In January and February, students in fourth grade (E6, E3, and E8) took a trip to the MIT Edgerton Center to put to use their knowledge about how energy flows through circuits by making game show quizboards!
Prior to the field trip, students created a quiz based on personal topics of interest. Some students made multiple choice quizzes, while others made matching quizzes.
Once at MIT, students made circuits. They donned the quizboard with metal pieces next to each question and answer choice. Students then connected the metal piece next to each question to the metal pieces next to their corresponding correct answers, creating half of a circuit for each question. By attaching metal probes to either to either end of a battery, quiz takers could complete each circuit by touching the question at the same time as the correct answer! This caused a light bulb to light up! Students reinforced their understanding that in circuits, energy follows a path made of conductors, and when that path is interrupted, energy stops flowing.
To perfect their quizboards, students tried their hands at soldering. Protected by safety equipment, students melted metal at 480 degrees Celsius to fill joints, connecting the probes to the wires. What a fun, fruitful field trip for fourth grade!