Five household objects each hide a conductor and an insulator in this 3-page 4th grade science worksheet. Students look at a small picture of an electric cord, frying pan, screwdriver, toaster and lamp plug, then use a ten-word bank to write which numbered part is the conductor and which is the insulator. Page 2 asks why the insulator is there for each object, and page 3 is the answer key. It supports NGSS 4-PS3-2.
4-PS3-2
“Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.”
Page 1 sorts the parts of five objects by whether electricity or heat moves through them, and page 2 asks how each insulator stops that flow.
A five-row table puts a small picture in each row with two numbered pointer lines. Students write the conductor and the insulator beside each picture, using a word bank that includes copper wire, plastic coating, metal prongs and rubber grip.
One question per object, each with two writing lines. One asks why the frying pan has a plastic handle and another why the screwdriver has a rubber grip.
The conductor and insulator for each object by pointer number, and a short because-sentence for each why question.
Object hunt
Bring in an old cord, a screwdriver and a pan if you can. Handling the real thing makes the small pictures easier to read.
Heat or electricity
Talk about which kind of flow each insulator stops. The pan handle blocks heat, the cord coating blocks electricity, and the toaster case does both.
Full sentences
Use page 2 to practice writing a complete answer. The key models a short because-sentence for each object.
Get started today
