You Light Up My Life

Students were met with this very challenge and they lived up to the challenge.

Beep, beep, beep. We are interrupting this electricity test for an emergency. We need to use Morse Code to signal S. O. S. for someone to save Mrs. Lynch from the innards of this alligator. Can you use the approved items to create a flashlight so that she can use it to signal for help? The universal code for S. O. S. is three dots, three dashes, three dots. Flash your own handmade flashlight to save her from the powers of the evil swamp alligator. Dots are quick flashes and dashes are longer flashes of light.

You must follow the directions at the top of each list to create a flashlight that uses a complete circuit with a switch. Circle items to complete your shopping list.

You pass the challenge when you show a teacher it works, you’ve used all the parts and you can explain how it works. Hope you can save me!

On day 1, we read the directions, shopped for our items and started to formulate a plan. They tried to put the pieces together so they would light up, be effective for turning on and off and stay together. 

Construction is quite the challenge but perseverance and a plan come through and save the day.

Student try different ideas to see what will work.

As day two begins, most students were able to quickly get their bulbs to light up. Putting the flashlight together in a way that would allow it to turn on and off was the larger problem.

Using tinfoil as the backing for the light allows the light to reflect and be brighter.

Students continue to share materials and ideas to work on their design.

Day three marks some pleased faces. All students were able to make a circuit that worked. They used problems to improve their design and learned that in this example the electricity would only flow in one direction!