Enquirer Photo: Clif Knight
Barkley Bridge School fourth graders Lacey Smithson, left, and Jo Nelson show a miniature house they made and furnished complete with electrical lighting for a six-weeks study unit on electric circuits. | Clif Knight

Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

Fourth grade science students at Barkley Bridge Elementary School demonstrated their knowledge of electric circuits by participating in a hands-on “Parade of Homes” project on Monday.

Students, working in units of two to three, applied the knowledge they gained during a six-weeks study on electric circuits to the design and construction of miniature homes, which featured a power source of their own making.

Each student group was given one to two minutes to talk about their houses and demonstrate how they used the electric circuit to energize them. Afterwards, a Parade of Homes was held to give students in other grades the opportunity to view and ask questions about their work.

“The term ‘electric circuit’ meant little or nothing to the students when we started the study unit,” said fourth grade science teacher Joy Thomas. “They struggled to build their first circuit but after that they could build one with their eyes closed.”

“We wanted them to know how electric power is generated and how it’s used efficiently to run their homes,” she added. “Soon, they were trouble-shooting their own circuits.”

“For the homeowner, it’s a cool thing to know how a bulb in a light fixture works,” she pointed. out. “For these students, having that knowledge will give them a step up no matter what field of work they pursue.”

She said the study unit which was taught under AMSTI standard last year, has since been upgraded to STEM standards.