Static Electricity: What Will Happen When You Put a Charged Pen Near a Tissue-Paper Spiral? We have been learning about static electricity and have conducted a number of investigations around this concept. Now you and your partners will develop a hypothesis about what will happen when you charge a pen and put it near another object. Using the materials given to you, test your hypothesis and draw a detailed, labeled diagram to show what happens. Record your results and think of a new question that you might investigate based upon your results. 1 of 15
Static Electricity: What Will Happen When You Put a Charged Pen Near a Tissue-Paper Spiral? Suggested Grade Span 3 5 Task We have been learning about static electricity and have conducted a number of investigations around this concept. Now you and your partners will develop a hypothesis about what will happen when you charge a pen and put it near another object. Using the materials given to you, test your hypothesis and draw a detailed, labeled diagram to show what happens. Record your results and think of a new question that you might investigate based upon your results. Big Idea and Unifying Concept Cause and effect Physical Science Concepts Motion and forces Properties of matter Transfer and transformation of energy Mathematics Concepts Data collection, organization and analysis Graphs, tables and representations Measurement Time Required for the Task Approximately 45 minutes. Context This task is from a larger unit that begins with static electricity, continues with magnetism, and finishes with current electricity and electromagnetism. It was developed as a means for students to work on their observation and recording skills as well as their ability to develop hypotheses to test. It was also one of many tasks that the students did to explore the concept of 2 of 15
static electricity. They had previously investigated what would happen when objects were charged with wool and then placed near uncharged objects. From the new questions that come from this task, students will plan an investigation for a later time to continue practicing process skills, such as generating testable questions, to deepen their understanding of static electricity. What the Task Accomplishes This task is used mainly for instructional purposes. It can, however, be used to assess students growth in their ability to record what they observe using careful detail. Students practice making hypotheses and then test their ideas to see what happens. Students hypotheses are based upon previous knowledge about how objects behave when they come in contact with a charged object. Students then record their results carefully and come up with a new testable question that relates to what they investigated here and that will extend their conceptual understanding. How the Student Will Investigate Students were given the materials to look at and, as a whole class, developed and discussed the investigatable question. They all used the question: What will happen when I put a pen charged with static electricity near a tissue paper spiral? In the early grades it is essential to model the development of testable questions so that students can later create their own. During the course of a year, teachers should provide both good models and opportunities for students to write their own testable questions and hypotheses. Next, students were to develop a hypothesis based upon what they already knew about static electricity. To prepare for the investigation, students cut the tissue paper into a spiral shape that would rise if attracted to the charged pen. Tin foil was placed under the spiral. The pen was charged by rubbing it against wool cloth. Students needed to determine how many times to rub the pen to charge it. In small groups, students tested their hypotheses. Once they had conducted their tests, they recorded results through drawing and writing about what happened. Finally, students came up with another testable question based upon concepts from this investigation. Interdisciplinary Links and Extensions Science Students could test a number of other objects with the tissue-paper spiral. They could select their own objects (such as a balloon, hand, book, etc.) to test by charging them and then recording what happens. Students can investigate the strength of static electricity by recording how long something stays attracted to the object or by using uniform objects to see how many a charged object can attract at one time. Stations could be set up in the classroom for students to test their other questions. 3 of 15
Language Arts Many wonderful children s books discuss ideas of static electricity, magnetism and electricity. Students can read these and report to the class what they learned. The teacher can use these books to teach students how to read for information and take notes or outline key ideas. These books include the following titles: Coils, Magnets and Rings: Michael Faraday s World, by Nancy Veglahn Amazing Magnets, by David Adler Experiments With Magnets, by Helen Challand Magnets, by Terry J. Jennings Electricity and Magnets, by Terry Cash, Barbara Taylor, Kuo Kang Chen and Peter Bull Danny Dunn and the Swamp Monster, by Jay Williams Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary Einstein Anderson Lights Up the Sky, by Seymour Simon Einstein Anderson Shocks His Friends, by Seymour Simon Mathematics Students can time how long each object sticks to (is attracted to) the charged object or record/graph how many objects stick to the charged object at one time. Social Studies Students can research who discovered static electricity and how it affected scientific thought. Students can present what was learned to the class. Teaching Tips and Guiding Questions It is important to consider time of year when teaching about static electricity. The weather needs to be dry so that static can be generated. Winter tends to be the best time. Electrons need dry air in which to build up and jump. Objects pick up electrons (negative charges) when rubbed. The negative charge attracts the positive charge on other objects. Possible guiding questions to ask students before, during and after they investigate include the following: What ideas do you already have about static electricity? What have you learned so far? How can these ideas help you form a hypothesis about what you think will happen? What materials might you need to test your ideas? Do you think how you charge the pen will affect how it attracts the spiral? How can you test that? Where will you put the pen in relation to the spiral? Does the distance make a difference? How can you use drawings to show what happened? How can you best record your results so that someone else can understand them? Did anything surprise you? What new question do you have after doing this investigation? 4 of 15
