Squishy Circuits

Classes 1 and 2 have been really lucky to have a visitor in school today: Physicist Scott Walker from the Ogden Trust and Keele University. We had great fun taking part in a workshop called 'Squishy Circuits' which taught us about electricity. First, we had opportunity to investigate electrical components and learn about how these work and about closed and open circuits. We made lots of real-life links to where we use electricity in school and our homes. We even managed to make more complicated parallel circuits to power a bulb, motor and buzzer at the same time! The children had to use their problem solving skills to work out how the circuits worked and if they didn't, find out what needed to be changed.

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Then we investigated how to create an electrical circuit using our own bodies learning that we have a lot of water inside us which conducts electricity. We all connected hands and were amazed when we managed to light a bulb! We also created a switch and made a break in the circuit by disconnecting hands.

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Finally, we made our 'Squishy Circuits' using playdough since this also contains a lot of water and therefore conducts electricity. we tried making different animals or vehicles then used LEDs to make bright car lights or eyes. This was tricky as we had to work out that there had to be a gap in the playdough so the electricity had to flow through the LED which we used across the gap. 

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Many thanks to Scott. The children really enjoyed the session and learnt a lot.

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Bryce - "We managed to get lots of bulbs lit in our circuit at the same time. I found out how to use electricity safely."

Liam - "I found out how to make my own switch by trying different materials that conducted electricity."

Nicole - "We had 15 bulbs lit at the same time!"

Alfie - "It was really good fun. I knew how to make a circuit. we made two circuits at the same time."

Vivien - "The lights got brighter when we added more batteries because there was more power."