By Sheryl Struble
One of the
sessions I attended at the E4 Conference was Frogs, Volts, and Vinegar: Engineering Electricity from Past to
Present. The presenters were from the Bakken
Museum. During this session we learned
how a battery works. We experimented by
soaking a paper towel in a vinegar and water solution. We then used small squares of sheet metal and
small squares of copper to create a “sandwich.”
We continued to build using the layering of copper, paper towel, and
sheet metal until we had enough placed together to light a light bulb and make
a buzzer sound. Each time we built the
sandwich we placed one end of the light bulb wire to the topside and then one
to the bottom side. This experiment
replicated the inside of a battery and how a battery works.
The
second experiment was to build a “magic wand.” We were given a light bulb, 2
wires, 2 batteries, and two paper fasteners.
We needed to build a circuit.
Once the circuit was built and we lit the light bulb we knew we were
successful. The circuit was taped onto a
sheet of white paper and then rolled up and taped to look like a wand. Touching a ring that was on your finger to
the copper fasteners is what made the “magic wand” light.
Both of
these Engineering designs will be helpful during our Energy and
Electromagnetism Unit in 4th grade.
More information about the Bakken Museum can be found by clicking on the link below.
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