Electricity

Year 4 ScienceElectricity5 pages

About this worksheet

Mixed electricity practice for Year 4 in four sections, with an answer key. Pupils sort five appliances, from a microwave to a TV remote, by mains, battery or both. They match a cell, bulb, switch and buzzer to what each does. Four circuit diagrams ask whether the bulb will light, followed by a gap sentence on open and closed switches. The last section uses a circuit tester to sort six objects into conductors and insulators, and asks why wires have a plastic coat. All five Year 4 electricity objectives from the England National Curriculum appear on the sheet.

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Curriculum objectives covered

Electricity

“Identify common appliances that run on electricity”

Question 1 sorts five appliances by mains or battery power.

Electricity

“Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers”

Partial. Question 2 matches a cell, bulb, switch and buzzer to their jobs. Pupils do not build a circuit on the sheet.

Electricity

“Identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery”

Question 3 has four diagrams, and only the first is a complete loop with a cell.

Electricity

“Recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit”

The second diagram in question 3 has an open switch, and question 4 links open and closed to off and on.

Electricity

“Recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors.”

Questions 5 to 7 sort six objects, name metals as the best conductors, and explain why wires are coated in plastic.

What's inside this worksheet

Section 1: Powering Appliances

A table of five appliances (microwave oven, small handheld torch, laptop computer, washing machine and TV remote control) for pupils to tick mains, battery or both.

Section 2: Circuit Components

Pictures of a cell, a bulb, an open switch and a buzzer, labelled A to D. Pupils write each letter next to the right job.

Section 3: Will the Bulb Light?

Four circuit diagrams: a complete loop, an open switch, no cell and a loose wire. Pupils write yes or no with a reason, then complete a sentence using open, closed, on and off.

Section 4: Conductors and Insulators

A circuit tester with crocodile clips, then a sort of a steel paperclip, wooden ruler, plastic spoon, copper coin, rubber eraser and aluminium foil. Two questions follow on metals and plastic coating.

How teachers use it

Kit on the table

Give groups a cell, bulb, switch and buzzer to build the four circuits in question 3 and check their answers.

Build the tester

Make the tester from Section 4 and let pupils try the six objects before they fill in the table.

Kitchen survey

Ask pupils to add three appliances from their own kitchen to the table in question 1.

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