PhET and Static Electricity in a T-GEM Package

Developing this week’s post has been a neat experience. When looking through the different resources this week, I specifically enjoyed the simulations provided by PhET. In exploring the wide variety of applets, I came upon the Balloon and Static Electricity resource. This is exactly what I have been needing the past few years. Part of the curriculum I teach centres on static electricity, and we do a number of experiments using balloons. I have always used the Smartboard to draw the exchanges of protons and electrons, which is visual but not ‘live’ or interactive. I have prepared the below T-GEM lesson focused on this resource. It is a lesson I plan to add to my Electricity unit for next year.

When evaluating the effectiveness of simulations and digital resources, I was definitely surprised by the findings of Srinivasa et al. (2006). After an involved competitive study, they concluded that students do not see simulations as being as effective as actual hands on learning. This was also in stark contrast to opinion of recognized experts, who see great value in using simulations.

In the simulation used below, I feel that it avoids the student opinions highlighted by Srinivasa et al (2006) as it is used primarily as an extension activity. The PhET resource  is used as an extension to make invisible forces visible. This is supported by the work of Finkelstein et al. (2005) where they ultimately determine that “simulations used in the right contexts can be more effective educational tools than real laboratory equipment; both in developing student facility with real equipment and at fostering student conceptual understanding.” (p.1)

Generate

1. Have a class discussion about static electricity. What do we currently know about it? How would we presently define it? If not volunteered by students, it is important to mention everyday occurrences such as hair sticking up and zapping a door handle.
2. Students would be split into groups of 5 and each given a balloon. They would then be asked to ‘make static electricity happen with the balloon.’ The final step would be to ask students to make the balloon stick to the wall. After having stuck out balloons to the wall, we would return to our desks.

Evaluate

3. Students have a worksheet in which they are asked to describe the different effects of static electricity. They are also asked to describe how they think it works. (Based off of previous lessons, I expect some mention of the transfer of electrons, but few specifics)
4. I would ask students to specifically draw a picture of what is happening electrically with their balloon that is currently stuck to the wall.
   1. Following this explanation, I would direct students to the PhET Balloons and Static Electricity resource.
   2. Students will then have 5-10 minutes to use this resource and revise their previous explanation of what was happening to the balloon electrically

      

Modify

5. I would then encourage students to collaborate in their groups and examine the world around them. Are they able to picture the transfer of electrons in different situations? How might they encourage or prevent static electricity? Where are places where static electricity could be dangerous (ie. Gas stations) and how could they behave to minimize risk? How might static electricity even be useful?

All the students in the class will have a prior understanding of static electricity. We live in a land of long, dry winters where static hair and ‘shocking your friends’ happen almost daily from Nov-April. The beauty of this lesson is that it starts to provide a conceptual explanation to the observed phenomenon, and then uses technology to visually represent the invisible. I am excited to try this next year and feel it will help the students understand more clearly as it provides a more involved and clear experience than my rudimentary drawings do.

Finkelstein, N.D., Perkins, K.K., Adams, W., Kohl, P., & Podolefsky, N. (2005). When learning about the real world is better done virtually: A study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment. Physics Education Research,1(1), 1-8.

Srinivasan, S., Perez, L. C., Palmer,R., Brooks,D., Wilson,K., & Fowler. D. (2006). Reality versus simulation. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 15(2), 137-141.