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Teaching Electricity by Analogy. Nobody has ever seen an electron Electricity is an abstract concept If we teach a related concrete idea first, then the abstract idea will be easier to understand Drama is fun to use because it necessitates student engagement. Drama: Current Analogy.
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Teaching Electricity by Analogy • Nobody has ever seen an electron • Electricity is an abstract concept • If we teach a related concrete idea first, then the abstract idea will be easier to understand • Drama is fun to use because it necessitates student engagement
Drama: Current Analogy • Get three volunteers to each count the class • Oops! – ambiguity • No need to recount • Digits come in groups of 20 (normally) – called people • Electrons come in groups of about 6,250,000,000,000,000,000 called Coulombs
Electric Current Analogy using Drama • Digits are electrons • People are Coulombs • Minutes are seconds • Counters are ammeters • A Power Pack is an electron “waver-on”
A A A • Series Circuit
Series Circuit Analogy - Current • Concrete version of abstract idea • Electrons are not “used up” • A real circuit on a bench will be more understandable
And what’s obvious to the participants…. Current in series is the same everywhere
A A A Parallel Circuit
Parallel Circuit Analogy – Current • Drama is a concrete version of an abstract idea • A real circuit on a bench will be more understandable
Again, what’s obvious to the participants… Current in parallel is shared
A summary of the behaviour of current Current in parallel is shared and Current in series is the same
Energy Couriers continued • E, PE
Energy Couriers continued • E, PE, EPE
Energy Couriers continued • E, PE, EPE, EPED
Energy Couriers continued • E, PE, EPE, EPED • (or “Voltage” if you must) • Two tongued electron taster • or EPED meter • or Voltmeter
V V Simple Circuit
The energy given to a circuit by the power pack is ……………….. the energy used up by the light-bulb Simple Circuit
The energy given to a circuit by the power pack is the same as the energy used up by the light-bulb Simple Circuit
The energy given to a circuit by the power pack is equal to the energy used up by the light-bulb Simple Circuit
V V V Parallel Circuit
V Parallel Circuit
V Parallel Circuit
V • Parallel Circuit
Energy Couriers • Electrons carry energy • Therefore, so do Coulombs • We can model this with a person (or a “Coulomb”) carrying water in a beaker • The water represents energy. A full beaker is 12 Joules (for THAT Coulomb)
Parallel Circuit Analogy - Voltage • Concrete version of abstract idea • A real circuit on a bench will be more understandable
And what is obvious to the participants… Voltage in parallel is the same
V V V Series Circuit
V Series Circuit
V • Series Circuit
V • Series Circuit
Series Circuit Analogy - Voltage • Concrete version of abstract idea • A real circuit on a bench will be more understandable
Again, what is obvious to the participants Voltage in series is shared
