Curated and Reviewed by
Lesson Planet
Did you get to play with electric currents or were you grounded? An electrifying simulation shows how building up a charge of electricity creates a static shock once grounded. Pupils rub John's foot across the carpet and view the buildup of negative charges throughout his body. Then as his hand moves near a metal doorknob, a shock is felt as the charges become neutral.
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30 Downloads
CCSS:
Adaptable
Concepts
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
- Ask for a volunteer to perform the activity in person and attempt to measure the arc of electricity
- If a carpet square (plush works best) is not available, use a balloon
Classroom Considerations
- Requires the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 10+
Pros
- Includes a PDF document with an overview of the controls, simplification ideas, and insights into student thinking
- Provides links to eight teacher-created lessons that use the simulator
- Translates into more than 30 languages
Cons
- None