Six everyday static electricity events are matched to their effects on this 3-page 3rd grade science worksheet. Students write a letter from A to F for causes such as taking a wool hat off and clothes tumbling in a dryer. Page 2 asks them to pick one pair and explain it with the words charge, attract and repel. It ties to NGSS 3-PS2-3, and page 3 gives a sample explanation for each of the six pairs.
3-PS2-3
“Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.”
Page 1 links six causes to effects such as balloons pushing apart and paper bits jumping to a comb. Page 2 asks students to explain one using charge, attract or repel.
A three-column table with six numbered causes, a Match box and six lettered effects, such as "A small shock" and "The balloons push apart". A boy with a balloon sits at the top right.
Students write the number of the pair they chose, from 1 to 6, then answer "Why does this happen?" on eight lines. A word bank of charge, attract and repel and a picture of a comb with paper bits sit above.
The six letters with each cause and effect written out, followed by a sample explanation for every pair.
Demo first
Show pairs 4 and 6 live with a comb and two hung balloons before students match. They can treat those two as known and work out the rest.
Sentence starter
Write "Because the balloon has a ... charge" on the board for page 2. Students who only write the word static have not yet used the three words.
Pick a different pair
Ask each table group to pick a different pair for page 2 so you can share six explanations back to the class.
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