I have a fun electricity stem lighting up a shoebox activity.
Learning how electrical circuits work are important science skills for kids 4th grade and up.
When you understand how electricity works, you can begin to troubleshoot electrical devices and can even begin to build and design your own inventions!
It’s important for kids to get hands-on experimenting when learning the different parts of a circuit.
When they have an opportunity to practice using electricity, they’ll soon see the importance electricity plays in our everyday lives.
This highly engaging electrical activity will challenge kids to design their own homes by providing each room with a light, fan, and switch!
I love it when you can combine creativity in a learning project!
BOOKS ABOUT ELECTRICITY FOR KIDS
Next, look at these books to add to your learning day.
5 Electricity Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To
Learning about electricity is a fascinating subject for kids to learn about. Add one or two of these books to your home library.
Why do the lights in a house turn on when you flip a switch? How does a remote-controlled car move? And what makes lights on TVs and microwaves blink? The technology around you may seem like magic, but most of it wouldn’t run without electricity. Electronics for Kids demystifies electricity with a collection of awesome hands-on projects.
In Part 1, you’ll learn how current, voltage, and circuits work by making a battery out of a lemon, turning a metal bolt into an electromagnet, and transforming a paper cup and some magnets into a spinning motor. In Part 2, you’ll make even more cool stuff as you:–Solder a blinking LED circuit with resistors, capacitors, and relays–Turn a circuit into a touch sensor using your finger as a resistor–Build an alarm clock triggered by the sunrise.
Read and find out about electricity in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book.
It seems like magic! It's not—it's electricity. But how does a light actually work? In this clear and simple book learn all about electricity, how it's produced, and how it can be used.
At the end you'll learn how to conduct safe, fun experiments that will let you generate electricity yourself!
- Size: Battery case: ( L X W X H): 57 x 30 x 13 / 2.24 x 1.18 x 0.51inch.
- Material: The mini bulb is a kind of tungsten wire bulb, made of glass, metal, insulation materials.
- Application: Used for electrical experiments in primary and middle schools/home DIY circuit test.
Start with Science books introduce kids to core science concepts through engaging stories, fresh illustrations, and supplemental activities. When Oscar the kitten finds a tractor in a field and accidentally turns on the windshield wipers, he is full of questions about electricity. Luckily, Bird knows the answers! With the help of his friend, Oscar finds out how electricity is made and stored, which machines need electricity to work, and why we always need to be careful around wires, batteries, plugs, and sockets. Back matter includes an index and supplemental activities.
Electrical engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) was indeed an electrical genius. In language suitable for both young and old, author Arthur J. Beckhard describes all aspects of Tesla’s personal and professional life, including Tesla’s childhood and his education at primary school, at the Higher Real Gymnasium, and at the Polytechnic Institute; his years working for the telegraphic engineering department of Austria, then as an engineer in Paris, and then as an employee of Thomas Edison in America; his substitution of alternating current for direct current—a simpler and more economical method of converting electrical into mechanical energy; his rotary magnetic field, which was used in transmitting the power of Niagara Falls to nearby cities; his independent research at his own electrical laboratories in New Your City; and much more. Originally published in 1959 as part of Messner Publications' "Men of Science" series.
Electrical Shoebox House STEM Activity
When I was a kid in school, I was intimated by science and especially electricity.
I had that stereotypical thought that science was for boys and way too difficult for me to understand.
When I was thinking about classes to teach for my up and coming tutorial year, one word kept jumping at me: STEM.
STEM is a highly used buzz word for educators across the world. It stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
I was terrified to teach STEM, but I knew if I wanted my kids to be comfortable with science, I was going to have to get over my fear of it. And boy am I glad I did.
If you’re feeling uncertain about your abilities to teach STEM, don’t. Just jump in and do it.
To do this activity you’ll need:
- a shoebox
- alligator clips (at least 4)
- 2 AA battery holders with wires connected
- 4 AA batteries
- one motor
- one switch
- 2-3 miniature light bulbs
- tape
To begin this activity, your kids will need a good grasp of how a circuit works. You can always have them play around with the circuits to practice lighting up all of the light bulbs and the motor.
EASY HANDS ON HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE
When they have a pretty good understanding of the concept, it’s now time to build the house. First, section off the different rooms of the shoebox. You can use scraps of cardboard to be the dividing walls.
Once the walls are up, it’s time to wire the house.
You may need box cutters to cut holes in the walls (shoebox) to run the wires from the outside of the shoebox into the inside.
Tape may be needed to secure the power source on the outside of the house.Now it’s time to hook up your electricity.
Challenge your kids to light up two rooms of the house and run one fan.
Then, if you want to add a little bit of design into your challenge, your children can cut out a door and design furniture.
It really is a tiny house! What a cool way to learn about electricity!
Want to see a really cool shoebox house? Take a look at this video Shoebox House STEM Project
Get even more ideas for teaching hands-on science in your homeschool below!
MORE ACTIVITIES ABOUT ELECTRICITY
- How to Make a Homemade Electrical Switch
- Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla
- Electricity Hands-On Homeschool Science Activity
Written by Christa at Little Log Cottage School.
Thank you so much for this pin! Our son was needing ideas for his fair entry in his first level electricity 4-H project. This is perfect, and it is right up his alley, he loves building barns, garages, houses for his farm and ranch scenes. We finally have a project he is excited about and applies what he has learned so far about electricity,
Love that Cynthia…You must tell me how it goes..I love easy and fun projects and am glad you’re here!!♥♥
This takes me back to my youth and science class. It all seems so primitive now, but it’s still jsut as much fun I’m sure!