2. Lessons
• 1 What Gives Matter A Charge?
• 2 How Does Electrical Energy Get
Around?
• 3 How Do You Make Electricity Do
What You Want?
• 4 What’s the Best Pathway for
Electrons?

3. Lesson 1:
What Gives Matter a Charge?

4. In the activity “Opposites Attract, Likes Repel”
on pages 12-13, you made two observations:
 Objects with opposite charges (one negative,
one positive) will attract each other.
 Objects with like charges (both negative or
both positive) will repel each other.

5. You also learned that the build-up
of electrical charges in one place is
called STATIC ELECTRICITY.

6. Let’s see what else
you remember!

7. A particle with a positive charge
is called a/an _______________.
proton
electron
neutron

8. A particle with a negative charge
is called a/an _______________.
proton
electron
neutron

9. _________ means
to push away.
_________ means
to pull together.
charge
attract
repel
charge
attract
repel

10. If an electrically-neutral object
GAINS electrons, what charge does
it now have?
positive
negative
neutral

11. If an electrically-neutral object
LOSES electrons, what charge does
it now have?
positive
negative
neutral

12. Static electricity is placed on an
object by _____________ such as
combing hair or rubbing a balloon
with a wool cloth.
currents
neutrons
contact

13. How did you do?
I did great! I understand
static electricity!
I’m getting there, but I’d
like some more practice.

14. Go on to
Lesson 2

15. Lesson 2:
What is the difference between
open and closed circuits?

16. Click on a term to reveal its definition.
circuit
open
circuit
closed
circuit
Proceed to quiz

17. Circuit:
A closed-loop path of
conduction through which an
electric current flows

18. Open circuit:
An incomplete path that
will not permit an electric
current to flow

19. Closed circuit:
A complete path for electric
current

20. Quiz:
What type of circuit is shown in each
of the following examples?
Open
circuit
Closed
circuit

21. Open
circuit
Closed
circuit

22. Open
circuit
Closed
circuit

23. Open
circuit
Closed
circuit

24. Open
circuit
Close
d
circuit

25. Now that you’re done, do you feel
like you understand the difference
between open and closed circuits?
Yes, I understand. No, I’d like
more practice.

26. Go on to
Lesson 3

27. Lesson 3:
How Do You Make Electricity
Do What You Want?

28. You have just completed the
“Will it Conduct?” activity on
pages 34-35. Let’s briefly review
what you learned!

29. Click on a term to reveal its definition and examples.
Conductor
Insulator
Continue

30. Insulator: a substance through which
electricity cannot flow readily
Examples…
wood plastic rubber
sulfur glass

31. Conductor: a material through
which electrons can move easily
Examples…
brass aluminum copper
graphite water

32. Which of these items are conductors?

33. Which of these items are insulators?

34. Are you confident in your
understanding of conductors
and insulators?
Yes, I’m
confident.
No, I’d like
more practice.

35. Go on to
Lesson 4

36. Lesson 4:
What’s the Best Pathway
for Electrons?

37. You have learned that there are
two main types of circuits:
Parallel Series
and

38. Parallel circuits are circuits
with more than one pathway
through which electrons can
flow.
Series circuits are circuits
with only one pathway
through which electrons can
flow.

39. What type of circuits are shown in
the following examples?
parallel series

40. parallel series
Flashlight

41. parallel series

42. parallel series
Home lighting

43. parallel series
Holiday lights

44. parallel series
Car headlights

45. parallel series
Security systems

46. How did you do? Were you
certain about your answers?
Yes, I knew
them.
No, I’d like
more practice.

48. If you’d like to read more about
electricity, check these out!
 Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by his good mouse
Amos by Robert Lawson. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1939.
 Blinkers and Buzzers: Building and Experimenting with Electricity and
Magnetism by Bernie Zubrowski. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1991.
 Simple Electrical Devices by Martin J. Gutnik. New York: Franklin Watts,
1986.
 Superconductivity: From Discovery to Breakthrough by Charlene W. Billings.
New York: Dutton, 1991.
 Wires and Watts: Understanding and Using Electricity by Irwin Math. New
York: Macmillan, 1981.