Concepts to be Assessed (Unifying concepts/big ideas and science concepts to be assessed using the Exemplars Science Rubric under the criterion: Science Concepts and Related Content) Scientific Method: Students observe and explain cause-effect relationships, with some justification, using data and prior knowledge, when variables are controlled. Physical Science Motion and Forces; Transfer and Transformation of Energy: Students see that energy is a property of many substances and is associated with electricity and magnetism, and that energy is transferred in many ways. Students understand that static electricity is a form of energy, and that all bodies are capable of producing an electrical charge. Students observe that like charges repel and unlike charges attract; that materials that have been electrically charged pull or push on other charged materials; that the strength of static electricity varies; and that distance has an effect on the strength of static electricity. Physical Science Properties of Matter: Students observe properties of charged and uncharged materials and used those properties to make predictions and classify materials. Mathematics: Students collect, organize and analyze data and use graphs, tables and representations appropriately. Students use precise measurements. Skills to be Developed (Science process skills to be assessed using the Exemplars Science Rubric under the criteria: Scientific Procedures and Reasoning Strategies and Scientific Communication Using Data) Scientific Method: Hypothesizing, conducting investigations, observing, manipulating tools, collecting/recording data and generating new questions to test. Other Science Standards and Concepts Addressed Scientific Method: Students describe, predict, investigate and explain phenomena. Students control variables. Scientific Theory: Students look for evidence that explains why things happen and modify explanations when new observations are made. Physical Science Properties of Matter: Students describe and sort objects and materials according to observations of similarities and differences of physical properties. Physical Science Motion and Forces: Students observe and record the effects of a static charge on materials and how this charge is affected by different variables. Students see that forces can act at a distance and can cause objects to be pushed or pulled. 5 of 15
Physical Science Transfer and Transformation of Energy: Students observe that energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei and the nature of a chemical. Students observe that static electricity is a form of electrical energy. Communication: Students use verbal and nonverbal skills to express themselves effectively. Suggested Materials For this task, the teacher will need to provide a recording sheet for each individual and the following for each pair/team: One plastic pen Wool cloth Tissue paper Scissors Foil Possible Solutions In this task, the teacher will be looking to see how the hypothesis relates to the question and whether it reflects the students previous knowledge about static electricity. In addition, look at how detailed the students observations are by looking at their diagrams. Their pictures should be labeled with important/essential information. Data should be clearly recorded. There should be evidence of how they test, observe and record data, reflecting an understanding of the concepts. A new testable question should be generated that extends their learning to a new situation. Task-Specific Assessment Notes Novice The student lists materials used and gives a hypothesis with a prediction. It is not clear that the student understands why the spiral will rise. A clear diagram with labels is included. The diagram indicates that the student tested the pen with the spiral and it worked, but not how the pen was charged or if other tests were conducted. Results state that it worked but do not include any details about how it worked and why. No conceptual ideas or science vocabulary are used to indicate understanding. There is no new question generated to extend this investigation; the student merely states what was done. Apprentice The student lists materials and gives a hypothesis that clearly predicts what will happen based upon prior knowledge and experience. It is not clear that the student understands why the spiral will stick. A diagram with labels is included but does not clearly show what happened when the pen was charged or how the test was conducted. Results state that the pen got stuck to the tissue paper rather than the other way around indicating some confusion about how static 6 of 15
electricity behaves, yet showing some evidence of limited conceptual understanding. A new testable question is generated that extends this investigation. Practitioner The student lists all materials used and provides a hypothesis that clearly predicts what will happen based upon prior knowledge and experience. A reason ("because it s attracted") is also included in the hypothesis. Three labeled diagrams are included to show each test the student did. It is not easy to discern what happened in each test by looking at the diagrams only. Results clearly describe what happened each time and are more specific for the third try, when the student states how many times s/he rubbed the pen. There is evidence of applying scientific reasoning in that the student changed one variable (increasing the times the pen was rubbed) as a result of each test. Appropriate vocabulary (attracted, charged pen) is used to indicate conceptual understanding. A new testable question is generated that extends this investigation. Expert The student lists all materials used and gives a hypothesis that clearly predicts what will happen based upon prior knowledge and experience. A reason ("attract to the charged electric pen") is also included in the hypothesis. Three labeled diagrams are included to clearly show each test the student did and what happened to the tissue spiral each time. Results clearly describe what happened each time. Specific data about how many times the student rubbed the pen are recorded and linked to the results. There is evidence of applying scientific reasoning in that the students changed one variable (increasing the times the pen was rubbed) as a result of each test. Appropriate vocabulary is used (charged pen, attract, stick) to indicate conceptual understanding. A new testable question is generated that extends this investigation. 7 of 15
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