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HANDS-ON ACTIVITY
Bulbs & Batteries in a Row 
Quick Look
Grade Level: 4 (3-5)
Time Required: 45 minutes
Expendable Cost/Group: US $4.00
Group Size: 4
Activity Dependency: None
Subject Areas:
Algebra, Physical Science
NGSS Performance Expectations:
4-PS3-2

Summary
Using the science and engineering practice of making observations, we can explore the
phenomenon of energy transfer. Every day, we are surrounded by circuits that use “in parallel” and
“in series” circuitry. Complicated circuits designed by engineers are composed of many simpler
parallel and series circuits, but both kinds of circuits transfer energy. During this activity, students
make sense of the phenomenon of energy transfer as they build a simple series circuit and discover
the properties associated with series circuits. Through this, students engage with the disciplinary
core idea that energy can be transferred from place to place by electric currents.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Students build a simple series circuit

Engineering Connection
Electrical engineers are well versed in the logic of parallel and series circuitry. They design
complicated circuits that are composed of many simpler circuits as well as special parts that make
sure the use of electricity is safe. For example, electrical and mechanical engineers design circuit
breakers that are connected "in series" in the wiring of your house. This "switch" automatically
breaks the flow of electricity if it rises above a safe level, preventing an electrical overload from
damaging your appliances or causing a fire.

Learning Objectives
After this activity, students should be able to:

Define, recognize and assemble series circuits

Explain the path of electrical charge through their circuit
Apply appropriate computational techniques to solve a variety of problems on series circuit
Understand that engineers apply their understanding of circuitry to the design of practical,
everyday products

Educational Standards
 NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards - Science
 Common Core State Standards - Math
 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology
 State Standards

Materials List
Each group needs:

2 D-cell batteries
2 wide rubber bands
3 #40 light bulbs (available at most hardware stores)
3 light bulb holders (available most hardware stores)
46 in (50.2 cm) insulated wire (gauge AWG 22) (available at hardware stores)
1 basic switch (available at most hardware or electronics stores)
4 Series Circuit Building Worksheets
4 In a Row Math Worksheets

For the entire class to share:

wire strippers or sandpaper (to remove insulation at wire ends)

 wire cutters
small standard screwdriver
masking tape

Note: Most of the materials required for this lab can be reused in numerous other electricity
activities. When the batteries wear out, dispose of them at a hazardous waste disposal site.

Worksheets and Attachments

Series Circuit Building Worksheet (pdf)
Series Circuit Building Worksheet Answers (pdf)
In a Row Math Worksheet (pdf)
In a Row Math Worksheet Answers (pdf)

Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_electricity_lesson05_activity1] to print or download.

Introduction/Motivation
Ask the students in the class if any of them have strings of the small-sized Christmas lights at
home? (Many will answer yes.) Ask the students to brainstorm why it is that if one light goes out
on a strand of Christmas lights then half of the strand or the entire strand stops working? (Possible
answers: The wire is broken, all of the other bulbs are broken, or the circuit is broken.) Many newer
strands of lights have more than one wire linking the lights, as a better way to string the lights
together; in this case, if one bulb burns out, the rest of the lights do not go out -- only a section
goes out.

Ask the students if they ever had a flashlight that required

batteries? (Many will answer yes.) Then, inquire how many
batteries the flashlight needed (Possible answers: One, two, three
or four batteries). Ask the students why larger flashlights require
more batteries than smaller flashlights? (Possible answers: Some
flashlights need more power, some flashlights need more
electricity.) Three AA batteries connected "in series" can provide
more voltage than a single AA battery. Explain to the students that the holiday lights and the
batteries in a flashlight are similar because both are connected "in series." Electrical circuits as well
as batteries can be "in series" or "in parallel." These different circuits are both ways for energy in
the batteries to be transferred from the batteries to the lightbulbs, and we can observe that this
transfer is taking place when turn on a flashlight or see bright holiday lights at night. During
today's activity, we will learn what "in series" means. 

Explain to students that electrical and mechanical engineers design circuit breakers to be
connected in series with the electrical wiring of your house. The purpose of a circuit breaker is to
make sure that too much current does not flow through the electrical wiring in your house and
cause equipment failures or a fire. A circuit breaker is similar to a switch; it has an open and closed
position. If the electrical current in your house is above a safe level, a circuit breaker opens, creating
an open circuit and causing the electricity to shut off.

Procedure
Background Information on Series Circuits

The current is the same throughout the circuit.

The total resistance for a series circuit is the sum of the resistances of each element.
From Ohm's law (I=V/R), we know that the total current is equal to the voltage divided by the
total resistance.
There is a voltage drop across each element in a series circuit that is equal to V=I*R, where V
is the voltage of the power source, I is the total current in the circuit, and R is the resistance of
the element.
The sum of the voltage drops across each bulb is equal to the voltage of the power source.
The total voltage for batteries linked in series is the sum of the voltages of each battery.
Engineers use switches placed in series to control practically any circuit they make. Just think
— most of your electronics have an on/off switch!
Before the Activity

Assemble all the materials.

Cut enough wire for each group: two 6 in (7.6 cm) pieces, one 10 in (25 cm) piece, and one 4
in (10 cm) piece.
You may also want to remove the insulation from the ends of the wires (step 1, below).
With the Students

1. Using wire strippers or sandpaper, remove ½ in (1.3 cm) of the insulation from the ends of
each piece of wire.
2. Using masking tape, connect two batteries in series. The positive terminal of one battery
should touch the negative terminal of the second battery.
3. Connect the 10 in (25 cm) piece of wire to the positive terminal of one battery using masking
tape. The other end of the 10 in wire should be connected to the terminal of one of the light
bulb holders. Next, connect a 6 in (7.6 cm) piece of wire to the negative terminal of one of the
batteries using masking tape. The other end of the 6 in wire should connect to the switch.
4. Put each light bulb in a light bulb holder. Finish constructing the series circuit using the parts
you have already made, plus a second light bulb holder, the remaining 6 in (7.6 cm) wire, and
the 4 in (10 cm) piece of wire (see Figure 1).

