Flick a SwitchHow Electricity Gets to Your HomeA cyberlesson by Sarah Edwards

ByBarbara Seuling

Illustrated ByNancy Tobin

Introduction

• You will use the text, Flick a Switch, and four websites to learn about how electricity came to be.

• You will also learn about electrical safety and how electricity is used on a daily basis in our everyday lives.

Materials

• Flick a Switch, How Electricity Gets To Your Home, by Barbara Seuling and illustrated by Nancy Tobin.

• Electrical Science Journal• Laptop computer• http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/yourhome/safety/safetyOut

doors• http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/yourhome/safety/safetyInd

oors• http://www.cl-p.com/electricsafetyworld/index.html?• http://www.cl-p.com/Home/Safety/SafetyVideos.aspx• http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=10854• http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Wind/wind.htm

K

• What do you know about electricity?

Before You Read…

• Look through the pages and notice the text features of a non-fiction book.

• Look at the versa page, how is it organized?• Make a prediction about the book

• (Write these answers in your ESJournal)

Before You Read…

• Visit the following website on safety.• http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/your

home/safety/safetyOutdoors• http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/your

home/safety/safetyIndoors• Use the graphic organizer on the next

page to make a list of ways to be safe around electricity.

Electrical Safety

• INSIDE• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________

• OUTSIDE• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________• _________________

W

• What do you want to know about electricity?

During Reading…

• Read page one, it has all the questions on it.

• Answer the questions in your electricity science journal.

Make a timeline of the history of electricity. • Include five facts.• Draw pictures with each fact for extra

credit in your journal.

Timeline

First Second Third

Take a long look at pgs. 14-15

• Pretend that you have invited Mrs. Frizzle and her famous kids to take a trip along these power lines.

• Write a letter in your ESJ to Mrs. Frizzle telling her about each of the stops.

Read pages 16-19

• In your journal write what you learned.

Finish the book…

• Which experiments would you like to try and why?

Choose three questions to answer in your electrical science journal. Use the book to help you.

• What kinds Of Electricity are there?• Why is the dog not so sure that Benjamin

Franklin was smart? (Use the text to support your answer in the ESJ)

• How do you make an electromagnet?• How do we use batteries, can you think of ten

things that we use batteries for?• Write down five important facts.• Can you think of a place or an activity that

does not need or use electricity?• List three things.

Check out More Safety Sites….• http://www.cl-p.com/electricsafety

world/index.html?

• http://www.cl-p.com/Home/Safety/SafetyVideos.aspx

• Use these sites to learn more about electrical safety.

After the Book…

• There are places in the world that do not have electricity.

• One town is getting it next week, but they do not know anything about electrical safety.

• Create a poster about safety.

Beyond the Book

• http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=10854

• http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Wind/wind.htm

• Which energy option produces “greener” electricity? In your ESJ write a pro/con paper using each website for information.

Flick a Switch Rubric0 1 2 3 4

Before Reading Activities

Did not do. Wrote one word answers, did not

fill everything out.

Wrote a couple of answers, some

done.

Most done but not all, neatly

presented, good ideas.

Wrote everything out neatly and

filled in all answers. All work is appeasing and

indepth.

During Reading Activities

Did not do. Wrote one word answers, did not

fill everything out.

Wrote a couple of answers, some

done.

Most done but not all, neatly

presented, good ideas.

Wrote everything out neatly and

filled in all answers. All work is appeasing and

indepth.

After Reading Activities

Did not do. Wrote one word answers, did not

fill everything out.

Wrote a couple of answers, some

done.

Most done but not all, neatly

presented, good ideas.

Wrote everything out neatly and

filled in all answers. All work is appeasing and

indepth.

Kidspiration Poster Did not do. Wrote one bubble. Wrote a couple of answers, some

done.

Most done but not all, neatly

presented, good ideas.

Wrote everything out neatly and

filled in all answers. All work is appeasing and

indepth.

Credits and References

• Flick a Switch, How Electricity Gets To Your Home, by Barbara Seuling and illustrated by Nancy Tobin.

Clark Public Utilities• http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/yourhome/safety/safetyOutdoors• http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/yourhome/safety/safetyIndoorsConnecticut Light and Power• http://www.cl-p.com/electricsafetyworld/index.html?• http://www.cl-p.com/Home/Safety/SafetyVideos.aspxScholastic.com• http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=10854Build it Solar• http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Wind/wind.htm