The document discusses two big ideas for teaching parallel and series circuits: 1) Electric appliances can be connected in either parallel or series circuits. This helps students understand physical differences between the circuits. 2) The way resistors are connected (parallel vs series) determines the current flow rate. Students need to understand how total resistance increases or decreases with each connection type. Hands-on demonstrations and discussions would be used to engage students, but equipment limitations exist. Misconceptions about independent current/resistance must be addressed.

1. MOSPNA3 MICRO LESSON
PARALLEL AND SERIES
CIRCUITS
GRADE 9: STAND 3
TOPIC:4

2. GROUP MEMBERS
BIKA S.L 201433066
DENEKISE K 201491344
HADEBE M.P 201327063
MDLETSHE S.A 201418945
NKOMO L 201431293

3. WHAT ARE A BIG IDEAS?
 Big ideas are tools that a teacher uses to make learners
understand science concepts that are abstract make them
to be simple
 Helps learners make sense of lots of confusing and
seemingly isolated facts in science.
 Big idea is like a picture that connects the dots in a complex
field.
 Lastly big ideas enable learners to understand events as yet
unknown to them.

4. WHY BIG IDEAS?
 -Big ideas make school science learning relevant and
interesting to the learners.
 - Makes the link between the learner’s science activities
and the world around them.
 -Big ideas brings meaning to the learners learning.
 -As there is a lot of knowledge and content for learners to
grasp Big Ideas makes learning simpler for learner to
understand concepts that are new and abstract.

5. BIG IDEA 1
Electric appliances can
be connected in either
(series or parallel)
connection

6. WHAT DO YOU INTEND THE LEARNERS
TO LEARN ABOUT THE IDEA?
 To differentiate between the parallel
and series connection in circuits.
Why is it important for learners
to Know this?
 When learners have obtained this
knowledge they will be able to see
physical differences between series and
parallel circuits, which is vital for them to
understand in further grades.

7. WHAT ELSE DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS
IDEA (THAT YOU DO NOT INTEND
LEARNERS TO KNOW YET)?
 Resistance in circuits that are connected in parallel
and in series is calculated differently with different
formulas.
WHAT DIFFICULTIES/ LIMITATIONS
ARE
CONNECTED WITH TEACHING THIS
IDEA?
 Most schools do not have the proper equipment for
demonstrations therefore as a teacher I can only use
pictures and they will not be able to see how
differently the bulbs glow, or the actual effect of
resistance in a circuit.

8. WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU HAVE ABOUT
LEARNERS’ THINKING WHICH INFLUENCE
YOUR TEACHING OF THIS IDEA?
 Most learners thinking is based on what they
have seen or experienced, with regards to
electricity, it is very difficult to explain
because they cannot see the flow of charge,
so they will not be able to fully comprehend
the reasons for having different connections.

9. WHAT OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCE YOU
TEACHING THIS IDEA?
 Lack of equipment for experiments.
 Making real life examples which learners can
understand especially in rural areas.
WHAT TEACHING PROCEDURES
WOULD YOU USE (AND PARTICULAR
REASONS FOR USING THESE) TO
ENGAGE WITH THIS IDEA?
 Most make use of demonstrations and use visual aid for
learners to see the specifically see the difference.

10. WHICH SPECIFIC WAYS WOULD YOU USE
OF ASCERTAINING LEARNER’S UNDERSTANDING (NOT
CONFUSION) ABOUT THIS IDEA? YOU NEED TO INCLUDE
LIKELY RANGE OF LEARNERS’ RESPONSES.
The use of question and answer method,
allowing the learners to connect the two
different circuits themselves.

11. BIG IDEA 2
The way in which
resistors are connected
(either parallel or series)
will determine the rate of
flow of current.

12. WHAT DO YOU INTEND THE LEARNERS TO
LEARN ABOUT THE IDEA?
 In a series circuit, current is the same
throughout, in a parallel circuit current is
not the same throughout only voltage is
the same. Addition of resistors in series
leads to an increase in the total
resistance yet in a parallel it leads to the
decrease in total resistance.

13. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR LEARNERS TO
KNOW THIS?
 Learners need this information in order for
them to understand that the increase and
decrease of the total resistance will have an
effect on the brightness of the resistors
(bulbs).
WHAT ELSE DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS
IDEA (THAT YOU DO NOT INTEND
LEARNERS TO KNOW YET)?
 Inside battery, there is an internal resistor

14. WHAT DIFFICULTIES/ LIMITATIONS ARE
CONNECTED WITH TEACHING THIS IDEA?
 It would be difficult for some learners to
understand why there is a decrease in
the total resistance while you are adding
a resistor in parallel.

15. WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU HAVE ABOUT
LEARNERS’ THINKING WHICH INFLUENCE
YOUR TEACHING OF THIS IDEA?
 Most learners have this misconception
that current and resistance is
independent of the way in which the
circuit is being constructed, therefore,
as a teacher I need to change this way
of thinking.

16. WHAT OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCE YOU
TEACHING THIS IDEA?
 Some learners have never been exposed to
electricity so it might pose a challenge on
teaching this concept.
WHAT TEACHING PROCEDURES WOULD
YOU USE (AND PARTICULAR REASONS
FOR USING THESE) TO ENGAGE WITH
THIS IDEA?
 Group discussions and question and answer
methods would be my preferred options as it
would be better for learners to engage about this
idea so that they can correct themselves and
realise any misinterpretations of this idea.

17. WHICH SPECIFIC WAYS WOULD YOU USE
OF ASCERTAINING LEARNERS UNDERSTANDING
(NOT CONFUSION) ABOUT THIS IDEA? YOU NEED
TO INCLUDE LIKELY RANGE OF LEARNERS’
RESPONSES
 The use of PhET simulations to
demonstrate to the learners will reduce
confusion.