A self grading, virtual lab using a preloaded Google Form! Includes a printable google form key, 2 formats of lab guides (can complete with or without the form) & lab guide key!

Students use the PhET simulation and lab guide to build and test circuits to determine factors that affect the strength of an electric current using the 4 testable questions provided in the lab: "How does [voltage, length of wire, type of material & wire diameter] affect the strength of electric current?" (NGSS PS2-3) Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces. Concluding the lab, early finishers can complete a checklist of bonus circuit challenges!

Concepts: open/closed circuit, series circuit & parallel circuit. current, ammeter (prompts how to use), voltage, voltmeter (prompts how to use), resistance, conductors, insulators, dependent/independent variables, baseline

This Currents & Circuits 2 TRIO BUNDLE includes:

1. Currents & Circuits 2 - Google Form Lesson (with shortened lab guide)
2. Currents & Circuits 2 - Interactive Lab Guide (complete lab guide--no form needed)
3. Currents & Circuits 2 - Circuit Challenges! (circuit challenges that are at the end of the Currents & Circuits 2 google form as a printable extension activity)

✔ Student Versions - Non editable & ready to assign digitally

✔ Teacher Versions - Editable with Answer Keys

✔ Minimal Prep - Digitally Ready to assign to an LMS or print

STUDENT FAVORITE! Students enjoy tinkering with the simulation, so this would also be an excellent collaborative learning experience as they show off each other's circuits!

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☝ * This Currents & Circuits 2 Virtual Lab is the sequel to the Currents & Circuits 1 PhET Lab, which is an introductory lesson with notes prompts, videos to learn about circuitry and voltage. Students experiment by predicting which circuits would light a light bulb and then test their predictions using the simulation.

Concepts: electric currents, voltage, circuit, load, power source, wire, open/closed circuit, series circuit, parallel circuit.

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Currents & Circuits "Series" Resource Guide:

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Aligned with NGSS PS2-3

A series of 2 consecutive virtual lab lessons with a self grading google form and supplementary lab guides, vocabulary notes and interactive handouts. Everything is needed for input with notes, investigation, assessment and an extension. By the end, students will be able to identify factors that affect the strength of electric current. Choose a couple resources or bundle them!

Currents & Circuits 1 - Intro Lesson & Virtual Lab

"What are electric currents and how do circuits differ?"

Input - Notes - Investigate

1. Currents & Circuits 1 - Guided/Non Guided Vocabulary Notes (Notes only)
2. Currents & Circuits 1 - Google Form Lesson (Google Form only)
3. Currents & Circuits 1 - DUO BUNDLE (both Google Form & notes together)

Currents & Circuits 2 Lesson - Investigate 4 Variables & Construct Explanations

"What affects the strength of electric current?" (NGSS PS2-3)

Investigate - Analyze - Assess - Extension

1. Currents & Circuits 2 - PhET Lab Interactive Lab Guide (Complete Lab Guide)
2. Currents & Circuits 2 - Google Form Lesson (includes shortened version of lab guide specifically for the Google form - still optional to use.)
3. Currents & Circuits 2 - Circuit Challenges Extension (printable version of the extension section in the C&C2 google form)
4. Currents & Circuits 2 - DUO BUNDLE (Complete Lab Guide + Extension)
5. Currents & Circuits 2 -TRIO BUNDLE (Google Form, Complete Lab Guide + Extension)

Currents & Circuits 1 & 2 BUNDLE - All resources bundled with 20% discount!

The Bundle is best for ...

• Teachers needing to differentiate digital and printable formats for IEP accommodations or teaching concurrently
• Teachers wanting more flexibility in formatting to modify activities (shorten, lengthen, change sequencing, etc..)
• Teachers wanting access to all updates in the series at no additional cost

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Currents & Circuits 2 Virtual Lab Guides (Interactive & Printable!)

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✔ Digital Ready! All handouts in this resource can be delivered digitally with no prep (just assign and go) or printed for students ahead of time!

✔ Print Ready! Pages are set with transparent textboxes with blue font set in place where students type.

✔ Printable Google Form Answer Key - so you can review questions, answers and feedback prior to the lesson

⏲ Each lesson can take anywhere around 45 +/- minutes (depending on individual learning levels and how long you allow students to tinker with the simulation.

• PhET Lab Guide to be used with Google Form Lesson (5 pgs) - Can be completed along with the Form Lesson. Serves as notes for a science journal. *(I have also had student use the prompts in the form to freehand in their journal if I didn't have time to print or if I wanted to encourage note taking practice).