5. On your Series Circuit Building Worksheet, draw a circuit

diagram of your circuit. Follow along on the worksheet for
the rest of the activity.
 6. Close the switch. What happens to the light bulbs? (Answer: Figure 1. The activity setup: A series circuit (left)
Both bulbs light up.) and the corresponding circuit diagram (right).

7. Open the switch. Remove one light bulb from its base. Close the switch. What happens to
the light bulb in the circuit? (Answer: The remaining bulb stays off.)
8. Open the switch. Replace the light bulb you removed and remove the other light bulb from its
base. Close the switch. What happens to the light bulb in the circuit? (Answer: The remaining
light bulb does not light up.)
9. Open the switch. Make a circuit with three bulbs in series. Close the switch. What happened
to the brightness of the bulbs as you increased the number of bulbs in the series circuit?
(Answer: The bulbs all got dimmer.)
10. Use one team's circuit and observe what happens to the brightness of the bulbs as you add a
third battery in series. What happens? (Answer: The bulbs all get brighter.)
11. Use the knowledge you have gained about series circuits to complete the In a Row Math
Worksheet. Or, if time is limited, assign the worksheet as homework.

Assessment
Pre-Activity Assessment

Prediction: Before conducting the activity, ask students to predict:

How many batteries do you think it will take to light the two light bulbs?
Activity Embedded Assessment

Worksheet: At the beginning of the activity, hand out the Series Circuit Building Worksheets. Have
students follow along, first diagramming the series circuit they have constructed, then filling in
answers as they work through the activity; review their answers to gauge their mastery of the
subject.

Energy Transfer Discussions: As students work, ask them how energy is being transferred through
the circuit as they remove and add light bulbs. Students should observe that the light bulbs in their
series circuit only light if all bulbs are connected; they are observing the phenomenon of energy
transfer when the circuit is closed, since the chemical energy in the battery needs a path (the
circuit) to light the light bulbs.  
Post-Activity Assessment

Mental Math Application: Write the equation, I = V ÷ R, on the board. Remind students that this is
called Ohm's law. Explain that I = current = flow of electric charge through the circuit (this remains
constant through a closed circuit), V = voltage = batteries used, and R = resistance = bulbs used.
Challenge the students to explain their team's series circuits in terms of Ohm's law. Have them
write the correct letter I, V or R next to the symbols in their circuit drawings. Then, ask the students
the following questions:
 What happens to the current (I) when we add another battery (V)? (Answer: The current
increases.)
What happens to the current (I) when we add another light bulb (R)? (Answer: The current
decreases.)
What happens to the current (I) when we have an open switch? (Answer: The current (I) = 0
since no electrons can move through the circuit.)

Series Circuit Advertising: After the activity, ask the student teams what their circuit might be
used for? Is it used in a house? Or a toy? Or an appliance? Have the students decide on a name for
their circuit and create a magazine ad for their circuit. Suggest they get creative. Have the teams
include their circuit diagram and a short explanation of how the circuit works in their ad.
Problem-Solving/Homework: Assess students' understanding of the concepts by assigning the In
a Row Math Worksheet as homework.

Safety Issues
Ask students to be very careful when using the sharp wire strippers and wire cutters.
Ask students to not play with the insulated wire; they might poke or cut themselves or
another student.

Troubleshooting Tips
There must be good electrical contact between all the circuit components. If students have
difficulty getting the circuit to work, be sure to double check all the connections.

Do not connect more than four D-cells in series for this activity. Four D-cell batteries connected in
series totals 6.0 Volts, and most #40 light bulbs can only sustain 6.3 Volts through the filament.

Activity Extensions
Use a multimeter to measure the voltage across two batteries in series. How does the voltage com
pare to the voltage of one battery? (Answer: The voltage of two identical batteries in series is twice
the voltage of one battery.)
Use a multimeter to determine the voltage across each light bulb and the current in each bulb. Find
the resistance of the light bulb using R=V/I. Then, use the multimeter to determine the voltage acro
ss two bulbs in series and the current in the bulbs. Find the resistance of this load using R=V/I. Com
pare the resistance of one bulb to the resistance of two bulbs in series. (Resistances in series add t
o give the total resistance.) Compare the voltage across one bulb to the voltage across the battery t
erminals.
Note: A multimeter is an instrument that combines the measuring capabilities of an ammeter (meas
ures current), voltmeter (measures potential difference, or voltage, between two points) and an oh
mmeter (measures resistance) in one instrument to take measurements (current, voltage and resist
ance) from circuits. Multimeters are available at most electronics stores, ranging from about $15
-$100.

Activity Scaling
For younger grades, use the In a Row Math Worksheet as a challenge activity or complete
together as a class.

Copyright
© 2004 by Regents of the University of Colorado.

Contributors
Xochitl Zamora Thompson; Sabre Duren; Joe Friedrichsen; Daria Kotys-Schwartz; Malinda Schaefer
Zarske; Denise Carlson

Supporting Program
Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements
The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National
Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily
represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you
should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: March 17, 2021

Free K-12 standards-aligned STEM curriculum for educators everywhere.

Find more at TeachEngineering.org