A reading passage on page 1 of this 4th grade science sheet follows a flashlight from the chemical energy stored in its batteries to light at the bulb or LED. Page 2 has a cutaway drawing to label and the first three multiple-choice questions. Page 3 has the fourth multiple-choice question and two written responses. Page 4 is the answer key. It supports NGSS 4-PS3-2 and Common Core RI.4.1.
RI.4.1
“Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.”
Question 5 asks for a quote from paragraph 3 and question 6 asks for an inference using evidence from the text.
“Describe how a flashlight changes the chemical energy in its batteries into electrical energy and then light.”
Questions 1 and 4, and the fourth paragraph of the passage.
“Name the batteries, switch, spring and bulb in a flashlight circuit.”
The cutaway label task on page 2.
Five paragraphs with chemical energy, spring, circuit, switch, metal strip and bulb printed in bold. The text covers the open gap when the flashlight is off, how the switch moves a metal strip to close it, and why the beam dims as the batteries run down.
A cutaway drawing with four numbered pointers. Students use the word bank (batteries, switch, spring, bulb) to name each part.
Questions 1 to 4 are multiple choice. They ask what energy the batteries store, what conductor means in the second paragraph, what happens when the switch slides on, and what the bulb or LED does.
Question 5 asks students to copy a phrase from the third paragraph and name the two jobs of the spring. Question 6 asks whether the flashlight turns on if the metal strip bends away from the bulb.
The four labels, the letter answers, two sample quotes for question 5 and a model answer for question 6.
Before taking one apart
Read it before students open up a spare flashlight. The labels on page 2 then match the parts in their hands.
Underline the bold terms
Have students underline the six bold terms as they read. Question 2 sends them back to the second paragraph to work out what conductor means.
Bent strip discussion
Finish with question 6 as a short class talk. Students apply the closed-loop idea to a damaged flashlight, which is the same reasoning a repair would use.
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