3rd Grade Magnetism & Electricity Unit
Lesson 13: Constructing a Flashlight
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STC Electricity

Pacing Suggestions:
1–2 Days

Teacher Resources:
Helpful Teacher TipsTips Teacher Resources Flashlight Project Reflection (Optional). (Adobe® Reader® PDF)
Flashlight Project Reflection (Optional). (Microsoft® Word®)
Essential & Unit Questions 1 Benchmarks 2 Assessments 3 Using Assessments to Monitor Student Learning
What is necessary for making the bulb light? If the circuit doesn't work, what are some possible reasons?

12C(3-5)#5: Make safe electrical connections with various plugs, sockets, and terminals.

11A(3-5)#2: Something may not work as well (or at all) if a part of it is missing, broken, worn out, mismatched, or misconnected.

Summative Assessment: Teacher observations of students' ability to design and construct a flashlight.

  • Are students able to apply their knowledge of circuits and switches to make a working flashlight?
  • If the flashlight doesn't work, do students check for worn out and/or misconnected parts?
  12D(K-2)#2: Draw pictures that correctly portray at least some features of the thing being described.

Summative Assessment: Students' diagrams/drawings of their flashlight (See Procedure Step 6 on page 74 in Teachers Guide.)

  • Do students' diagrams clearly and accurately show all components of the flashlight?
  • Do the drawings show a circuit that can be closed or opened through a switch?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each flashlight design?

3B(3-5)#1: There is no perfect design. Designs that are best in one respect (safety or ease of use, for example) may be inferior in other ways (cost or appearance). Usually some features must be sacrificed to get others. How such trade-offs are received depends upon which features are emphasized and which are downplayed.

Class discussion about the challenges involved in designing and constructing the flashlights.

Note: This benchmark is not addressed in the lesson in the Teacher's Guide. When conducting a post-activity discussion, the teacher needs to deliberately address the benchmark.

  • Are students able to identify some of the challenges involved in making the flashlights?
  • Are the students able to identify how their designs are good and where they had to sacrifice? (Example: the flashlight might fall apart due to exterior being made of construction paper...)
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1. For conceptual benchmarks.
2. Bolded sections indicate portion of benchmark addressed
3. Unless noted as a Summative Assessment, the assessments are formative and should be used to guide teaching and learning.

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