The Clay County 4-H Program recently partnered with Hayesville Elementary School’s
4th-grade class to explore the fascinating world of electricity. On Tuesday, October 21st, students participated in an interactive lesson titled Bright Lights, based on the Magic of Electricity National Curriculum.
The lesson began with a discussion about the basics of electricity—how it works, how we use it every day, and how electrons flow to create an electric current. To bring these concepts to life, students were immersed in a creative camping scenario: they were “out in the woods” when their flashlight was accidentally smashed on a rock. With night quickly approaching, they discovered that while the flashlight’s case was broken, the bulb and batteries still worked.
Searching through their supplies, they found some aluminum foil and quickly realized they might have just enough materials to engineer a new light source.
Using only the batteries, the bulb, and aluminum foil, students were challenged to make the bulb light up. After some trial and error, teamwork, and problem-solving, every student successfully created a working light! The excitement in the room was electric as students celebrated their “aha!” moments.
Once they mastered the basics, the challenge was raised: could they keep the bulb lit
without holding the components together? With creativity and persistence, students devised clever ways to stabilize their circuits—demonstrating not only their understanding of electricity but also their growing engineering skills.
Looking ahead, the class will continue their exploration by learning to control the flow of electrons, comparing conductors and insulators, creating open and closed circuits, experimenting with magnetism, and ultimately building their very own rotary motor.
The day truly proved that learning can be both bright and electrifying! For more
information regarding the Clay County 4-H Program, please contact Kiffney Stokes at (828)389- 6305 or email her at kiffney.stokes@ncsu.edu.