From the Abstract to the Concrete Through Kinesthetic Activities

Purpose: To reinforce and internalize an abstract concept through the use of creative kinesthetic movement.

Concept goal: To understand all the components of a battery and how it generates electricity.

Grade level: adaptable for grades K-6

Adaptations: This game may address the concept goal in more simplistic or complex terms depending on the teacher's goals for their particular grade level. Adaptations may be made by subtracting or adding vocabulary and/or conceptual elements and their representations.

Vocabulary List:

attract               electrolyte

repel                 zinc

charge              copper

positive            electricity

negative            conductor

ion                   wire

free electron     battery

electrode          voltaic pile

Graduation Standards: Primary - Arts, Dance: create sequence of movement to communicate an experience; Theater: use movement to imitate objects

Description:

The activity consists of having students make a battery and circuit using their bodies and visual tools as components. This type of movement lesson can be used as an introduction to batteries or as reinforcement after making a circuit with a battery. It can be most useful after having built a voltaic pile, which also contains all the basic components of a modern battery. A rectangular piece of silver-colored fabric represents the zinc plate. A rectangular piece of copper-colored fabric represents the copper plate. A long rectangular piece of blue fabric represents the electrolyte. Squares of red fabric represent positively-charged ions. Squares of green fabric represent negatively-charged ion. Students wearing green hats are free electrons. The battery shape and wire path can be taped out on the floor.

For students with little or no introduction

to electricity and/or batteries

Set up the battery with the electrolyte with red and green ions in between the copper and zinc plates (pieces of fabric). The copper should be attached/near to the positive electrode and the zinc to the negative electrode. The movement of electricity happens like this: a green (negatively-charged) ion leaves the electrolyte and is attracted to the zinc. This repels one of zinc's free electrons, which is attracted to the copper. The only way it can get to the copper is through the wire. Once that free electron is with the copper, it attracts a red (positively-charged ion). This keeps happening until all the ions in the electrolyte are used up or one of the plates is totally covered by ions. This means that your battery's energy is all used up or "dead". When played with K-3 the game has worked best when the green ions "scare" the electrons away and the only place where the electrons are safe is with the copper. At this age, much of the vocabulary is unnecessary. The most important thing is to know that green scares green and green likes red (likes attract, opposites repel), it takes 2 different metals and a liquid to make a battery, and that electricity is just moving electrons.

For students with some knowledge

of electricity and/or batteries

Set up the outline of the battery and the wire or have the students set one up. Ask them what they need to make a battery. ( 2 different metals and a liquid or electrolyte). Whoever answers, have them put the components where they go in the battery. (copper by the positive electrode, zinc by the negative electrode and the electrolyte between or around them.) Ask if anyone knows what an electrolyte or the metals are made of. (the metals are made of atoms with electrons that can move and the electrolyte is made of positively and negatively charged ions). Put components where they go. (both kinds of ions go in the electrolyte and the zinc gets loaded up with electrons. The reason why the zinc gets loaded up with electrons instead of both the copper and zinc is because the zinc would rather give up electrons and the copper would rather gain them. This only comparatively speaking between these two metals since all metals would rather give up electrons rather than gain them when compared with other elements.) Now review what happens when like charges get near each other. (they repel) Opposite charges? (they attract). What is electricity? (moving electrons) So, what would have to happen to make the electrons in the zinc move through the wire? (a green ion moves out of the electrolyte and sticks on the zinc plate. This repels the zinc's free electron, which is attracted to the positive copper plate. The only way it can get to it is through the wire. Once this electron is stuck on the copper plate, it attracts a red ion from the electrolyte.) What is electricity? (moving electrons)

Adaptations

Depending on the number of students you need to involve, they can be various components of the battery. Some students can hold electrolyte and transfer the ions to the zinc and copper. Some students can hold the copper and zinc plates and receive the ions. Some students can be the electrons that travel from the zinc plate to the copper plate. Some students can even be the wire, where the electrons have to slap each "wire" hand as they pass to stay within the conductor and not fly off into space. You can also add other circuit elements such as lightbulbs, switches, resistors, LED's, buzzers, fans, motors, etc. A great way to challenge the students into thinking conceptually is to ask them to show how a student would act as those components. They should be able to come up with some ideas now that they have the hang of the game.

Challenges

The concept of the actual movement of the electrons is relatively simple if the students understand the concept of "opposites attract and likes repel". What is difficult to understand (and explain!) is that the copper and zinc are only attracting and repelling because of relative charges. A simpler way to approach the concept is to present a few ideas "on faith". 1) that the copper is positively charged and the zinc is negatively charged to begin with. 2) that the zinc has electrons that are free to move and copper does not. Although not technically accurate, this may make the game easier to comprehend and the end result is the same.

Tips for a Successful Movement Experience

Safety First! Clear the movement area of all potential accident sites.

Begin and end in a circle. This helps maintain spatial control.

Talk less, move more. Give instructions while students are moving, not before.

Create a focus signal, such as three claps, to regain student attention.

Have students identify and respect personal space and general space.

Start small and keep the lesson simple.

Differentiate between creative energy and chaos.

(From "A Moving Science Lesson" by Wendy J. Thompson, Science and Children, Nov/Dec, 1998)

Game Layout

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Thursdays 10 am to  8pm 
Closed Major Holidays
Library Hours: Monday - Friday 9 to 4:30

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© The Bakken Updated: April 6, 2007