Variables in electric circuits: do and review
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can investigate variables that may affect the brightness of a bulb in an electric circuit.
Key learning points
- Equipment such as a light sensor and data logger can be used to measure bulb brightness in lux.
- Scientists use the results from investigations to support or reject scientific ideas and theories.
- Adding bulbs means that voltage is equally distributed among them all, so bulbs will be dimmer.
- A bulb will be the same brightness wherever you place it in a circuit.
Keywords
Circuit - An electrical circuit is a closed loop or path that electricity can flow through to make a component work.
Variable - A variable is something that can be changed, measured or kept the same in an investigation.
Brightness - The brightness of a bulb is the amount of light it produces.
Affect - To affect something or someone is to change it or how it behaves.
Common misconception
Pupils may not understand how variables interact within a circuit and how changes in one variable can affect others.
Teaching slides will explain that variables are controlled in comparative and fair tests, and that the same can be done in circuits when adjusting variables like voltage to see how they affect things like brightness of bulbs.
Teacher tip
Make sure pupils take their readings at the same distance from the bulb each time. Relate variables in comparative and fair tests to variables in a circuit and encourage pupils to consider one variable at a time when deciding if or how they affect the brightness of a bulb.
Equipment
Equipment for building and investigating simple circuits with bulbs including cells, wires and switches. Equipment will also be needed to measure the brightness of light.
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name for something that can be changed in an investigation?
Q2.Which of these is not a component of an electrical circuit?
Q3.What component is shown here?
Q4.In which of these circuits would the bulb produce light?
Q5.Which of these cells would provide the smallest electrical push to a circuit?
Q6.Why should you only change one variable in an investigation?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What do you call the equipment that detects the brightness of bulbs?
Q2.Which part of an investigation do scientists use to decide whether to support or reject a scientific theory?
Q3.True or false? These results support the idea that adding bulbs reduces the brightness of a bulb.
Q4.If you have 8 volts push in a circuit and 4 bulbs, how many volts will each bulb receive?
Q5.How can you make a bulb brighter in a circuit?
Q6.What happens to the brightness of a bulb in a circuit if you position it closer to the cell?
To help you plan your 6 science lesson on: Variables in electric circuits: do and review, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 science lesson on: Variables in electric circuits: do and review, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Changing circuits unit, dive into the full primary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.