Getting Brighter with the "Spark" of Knowledge

When we grow up we learn that electricity is "shocking" in the form of static in the carpet. We learn that it can kill you when unleashed in its more powerful forms, such as lightning. We have now learned that, when it is harnessed in the form of a circuit board, it can spark knowledge of facts that might otherwise be boring. This happened when we made circuit boards for Mrs. Kirsch's class.


First, we had to come up with ten questions about a chapter with the correct answers. On a cardboard, we created a table with the questions on the left and the answers, in a the scrambled order, in the the right column. We punched hole by the the numbers for the questions and answers. Then we flipped the board over. We took aluminum foil and masking tape to match the questions and answers, creating part of a circuit with foil as the conductor of electricity.

Now the next step was putting together the power and light source. We used wire and a 9-volt battery and made our wire harnesses. Then we attached the wire to a small light. The battery and bulb assembly was then attached to the top of the cardboard with a length of wire hanging from each end. To test our knowledgee and the circuit, we would touch one end of the wire to the foil in the hole by the question. When we match the question to the correct answer, the light would light up. If we match the question with an incorrect answer, it would not light up. As we tried the circuit boards of our classmates, it was a great way to test our circuits and our knowledge.


Reporter: Elissa K.
Photographer: Elissa K.
Editor: Mrs. M.