Deputy Tony Davies explains a great way of demonstrating that electricity is instant. In a role-play activity with a skipping rope circuit, Tony is the battery and a pupil is the buzzer. A pull on the rope and the 'electricity' flows. Lucy Blackmore sets her Year 5 groups the challenge to design and create electrical circuit games. Back with Tony his Year 4 class are using an electric ping-pong ball that lights up and buzzes when a circuit is completed. Using the ball and their friends to make a circuit the class become human switches to test materials to see if they are conductors or insulators. Teacher David Aston and Year5/6 class play a 'yes, no' game with a difference. Children have to guess which electrical component is hidden in a box by asking questions as they add a weight to a floating dish. Will the class find out what the object is before the dish sinks?

Video Series: Great Lesson Ideas
Release Date 2009