Don’t close this browser tab!

This Mystery is being downloaded to your device so you can play it at home without an Internet connection.

Keep this tab open once it's downloaded in order to play the Mystery.

If you experience problems, please talk to your teacher.

0% Cancel
What if there were no electricity?

What if there were no electricity?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

DISCUSS (1 of 2):

Imagine power is out for a day. How would that affect your life? (For example: What things stop working? What things do you lose the ability to do?)

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

DISCUSS (2 of 2):

Now imagine power is out for a week (or even a year). What are some ways this might affect your life?

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

DISCUSS:

Besides making things move, what else can electrical energy do? (Think about examples from the story.)

Hint...

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

electricity (electrical energy)


1 of 9

a form of energy, such as what usually powers light bulbs
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

light energy


2 of 9

energy that is in the form of light that can be seen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

energy transfer


3 of 9

when energy travels from one place to another
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image

battery


4 of 9

a device that stores energy
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

circuit


5 of 9

a path where electricity can flow
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

conductor


6 of 9

a material that electrical energy easily travels through
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

insulator


7 of 9

a material that electrical energy does not easily travel through
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

experiment


8 of 9

a test used to discover new information about a question
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

invent


9 of 9

to create something new, often an object or a way of doing something
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep

In this lesson, students are introduced to electricity as a form of energy. In the activity, Build a Flashlight, students investigate how electrical energy requires a circuit and make their own mini flashlights from LEDs, button batteries, and strips of aluminum foil. Along the way, they’ll learn about the anatomy of a battery, begin to see how circuits work, and discover how handy an on-off switch can be.

Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Flashlight Maker worksheet 1 per student
Scissors
1 pair per student
Aluminum Foil
4" per student
File Folder Labels (Stickers)
Masking tape will also work. We prefer stickers for ease of distribution in a classroom.
Details
4 labels per student
Index Cards (3x5)
1 card per student
Batteries (3V 2032 button)
Each student needs one battery. We suggest purchasing a few more in case some don't work.
Details
1 battery per student
LEDs
Each student needs at least one LED, but it's ideal to have more for additional experimentation. We recommend getting an assortment of colored LEDs.
Details
3 LEDs per student
Prep Instructions

Teacher Note: If you purchase the batteries in advance, please read this document for how to safely store them.

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prepare Aluminum Foil

For each student, tear off a strip of aluminum foil that’s about 4 inches wide and as long as the roll (usually about 12 inches).

Exploration

22 mins

Hands-On Activity

35 mins

Wrap-Up

3 mins

Extend this lesson

Vocabulary

Unit Reading

Mini-lessons

Discussions

Activity

Activity

Transcripts

Credits