Grades 3–5
Electrical Safety
Color the safe choices and put an X on the dangerous ones, then write a safety rule for your home.
Science worksheet · Electricity and circuits
Static Electricity Balloon
An experiment: rub a balloon on your hair and test what it pulls on.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–5
- Time
- About 30 minutes
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Circuits, Conductors and insulators, Electrical safety
What kids do
Printed on the sheet:
- You need: a blown-up balloon, tiny bits of torn paper, a wall and a sink. Rub the balloon on your hair or a wool sweater 20 times. Now it has a static charge. Hold it close to each thing below.
- My hypothesis: the charged balloon will
- What I held the balloon near
- Tiny bits of paper
- A wall (let go!)
- A thin stream of water from the
- An empty soda can on its side
- Conclusion: what did rubbing the balloon do? Did the balloon push or pull on things?
Words on this sheet
My guessWhat happenedYour hairtap
Teacher tip
Try torn paper, salt and a stream of tap water. The water bending is the favorite.
How to use it
- Show a real battery, bulb and wires so kids can see the circuit.
- Trace the path of the electricity with a finger on each diagram.
- Let partners compare answers and settle any differences with a book or a video.
Watch for
Only use small batteries for classroom circuits, never wall outlets.
Talk about it
- What should you never do near an outlet?
- How could we find out if that is true?
Take it further
Build simple circuits with batteries, foil and small bulbs in small groups.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More electricity and circuits worksheets
Grades 3–5
Will the Bulb Light?
Look at four circuits, circle yes or no, then explain why an open circuit does not work.
Grades 3–5
Conductors and Insulators
Sort ten materials into conductors and insulators, then explain why wires are covered in plastic.
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