I have a popsicle stick flashlight activity and some fun facts about Nikola Tesla. Also, your kids will love this Electricity Hands-On Homeschool Science Activity.
Also, you’ll love learning about Nikola Tesla’s life and inventions.
Tesla harnessed the power of the alternating current but worked with Edison to further develop his work on the direct current (which is what our popsicle stick flashlight is).
As a matter of fact, due to their working together and disagreements, they had a rather large falling out. Tesla went on to do so much more work in the field of science and technology.
Tesla went on to do so much more work in the field of science and technology.
Did you know that Tesla has 112 U.S. patents, 17 British and six Canadian patents?
Or that he was good friends with Mark Twain?
And that Nikola developed an idea that would later be used in smartphone technology?
The War of The Electrical Currents
Edison developed the (DC) direct current, which is the current that runs continually in a single direction, like in a battery or a fuel cell.
It was originally the U.S. standard, but it had limitations, as the direct current is not easily converted to higher or lower voltages.
Tesla, on the other hand, believed that alternating current (or AC) was the solution to this problem.
AC reverses direction a certain number of times per second, 60 in the U.S.
It can be converted to different voltages using a transformer giving it far wider applications.
Edison did not want to have his early work with DC tossed aside or lose the royalties from it and so he began to try and discredit Tesla’s alternating current.
Some say he even went as far as spreading falsehoods about Tesla and his work.
The popsicle flashlight, though it uses DC current, is a great way to demonstrate how simple electric current and switches work.
I don’t care that they stole my idea… I care that they don’t have any of their own.”
-Nikola Tesla
Next, look at these facts about Nikola Tesla and his inventions.
5 Amazing Nikola Tesla Inventions
- AC Power (alternating current)- is an electric current that reverses its direction many times a second at regular intervals, typically used in power supplies. This power system provides electricity for homes and other buildings.
- Tesla Coil-The coil uses polyphase alternating currents — another of Tesla’s discoveries to allow a transmitter the ability to produce very high voltages. It’s still used today in radios, televisions, and wireless transmission.
- Radio-While Tesla invented everything we associate with the radio — antennas, tuners, etc., an inventor named Guglielmo Marconi got the credit for the invention.
- Hydroelectric Power-This is when the natural flow of water is used to generate electricity. Tesla and industrialist George Westinghouse developed the first hydroelectric power plant using the power of Niagara Falls.
- Induction Motor-With its rotating magnetic field that made unit drives for machines and AC power transmissions possible. They still power up simple household items such as vacuums, hairdryers, compressors, fans, toys, and power tools.
Also, look at more hands-on ideas about electricity.
More Popsicle Sticks and Electricity Activities
Then look at some more hands-on activities.
- Electricity STEM: Lighting Up a Shoebox Tiny House
- 15 Star Wars STEM Activities Ideas | Fun Flashlight Science and DIY Lightsaber
- FBI Unit Study and Lapbook: Experiment 3 (Building a Crystal Radio)
- Electricity Hands-On Homeschool Science Activity
- National STEM Day – Popsicle Sticks for Creative DIY STEM Projects
Next, there are two great books below.
Nikola Tesla
Books about Nikola Tesla.
When Nikola Tesla arrived in the United States in 1884, he didn't have much money, but he did have a letter of introduction to renowned inventor Thomas Edison. The working relationship between the two men was short lived, though, and the two scientist-inventors became harsh competitors. One of the most influential scientists of all time, Nikola Tesla is celebrated for his experiments in electricity, X-rays, remote controls, and wireless communications. His invention of the Tesla coil was instrumental in the development of radio technology.
Great Lives in Graphics; Nikola Tesla is a graphic retelling of Nikola’s story which gives children a colorful snapshot of his life and the world he grew up in, while educating them on everything from alternating current to the power of the imagination.
You may already know that Nikola Tesla was an electrical engineer, but did you know that he was born during a lightning storm? Or that he had a phobia of pearls?
Great Lives in Graphics reimagines the lives of extraordinary people in vivid technicolor, presenting 250+ fascinating facts in a new and exciting way. It takes the essential dates and achievements of each person’s life, mixes them with lesser-known facts and trivia, and uses infographics to show them in a fresh visual way that is genuinely engaging for children and young adults. The result is a colorful, fascinating and often surprising representation of that person’s life, work and legacy. Using timelines, maps, repeated motifs and many more beautiful and informative illustrations, readers learn not just about the main subject of the book but also about the cultural background of the time they lived i
Finally, look at how to make this fun popsicle stick flashlight.
How to Make A Popsicle Stick Flashlight
You will need:
- Jumbo craft stick
- Flat battery
- Copper tape
- Coin cell battery
- LED Lights
- Medium-sized binder Clip
First, cut two pieces of copper tape a little shorter than your craft stick.
Place one of your LED lights at the end of the stick with the metal prongs on either side.
Peel off the backing a little at a time and tape over the prongs on the front and back, not quite touching the plastic tip. Run the tape all the way down.
Place the binder clip on the end and make a mark on the tape where the black touches.
Remove the binder clip and cut tape ¼” above it so that the plastic does not interfere with the connection at all.
Replace the binder clip and place the button battery writing side up where the metal of the binder clip touches the bottom half of the battery when opened.
Tape the battery in place only covering above where the clip hits, the metal of the binder clip will serve as your “switch”.
When you are done, flip the switch so that it makes contact with the battery and your light should begin to glow.
If your light doesn’t light up, check all your connections, be sure that the metal hits the copper tape, that the tape covers the LED prongs, and finally, be sure your battery is fresh.
Here is a labeled photo to show you what each of the components are to help your child understand the electrical path and process.
