The Blue Dragon
Programme 11: Switched On!
This programme aims to develop children's understanding of electricity,
which includes being safe around electricity and how to create simple circuits using
components such as bulbs, motors and buzzers.
Back to top
In this programme the characters find themselves on the outskirts of a village,
following a 'Red Dragon' sign. The villagers are preparing for their Summer
Fair, with lots of tents, lights and activities.
Unfortunately a rabbit has chewed through the wires and nothing will work. The characters
solve this problem by creating their own circuits and put on a puppet show for everyone,
saving the day.
Back to top
The programme explores:
- ideas about using electricity safely;
- appliances that use batteries and mains electricity;
- making a simple circuit using bulbs, wires and batteries;
- drawing pictures of a circuit;
- using bulbs, motors and buzzers;
- creating a break in a circuit and putting a switch in a circuit to turn
components on and off.
There are many curriculum links that can be made, for example:
- English – make a safety poster to warn of the dangers of electricity; produce a leaflet for looking after a pet rabbit.
- Design and Technology – design and make a popcorn cone.
- Art – paint clowns for the village fair frieze.
- Music – listen to different kinds of music, for example brass bands, and discuss the kind of music that would be played at a summer fair.
Back to top
For a bulb to light (a lamp), a buzzer to sound or a motor to turn, a circuit must
be complete, which means there must be no gaps. Young children can use each of these
components and should be taught that the simplest circuit, made up of a bulb, wires
and a battery, is called a series circuit.
Back to top
Ask children to draw a picture of Cinders breathing fire and cut out the flame replacing
it with red or orange sweet-wrapper cellophane to make it look more realistic. A
switch could be included to make it look as though Cinders keeps breathing fire.
A popular food at a fair is popcorn. Using either a saucepan with a lid or a popcorn
maker, an adult could show children how popcorn is made and the changes that take
place when the corn is heated.
Give children popcorn kernels before popping the corn and talk about what it is
like, such as its hardness and colour.
When the corn is popping focus the children's attention on:
- the sound of the popping corn;
- the smell of the popcorn;
- what is making the corn pop;
- changes during and after cooking.
Back to top
|
