Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Electricity and Circuits

Name: Paul Ayers

Content Area: Physics

Grade Level: 11-12

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

HS-PS2-4.Use mathematical representations of Newtons Law of Gravitation and Coulombs Law to describe and predict the
gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
HS-PS3-3.Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another
form of energy.* - project idea and labs.
HS-PS2-5.Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that
a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current. -towards the end of this unit and to introduce the following unit.
Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

One big idea here to introduce this unit, is for students to observe the similarities in the Newtonian Gravitational Force and
the Coulomb Electrical Force.
Fg = (G*M*m)/(r^(2)) (Gravitational Force)

and

Fe = (k*Q*q)/(r^(2)) (Electrical Force)

The students won't need to extensively use these equations in the unit, but they should be able to conceptually see how
these two different force relate to each other mathematically.The definition of an electric force the students will use instead, is
a reduced version of Lorentz force rather than Coulomb force:
Fe = q*E
The students will need to be able to solve physics problems that require them to incorporate conceptually understanding of the

material with simple algebraic equations such as:

Fe = q*E

and

E = -(V)/(d)

and

V = -E*d

and

V = I*R

and

P = I*V

The first is once again, the Lorentz Electric Force (unit: Newtons); the second is the definition of the Electric Field (unit:
Volts/Meter); the third is the definition of the Electric Potential Difference (or Voltage) (unit: Volts); the fourth is Ohm's Law (also
a definition of Voltage); and the fifth is the definition of Electric Power (unit: Watts).
where q = charge; E = electric field; V = voltage; d = displacement; I = current; R = resistance and P = power.
The circuit portion of this unit will also require the students to be comfortable analyzing pictures of circuits. The circuits will either
be series or parallel so students must be comfortable understanding the difference between both types' set up. The students will
need to apply the definition of another algebraic equation known as Equivalent Resistance, in order to find a reduced equivalent
circuit and apply Ohm's Law. This will make more sense throughout the lessons, but its a continual practice that will take time and
patience to be comfortable doing on problems. The two different equations for Equivalent Resistance (for series and parallel) are:
Req = R1 + R2 + R3 +..... (Series Equivalent Resistance)
and
(1/Req) = (1/R1) + (1/R2) + (1/R3) + ..... (Parallel Equivalent Resistance)

Unit Summary:

This unit is on electricity and circuits for the high school physics classroom. In this unit, the students will learn about electric
potential difference (also known as voltage). They will learn how this relates to electric fields andelectric forces. They will then

learn about current, the EMF, and the functions and properties of the two basic types of circuits: series and parallel. The
beginning of this unit will focus on a more conceptual understanding of electric potential difference, electric fields and electric
forces with only very simple equations to be known. The definition of the electric (Lorentz) force we will be using in this unit, will
only involve electricity, and won't involve magnetism until the following unit. The second half of this unit will be entirely on the
properties and understandings of the two types of circuits. There will also be some room towards the end of this unit to focus on
understanding how magnetic fields come about from currents and how magnetism and electricity are truly related to one another.
Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:

Formative:

Summative:

Brainstorm: How many

objects can you think of that
you own use electricity?
Follow Up: How do you think
electricity works to power
your objects?

Flash Cards:
Use Quizlet to study the
concepts just learned on
electricity.
Video on electricity
concepts:
Students will watch an
informative and applicable
video pertaining to voltage
and electric fields.
Demo:
The students will observe a
demonstration involving a
Tesla Coil and the concept of
electric potential. They will
have to answer questions
pertaining to this demo.

Worksheet:
Graphic Organizer that will
organize different concepts
that relate to one another in
this unit. The columns on this
worksheet that organize
different ideas must present
practice problems that go
with each idea as well.
Project:
Students have to build an
electric cart.

Lab Activity:
The lab will require students
to build a simple series circuit
of up to four light bulbs. The
students will need to measure
the voltage across each light
bulb.
Lesson 1
Student Learning
Objective:
By observing and
taking notes from the
PowerPoint
presentation, the
students will be able
to gain a deeper
understanding of the
material. The note
taking follow along
activity with the T and
F answers will gain a
basic understanding
of how the students
understand.
Lesson 2

Acceptable Evidence
(Assessments):
The acceptable
evidence will be in the
form of T or F
worksheet after they
take the notes.

Lesson Activities:
The lesson activities here will include following along in the PowerPoint lecture, as
well as the T or F follow along worksheet. The worksheet is a more formative form of
assessment whereas the notes are the main setting for the central focus of the
content in this lesson. This is particularly because the formative assessment for the
lesson is also based on the lecture.

Student Learning
Objective:
The learning objective
here is for the
students to be able to
access outside
resources in order to
be able to gain a more

Acceptable Evidence:
The acceptable
evidence here would
be the worksheet that
they need to fill out as
they are going
through the webercise
activity. This

Lesson Activities:
The lesson acrivities will include the webercise activity. The students will go into the
computer lab in the school and access each of the websites on this worksheet. As
they do they will need to answer all of the questions listed on this worksheet.

applicable
understanding of the
content in this unit.
By going into other
sites and resources
for this lesson, the
objective is that the
students will be able
to gain a better
understanding of the
content by seeing
another
representation of the
material.
Lesson 3

websercise activity
features groups of
questions per website
to be accessed.

Student Learning
Objective:
The main learning
objective here is for
students to be able to
see the different
concepts and how
they relate to one
another. The goal is to
see how students find
the ways in which the
different main
concepts of the unit
relate to one another,
both through
equations and the
applications.
Unit Resources:

Acceptable Evidence:

Lesson Activities:

The acceptable
evidence here will be
in the form of the
worksheet that the
students will have to
complete. In order for
the students to
complete this activity
they will need to
access both the
resources on my DUP
as well as the
textbook for the
course.

The main lesson activities here will include accessing the textbook and the websites
resources in order to fill out the worksheet and understand how the main ideas and
concepts in this unit all relate to one another. The students will be able to observe
each others worksheets and critique how they see how the main concepts relate to
one another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rb9guSEeVE
This is a great website that shows a visual look at Electric Potential Difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63FnT0W-Hxc
Shows a great visual look at an electric field physically occuring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vnmL853784
A great look at electric field patterns from a different medium
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/balloons-and-static-electricity
A great simulation of static electricity
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/circuit-construction-kit-dc
A great way for students to see a simulation of both parallel and series circuits (DC only)
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/ohms-law
This simulation shows how Ohm's Law works
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/john-travoltage
A humorous and awesome simulation that shows how voltage describes "getting shocked."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xPjES-sHwg
A video that shows how current and voltage are related to one another
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zrlOLrDuG4
A fun and interesting little experiment to look at with current
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/voltage-current-resistance-and-ohms-law
This is a helpful website that also feature a lot of great and helpful information relative to the unit.
CREATE A FREE WEBSITE

Useful Websites:
http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
http://www.physicspages.com/
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/