Practical Teaching Experience

Lesson Planning Template

This document is to be completed and submitted before you are scheduled to teach your
lesson. Only one copy per student pair (with both names on the template) need be
submitted
Student Pair Names
Hannah Scott and Hannah Chisholm

PLANNING FOR TEACHING

Lesson Content Area
Science
Grade Level
3rd Grade
Title of Lesson
Static Electricity
Common Core Standard:
Standard 4.0 - Chemistry: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the
composition, structure, and interactions of matter in order to support the predictability of structure
and energy transformations.
Static Electricity

Essential Skills/Knowledge within the Common Core Standard:

Gather and question data from many different forms of scientific investigations
which include reviewing appropriate print resources, observing what things are like or what
is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments.
Recognize that clear communication is an essential part of doing science because it
enables scientists to inform others about their work, expose their ideas to criticism by other
scientists, and stay informed about scientific discoveries around the world.

Teacher Preparation/ Equipment & Materials

Pepper
Paper plate
Trash bag
Pre-inflated balloons
Wool
Pencil
Plastic Cup
Styrofoam
Washer
Tape
Post-its
Technology Integration

 Standard 3.0 Technology for Learning and Collaboration: Use a variety of

technologies for learning and collaboration
Use technology tools, including software and hardware, from a range
of teacher-selected options to learn new content or reinforce skill
Describe how technology tools are used to collect information
Why does a balloon stick to your sweater? Explore the charges in the sweater,
balloons, and the wall as you investigate!

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/balloons-and-staticelectricity/latest/balloons-and-static-electricity_en.html
Students will be able to:

Describe and draw models for common static electricity concepts

(transfer of charge, induction, attraction, repulsion, and grounding)
Make predictions about force at a distance for various configurations
of charge

TEACHING THE LESSON

Introducing the Lesson:
Lesson engagement
Each student receives a pre-inflated balloon. Students rub the balloons on their
clothes, their hair, etc., to make them statically charged.
Students allow their charged balloons to interact with pepper
Class Discussion: What did you observe? What is the name of this scientific
phenomenon? (static electricity) Brief lecture to introduce the definition of static electricity
and the focus questions
Focus question(s):
What kinds of materials can become statically charged?
What are different ways that charged objects interact with one
another? Why?

Plans for DifferentiationNot only are students being exposed to the hands-on activities that go with this lesson,
but we have also incorporated a computer activity for those students who need the
information to be reinforced. In this activity, students can get a closer look to what is
happening with the charges inside of the object we are charging, as well as show some of
the key ideas, i.e. same charges repel, while opposite charges attract.
Procedures for teaching the Content Retrieve objects to test to see if they can be statically charged. Hand out a variety of
materials (wood, plastic, Styrofoam, washer). Explain to students that in order to charge a
material, they will rub the wool over the material for approximately 30 seconds. Students
will then hold the material they are testing over the plate of pepper. If the material picks up
the pepper, it is statically charged. If it does not pick up the pepper, the object cannot be
statically charged. Have students record predictions before testing
Discussion
What materials were we able to statically charge?
Which materials were we not able to statically charge?
Discussion Now that we know what materials can be statically charged, were going
to explore the different ways charged objects can react with one another.
When we talked about magnets, what were the two interactions? (Be
sure not to confuse students magnets and static electricity are two different

concepts, but do have similar reactions i.e. attracting and repelling

Demonstrate one interaction With two pieces of tape, place one sticky side of the
tape on the non-sticky side of the other piece. Pull the two pieces apart and show the
reaction of the two pieces
Have students charge 2 balloons with the wool. Have one student hold a balloon and
the other balloon on the floor. When a student brings the balloon in hand close to the
balloon on the floor, they should repel
Discussion
What happened to the balloons when they were brought near each
other?
What happened to the tape when I pulled them off of one another
and brought them close together again?
What is a general rule about repelling and attracting?

Summary and Lesson Closure

what stuck with you? post-it note reflections.
Formative Assessment - We plan to use an interactive real-time assessment (such as
kahoot or nearpod) to gage student learning.
Extension of learning
Can liquids have static electricity?
Water vs. Balloon What happens when a charged balloon
comes close to a stream of water?
Charge a balloon and bring it to a running faucet. Does the
water attract to the balloon? Does the water repel from the balloon? Does
the water do anything at all?