Electricity Show

Ms. Pavlicek and Mr. Musselman came to school today for an interactive electricity show.  The students were well prepared as we have been working on the electricity unit in class.  The show helped the students to make connections from what they have learned in class to real life situations.  Ms. P. and Mr. M. explained atoms and the science behind how they work in electricity, in fifth grade terms we could all understand!  Also, the show was a lot of fun and very engaging!

Electrons are positively charged.

An example of static electricity 

The boys are rubbing the balloons on their heads so electrons will move from their heads (insulators) to the balloons (also insulators).

Ms. P. stepped in because someone had too much hair product which was blocking the electrons from moving to the balloon.

The balloons are now positively charged with electrons.  They have like charges and like charges repel.

Mr. Musselman is the Electricity Wizard and he has a surprise for us. 

Over on the left is the surprise, Burlington's own Van De Graaff generator!  It is a smaller version of the one that is at the Museum of Science!  It collects static electricity and is extremely powerful.

This is a smaller version that is safer to use with students in the demonstration.

Benjamin Franklin, on the $100 bill, was a pioneer in the science of static electricity.