different circuits. I find that students enjoy it more and learn more from this activity when it is used for concept development.

Since this activity does not use the traditional formulas for the circuits, this can be easily used for physical science or for students who's math skills are remedial in nature.

This activity is used within my physics class' series and parallel circuits chapter. Students are able to construct circuits and identify different types of circuit, but we haven't fully developed the concept of the current in different parts of the circuit. Since this lab project takes one week, there are opportunities to discuss what is happening to the current at different parts of the circuits and develop this concept.

Students are given a copy of the student handout. We go through the handout, and I share finished examples from past classes. Students will supply their own batteries, switches, buzzer, and foam-core paper. The remaining materials will be supplied by the instructor.

Students will construct a house consisting of two stories. The house will consist of two stories. Each story will contain at least two rooms. Each individual room will be illuminated by its own light. There should be a front door, a porch, and a porch light. Your house circuits should be able to light the first floor lights and the porch light separately from the second floor lights and the doorbell. The house must have at least one series circuit consisting of a switch and at least two lights powered by a nine-volt battery. The house must have at least one parallel circuit consisting on a switch and at least two lights powered by a second nine-volt battery. The house must have at least one complex circuit consisting of a switch, at least two lights, and one "doorbell" (or buzzer) powered by a third nine-volt battery. Student Handout for The Electric House Project (Microsoft Word 37kB Aug25 09)

For safety sake, students should be shown how to use different equipment such as wire strippers, hot-glue guns, XACTO knives, etc. Sand paper works well to smooth out the edges of the cut foam-core paper so they can be attached cleanly to each other with hot-glue.

Each group will turn in one house. Each student will turn in a set of completed questions. The project is graded in two parts: group project and individual project. The group project is graded upon if the house was constructed according to the requirements. The individual project is graded upon the completion of five analysis questions with supporting statements. Some of the analysis questions can be answered by looking directly at the completed project; other questions are extensions to the concept. Sixty percent of the project grade is based upon the group project and the remaining 40% is based upon the individual project.

9P.2.3.2.2 Electric Circuits