Circuits and switches Y4 science worksheet featuring nine scenarios
KS2
Year 4
This circuits Year 4 worksheet looks at simple circuits, and introduces a switch. There are nine diagrams for children to predict if the bulb will light up or not, and for them to test out to see if they were correct.
Circuits Year 4 learning objectives
Pupils will need to recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit. They’ll need to associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery.
Pupils can try constructing the simple series circuits, trying different components such as bulbs, buzzers and motors, and including switches. They could then go on to use their circuits to create simple devices.
Pupils should observe patterns. For instance:
- bulbs get brighter if you add more cells
- metals tend to be conductors of electricity
- some materials can be used to connect across a gap in a circuit, and some cannot
Year 4 science curriculum
In Year 4, students are expected to:
- Identify Common Appliances:
- Identify common appliances that run on electricity.
- Construct Simple Circuits:
- Construct simple series circuits, incorporating switches, bulbs, and buzzers.
- Understanding Components:
- Identify and name the basic parts of a simple electric circuit, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches, and buzzers.
- Symbols and Diagrams:
- Recognise and use basic symbols in a simple diagram of a circuit.
- Testing and Predicting:
- Investigate the effect of changing components in a circuit, such as the number or type of cells, bulbs, or wires, on the brightness of a bulb or the volume of a buzzer.
- Safety:
- Understand and apply the basic principles of staying safe when working with electricity.
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