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