• Regular PhET Lab Guide (7 pgs) - Includes detailed instructions that would otherwise be in the GForm. Includes directions for making the baseline circuit that can be displayed on the board instead to make the guide an even 6 pages (noted in speaker notes on document).

Learning Supports to Encourage Student Autonomy:

• Checklists for student support in step-by-step directions
• Note taking/modeling prompts for students
• Response validation questions for instant feedback
• Hints and guidance
• Feedback already preloaded
• Auto-grading

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Currents & Circuits 2 PhET Lab - Scope & Sequence

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(NGSS PS2-3) Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces (Stability and Change)

SEP's:

Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Models, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Constructing Explanations

Learning goal:

Students will ask questions, use models and analyze data to conduct an investigation to determine factors affect the strength of electric currents.

25 Total Points - 7 Form Sections as Follows:

1. Intro: Name, Course Section, Summarize the learning goal,
2. Currents & Circuits 1 Quick Review! - Watch a BiIl Nye clip, answer questions over circuit types.
3. Identify Variables, Make Predictions & Design Baseline Circuit Students are introduced to the question, "What affects the strength of electric currents" and the 4 testable questions. Then, they complete 2 checklist questions to select which variables are dependent/independent. Then, predict the relationships of the independent variables and the dependent variable. (this is non-graded because it is a prediction question. The same question is asked in the conclusion of this lab and is 4 points)
4. What Affects the Strength of Electric Current Investigation Students use the PhET simulation to conduct an investigation for each of the 4 testable questions. Each test is sectioned using an image for a heading (easier for students to see). The instructions get shorter as the investigations progress and students gain an understanding of the simulation's functions to encourage tinkering:
   1. How does VOLTAGE affect the strength of electric current? The first question asks students to infer what a voltmeter does based on its name. Students are given a checklist with guiding images to create a baseline circuit and tester circuit. Students are shown how to use the voltmeter to measure voltage as well as the ammeter to get Amps. Then, students add batteries to their circuits and record their findings in data table on the Student Lab handout (or can record in notebooks). There is a response validation question so students can check if their data is correct
   2. How does the LENGTH OF A WIRE affect the strength of electric current? Again, students are given instructional images and a checklist to help them conduct their investigation.
   3. How does the TYPE OF MATERIAL affect the strength of electric current? Hypothesize which materials will be conductors/insulators using the checkboxes. Then, test each using the circuits and recording results (9 pts)
   4. How does WIRE DIAMETER affect the strength of electric current? students analyze and interpret a data table over wire gauges, resistivity and amps.

5. Conclusion students revisit the question to predict the relationships of the independent variables and the dependent variable. Then, explain WHY the 4 factors affect the strength of electric currents

6. Free Play - Circuit Challenges! If students have extra time or would like enrichment, they can choose circuit challenges from a checklist. Challenge examples are break a fuse, make a circuit using only the pencil for wire, make a heart circuit etc.

7. Student Survey - Asks difficulty level of assignment, understanding of lesson, and leave a note for any struggles or a-ha moments. (SO important for teacher insight!)

Attribution:

A special thank you to PhET for providing

these awesome resources to our students!

PhET Circuit Construction Kit: DC

PhET Interactive Simulations

University of Colorado Boulder

https://phet.colorado.edu

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Currents & Circuits 2 - Google Form Lesson

✅ Included is a Google Drive Folder that contains the following files:

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1. Currents & Circuits 2 Google Form Lesson - 7 sections, 25 points
2. PDF of Google Form Answer Key - Includes correct answers & feedback - 15 pages
3. Teacher - Editable Lab Handout Key - 5 pages + TOU
4. Student - Printable & Interactive Form Lab Guide (Optional)- 5 pages

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Currents & Circuits 2 Complete Interactive Lab Handout

✅ Included is a zipped folder that contains the following files:

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1. Student - Currents & Circuits 2 PDF Lab Guide - 7 pgs
2. Student - PowerPoint of Interactive / Printable Lab Guide - 7 pgs
3. Teacher - Currents & Circuits 2 Lab Key - 7 pgs + TOU

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Currents & Circuits PhET Lab Challenges

✅ Included is a Google Drive Folder that contains the following files:

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1. Teacher - Editable Handout - 2 pages + TOU
2. Student - Digital/Print Handout - 1 page

* All resources have been updated as of 2/10/23

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❓ Google Form Question Types & Grading

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Graded:

• multiple choice
• multiple choice grid
• true/false
• fill-in-the-blank graded with response validation

Non Graded:

• student checklist (used as prompts for note taking & lab directions)
• subjective/critical thinking

*The autograding gives a "raw score" but subjective/critical thinking questions are a great way to assess individual student thinking. This can be done quickly and efficiently by viewing responses in the form spread sheet --total grading game changer!

