Lausanne second graders surveyed Dr. Frassinelli's every move as he showcased a copper coil spinning on a class-made electric induction motor. A light connected to the end of the contraption blinked steadily.
“Now it’s your turn,” Lower School Science Teacher Dr. Frassinelli expressed, and the students quickly grabbed the equipment needed to create their own spinning coil.
The young scientists departed to different areas of the room and carefully went through every step of Dr. Frasinelli’s instructions so the copper coil would spin and the light connected would dim and brighten.
During the process of making the science experiment, the coil was suspended on two wire terminals, and the coil shafts were insulated on half their sides. The second graders snapped two alligator clamps to the terminals, connecting them o an electric light.
“The result was: the light was energized and lit up nicely, but the light would dim with every half-turn of the armature, as the armature siphoned off its share of voltage,” Dr. Frassinelli said.
Creating the motors ties into the PYP curriculum while students learn about the worlds natural resources, specifically copper, and gives them the opportunity to practice what they are learning with real-world objects.