Year 4: Electricity Significant dates,

people and places

What should I already know? Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin
Science – Asking May have some understanding that objects need conducted extensive
questions about how electricity to work. research in electricity,
the world works and May understand that a switch will turn something on selling his possessions
finding the answers. or off. to fund his work.
June 1752
Benjamin Franklin
N/C - Identify common appliances that run on electricity, Construct a attached a metal key
simple series electrical circuit, Recognise that a switch opens and to the bottom of a
closes a circuit, Recognise some common conductors & insulators. dampened kite string
and flown the kite in
a storm-threatened sky.

Interesting fact - Electricians are scientists who install and maintain electrical
equipment. Engineers are scientists who design and build machines and buildings.
 Glossary/Key Learning
Electricity Electricity is a type of energy that can build up in one place
or flow from one place to another.
Conductor Materials that allow electricity to pass through easily.
Insulator Materials that do not allow electricity to pass through.
How do you keep 1. Don’t poke anything into the holes of sockets.
safe from electricity? 2.Keep any electrical appliances away from water.
3.Don’t overload sockets.
What does a basic A basic circuit needs 2 wires, a battery and bulb. The ends of
circuit need? the wires need to connect the battery and bulb.
Which materials are Metals such as aluminium (kitchen foil), copper (a coin) and
conductors? silver.
Why do we need a A switch breaks a complete circuit and can stop the flow of
switch? electricity.
 Science Year 4 – Electricity
National Curriculum Objectives: Prior Objectives:
• Identify common appliances that run on electricity • Identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood,
• Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses.
including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers Prior Knowledge:
• Identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or • May have some understanding that objects need electricity to work.
not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery • May understand that a switch will turn something on or off.
• Recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not
a lamp lights in a simple series circuit
• Recognise some common conductors & insulators, and associate metals with being good
conductors.
Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson 5 Lesson 6
Skill – Identify Skill – Identify Skill – Label Skill – Identify investigate Skill – Investigate Skill – Give reasons

Knowledge – Electricity Knowledge – Never poke Knowledge –Current electricity Knowledge –A circuit with an Knowledge – A switch break Knowledge – Know what
powers many of the things we anything into the holes of a is the flow of electrical charge electrical insulator is a complete circuit. makes a complete circuit.
use every day. socket. though materials incomplete.
WALT: Identify electrical WALT: Identify the dangers WALT: Construct a circuit. WALT: Recognise conductors WALT: Understand the use of WALT: Show understanding of
appliances. of electricity. and insulators. a switch. circuits.
WILF:
WILF: WILF: -Experiment safely. WILF: WILF: WILF:
-Tell a partner what you know -Identify electrical appliances -Name the resources. -Identify conductors -Experiment safely -Experiment safely
about electricity. in the home. -Create a circuit. -Identify Insulators -Create a circuit -Create a circuit
-Identify electrical appliances -Identify the dangers. -Experiment fairly -Name the apparatus -Name the apparatus
-Identify non-electrical -Explain how to stay safe. Give children wires, bulbs,
appliances. battery cells and battery Can you remember the Why do we need a switch? In this lesson, children will
Discuss the different holders to create a circuit. equipment we used? Children use buzzers, be assessed on what they
What is electricity? appliances children have at They ‘play’ with the Teach chn that some motors and bulbs. have learned about
What is an appliance? home. equipment in attempt to materials are electricity.
Children come up with any Children look at a picture create a complete circuit. conductors/insulators. Children look at different
questions that they have with several electrical What do you think this circuit diagrams. They Recording:
about electricity. dangers and explain equipment is used for? Chn investigate which predict & observe whether Give children diagrams of
How is it dangerous? How can you make the bulb materials are conductors by the switch will function multiple circuits.
Chn look at examples of What can we do to stay work? creating a circuit and using when placed in different They must recreate them
different appliances. safe? Children learn the names of different objects to positions. They attempt to explaining how it is
the resources. complete the circuit. find a general rule from complete or incomplete.
Recording: Recording: their findings.
Sort the pictures into Chn create a poster on the Recording: Draw a diagram Recording:
which ones use electricity dangers of electricity. of their circuit. Children record the objects Recording:
and which ones don’t Chn are not required to use symbols that are conductors and Record finding in a table.
insulators.
Assessment: Use the vocabulary mat to assess the children’s prior knowledge and use the mats again to assess what the children have learnt.
Key Vocabulary: Electricity, electric current, appliances, mains, crocodile clips, wires, bulb, battery cell, battery holder, motor, buzzer, switch, conductor, insulator.