Responses are available as soon as students submit. The form automatically emails response receipts to students so there is always a record of completion.

For Easy Grading: Teachers can implement a cutoff score and allow students to repeat the lesson as needed to attain mastery.

Lesson delivery options:

• Students complete both the google form with the form lab guide
• Students complete the non-form lab guide along with the PhET sim
• No prep time? Can't make copies? No worries! Students can complete the form by itself and freehand the prompts in their notebooks

*I did a combination of this to help reinforce much needed student note-taking skills and why I love the checklists!

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Google Form Settings Info

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These Google Form Lessons are intended to be used as a tool for formative learning--NOT as a quiz. The forms are set up as a "quiz" for auto grading. I utilize the form's features for creating a linear lesson flow (especially advantageous for lower level learners or independent learning), autograding, embedding, using a variety of question types and the convenience of the ability to read students' subjective answer questions simultaneously in a google spreadsheet as students submit. 

✅ The Google Form SETTINGS Are Set as Follows:

• Emails are automatically collected
• Copy of response ALWAYS emailed to student
• "Quiz" for autograding
• Release grades immediately after each submission (answers & feedback goes right to email)
• Students can see missed questions, however they CANNOT see correct answers.
• Students can see their score and points received for each question
• Response editing is not allowed
• new edits do not get recorded in the spreadsheet. Instead, allow students to resubmit for a higher score so they can demonstrate mastery and see their growth. They truly do appreciate that!
• Students can now auto-save in forms so they don't lose their work as of this year! Yay!
• Students can submit multiple times
• Progress bar is shown throughout
• confirmation message encourages students to view their results and feedback as well as shows another link to resubmit.

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Using Google Forms for Formative Learning

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• Do not assign critical thinking questions for points. The teacher should read student answers in the form spreadsheet. *Can read AS students submit them or later!
• Filter by name, class period, score--it's a nice tool for a quick assessment of student thinking and learning!
• Students should view their results upon submitting to see their answers and read feedback provided.
• Allow students to resubmit until they demonstrate mastery by giving a cutoff score.
• Implementing a "cutoff score" encourages students to think about their answers and read the feedback provided. I typically do not give the "answer" in feedback but I will give hints or example answers for critical thinking questions.
• Students can turn in pictures of their notes with the form online for accountability. I called this "evidence of learning"--which was a nice workaround using Canvas assignments.
• In Canvas LMS, create the assignment, embed the form for students to complete in the page (leave a link to open in a new tab). Submitting the form in the assignment does not automatically submit the assignment. In order for students to submit the assignment, they can upload an image/video of their work along with the form submission.
• If you use Google Classroom LMS, simply create the assignment and the scores automatically update in the gradebook!

There is MINIMAL PREP besides printing copies (not even necessary--I had student do everything in their notebooks!), reviewing the form & adjusting your class periods (if even that)! My middle school classes were set up in blocks of A-Days: periods 3,5,7 and B-Days: periods 4,6,8. If yours is too, you are set! :)

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The "Bells & Whistles"

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I have absolutely purchased sub-par google forms before where they didn't come with an answer sheet and weren't even autograded! (what?!). You won't get sub-par here :) These Google form lessons have been designed for in class digital or at home distance learning that is both teacher and student friendly. Students thrive on that instant feedback!

The forms are auto-graded and give a raw score for objective questions, but there are also subjective critical thinking questions that are ungraded! This encourages more in-depth student thinking and teacher insight of student learning than a "typical" auto-graded assignment. 

The "Bells & Whistles":

• Are high-quality forms designed to be fully functional and interactive for teacher and student efficiency.
• Include all the “bells and whistles” such as guiding pictures, response validations, auto-grade, feedback on specific questions for specific answers, answer keys, videos, checklists, links, shuffled questions when appropriate, simulations, fill in the blank, short answer and long answer critical thinking questions.
• May include formative questions at the beginning & end of form to allow students to reflect upon their own learning as well.
• Typically involve a lab simulation to tinker with using the form as a guide and check for understanding.
• Include a student survey at the end of each form for students to indicate the difficulty level of the assignment and leave a note for the teacher (the sweet notes are so helpful!)

I began developing these form style lessons to help me complete labs and teach concurrently during COVID. The positive feedback and successful results I observed from students encouraged me to continue creating more. Some can get pretty intricate! The immediate feedback the GForm lessons can provide helps raise student confidence in learning science content --there is research to support this! I encourage you to try a full lesson with your class.

Click HERE to see more Google Form Lessons and Labs!

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