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Angela MacCubbin

7515 Kenlea Avenue


Baltimore, MD 21236 (home)

Angela MacCubbin
1100 Mace Avenue
(school) Baltimore, MD 21221

Electric Circuits, Laws, and Resistance


This particular lesson is the first in the Electric Circuits unit of study that is explored in the
senior year of the Engineering Careers program at Eastern Technical High School. Students
learn about electric components, electric theory, schematics, and hands-on electrical activities.

Objectives
After completion of this lesson, the student will be able to:

Recite and define basic electrical circuit variables.

Use the resistor color code chart to read resistor values

Use Ohms Law and Kirchhoffs law to calculate missing electrical quantities.

Use series and parallel relationships to calculate equivalent resistance in a circuit.

Recognize and identify various electrical components.

Construct, use, and troubleshoot (if necessary) basic DC electrical circuits using a
breadboard and other components

Materials
Student Exploration Ditto

Student Notes Handout

Resistor Color Code Chart and Example

Series and Parallel Resistor practice sheet,

Kirchhoffs and Ohms Law practice sheet Chaney 36 in 1 Electric Circuits kit and lab manual
Student Theory Assignment, Student lab assignment
Electric Circuit video/Van de Graff meter
Student Assessment Instrument Quiz

Multimeter

9V batteries

Angela MacCubbin
7515 Kenlea Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21236 (home)

Angela MacCubbin
1100 Mace Avenue
(school) Baltimore, MD 21221

The 5E Lesson Outline


Engagement After students have entered classroom and noted the drill and objective in their
notebooks, the teacher will engage the students in the activity. The teacher may use several
methods to do this. For example, they may show a video showing the travel of electric current in
a power line. Or, they may use a Van de Graff meter on a student volunteer. The teacher should
then ask the student to list variables that they would calculate in these applications. The teacher
should lead the students to the concepts of resistance, charge, current, voltage, and power, being
sure to write them on the board.

Exploration After students have completed the engagement activity, the teacher should pass
out the Exploration ditto. Students should work in pairs or small groups to fill in the blanks on
this worksheet. Students will be trying to define variables, units, symbols and other information
for electronic variables (charge, resistance, voltage, current, power).

Explanation After students have completed the ditto to the best of their ability, the teacher will
review the answers with them and this will begin the explanation process. After the variables
and basic information is reviewed, the teacher should review the following information with the
students:
1. Resistor color code chart resistor values are noted by color bands. The teacher should
provide a copy of the chart and explain to them how it is used. The teacher will then go
over an example resistor determining the value using the color code chart. After the
example is completed, the teacher should hand out some practice problems for the

Angela MacCubbin
Angela MacCubbin
7515 Kenlea Avenue
1100 Mace Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21236 (home)
(school) Baltimore, MD 21221
students to complete in class. The students should be allowed to work on these in small
groups if necessary. When students are finished, the teacher will review the materials
with the students.
2. Laws circuit calculations are governed by Ohms Law and Kirchhoffs Law. The
teacher will pass out a notes sheet or have the students take notes on these laws. Ohms
law is: V = I R, where V is voltage (in volts), I is current (in amps), and R is resistance
(in ohms). Kirchhoffs current law states that the algebraic sum of currents entering and
leaving any point in a circuit must equal zero. Kirchhoffs voltage law states that the
algebraic sum of the voltages around any closed path is zero. After the review of this
information, the teacher should present an example problem (or a few) to illustrate key
points to the students. Afterwards, the teacher should hand out some practice problems
for the students to complete in class. The students should be allowed to work on these in
small groups if necessary. When students are finished, the teacher will review the
materials with the students.
3. Equivalent resistance the students will learn to calculate equivalent resistance, Req (in
ohms), for resistors in series and parallel. Equivalent resistance for series resistors is
calculated by: Req = R1 + R2 + + Rn, where R1 is equal to resistor 1, R2 is equal to
resistor 2, and Rn is equal to the nth resistor. Equivalent resistance for parallel resistors is
calculated by: 1/Req = 1/R1 +1/ R2 + + 1/Rn, where the same variables apply.
4. Power calculation the students will also learn to calculate power in an electric circuit.
This is done by using the equations V I = P and P = V2/R, where P is power (in watts),
V is voltage (in volts), I is current (in amps), and R is resistance (in ohms).

Angela MacCubbin
Angela MacCubbin
7515 Kenlea Avenue
1100 Mace Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21236 (home)
(school) Baltimore, MD 21221
After these concepts have been reviewed and recorded, the teacher will do an example problem
with the students (using the board, overhead, or computer). Afterwards, the teacher will pass out
the practice problem ditto(es) and allow the students to complete the exercises in small groups.
After the practice problems have been completed by the students, the teacher will ask for or
select student volunteers to put the problems on the board and explain their problem solving
process.

Extension At this time, give the students the Theory Assignment to complete as classwork or
homework. After they are finished, distribute the Chaney lab manual kits and lab instructions to
the students. Have them work on the following activities:
o Instructional Experiment 2 - Ohms Law and the Basic Electronic Circuit (pg 10)
o Instructional Experiment 3 Parallel Circuit with Lamp (page 12)
o Construction Activity 12 7 Segment Display Circuit (page 31)
o Construction Activity 14 Conductor Identifier (page 33)
They should complete a lab report based on the format outlined on the lab instruction sheet. The
students will need 9V batteries and a multimeter for the lab exercise. These assignments will be
graded.

Evaluation After sufficient time has been given to complete the theory and lab assignments,
the teacher will assess the knowledge of the students on a quiz. Also, their knowledge will be
assessed using the grades of the Extension assignments.

Review and modify the lesson plan as required.

Angela MacCubbin
7515 Kenlea Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21236 (home)

Angela MacCubbin
1100 Mace Avenue
(school) Baltimore, MD 21221

References
Chaney Electronics Inc. (1996). 33 in 1 Deluxe Electronic Exploration Kit. Arizona: Chaney
Electronics, Inc.

Grob, B. (1984). Basic Electronics, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Mayne, R. & Margolis, S. (1982). Introduction to Engineering. New York: McGraw-Hill


Book Company.

Nilsson, J. W., & Reidel S. A. (2001). Electric Circuits, 6th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Veley, V.F. & Dulin, J.J. (1983). Modern Electronics: A First Course. New Jersey: Prentice
Hall, Inc.

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