California Career and Technical Education Standards

• T.C.C7.1 Understand how to maintain, diagnose, and repair electrical systems.
• T.FS.11.0 Demonstration and Application
• T.FS.5.1 Apply appropriate problem-solving strategies and critical thinking skills to wor...
• T.FS.5.3 Use critical thinking skills to make informed decisions and solve problems.
• T.FS.5.4 Apply troubleshooting strategies, including failure analysis procedures, to issu...

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

• ELA.8.R.CAGT.2.5 Understand and explain the use of a complex mechanical device by following techn...3
• S.4.PS.1a Students know how to design and build simple series and parallel circuits byusin...1

• What are all these chicken tracks? - Hooks / Set

  I take a picture of a wiring diagram and project it on the screen.  Then, I will demonstrate how to read a wiring diagram. I will utilize the overhead projector to show a series circuit, a parallel circuit, and a combination circuit. I will discuss how the circuit is made and the components necessary to make the circuit work. The circuits will include power, ground, switch, and a load. All of these items will need to be assembled to make the circuit function properly.

  During this session, I will ask the students to follow along by drawing each diagram to use as their reference when they build their circuits. I will inform the students to pay attention because they will be given the opportunity to build these circuits and need to make them function properly. I will have the students in small groups of three or four to brainstorm and utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills to accomplish these tasks.
• series circuit - Lab / Shop

  The students will build a series circuit on an electrical trainer breadboard (GM SET) utilizing jumper wires, light bulb, switch, and a horn. At this point I inform the students that a series circuit will only have one path for current flow. If any one of the items fail, the entire circuit will go into "open circuit" and not function.
• parallel circuit - Lab / Shop

  The students will refer to their diagrams to build parallel circuit on an on electrical trainer breadboard (GM SET ) utilizing jumper wires, three light bulbs, and a switch. I remind them that a parallel circuit has more than one path for current flow and to keep this in mind.
• compound circuit / Lab in Shop - Lab / Shop

  The students will refer to their diagrams to build a compound circuit on an electrical trainer (GM SET) and utilize a rheostat and three bulbs. I will tell them that this type of circuit is a combination of a series and a parallel circuit.
• Review of each circuit - Closure

  When the students are done with each type of circuit, we will discuss what they have learned through this exercise. I will tell them that they will have additional time the next day to build more circuits and that they can get creative with the different electrical components.

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