Students at Bergan Catholic School in Fremont recently combined creativity, Christmas spirit, and hands-on science as they learned the basics of electricity with Prairie STEM. Primary students explored how electrical circuits work by designing and building light-up Christmas cards.
Using conductive tape, LED lights, and coin batteries, students discovered how electricity travels through a closed circuit to power a light. This engaging activity helped students understand that electricity needs a complete pathway in order for energy to move from a battery to a device, such as an LED.
Each grade level participated in the lesson with an age-appropriate challenge, allowing students to build on their knowledge and skills as they progressed.
Kindergarten: Discovering the Basics
Our youngest learners began by coloring a beautiful Christmas nativity scene that would become their light-up card. While creating their artwork, they were introduced to the idea that electricity travels in a path called a circuit. Students learned that a battery provides power and that a tiny light, called an LED, can glow when the electricity reaches it. Even at this early level, students began understanding that science is all about how things connect and work together.
1st Grade: Completing the Power Connection
First graders added another layer to their learning by coloring their cards and carefully placing the coin battery into their circuit. Students learned that the positive side of the battery must face up so that when the corner of the card is folded over, it connects the circuit and allows electricity to flow to the LED. This step helped students understand how important direction and placement are in electrical circuits. When they folded the corner and saw the light shine, they could clearly see how completing the pathway allowed the electricity to power their card.
2nd Grade: Building the Circuit
Second graders took the next step by completing the taping of their circuit pathway. They carefully placed conductive tape along the template, added an LED light, and inserted the coin battery to power their creation. As they assembled their cards, students saw firsthand how connecting the parts correctly allowed electricity to flow and light up their design. It was exciting to watch their faces light up just as brightly as their cards when the circuit worked!
3rd Grade: Engineers at Work
Third grade students took on the full challenge of building their circuits independently. They taped the entire pathway for their circuit, added the LED, and placed the coin battery in the correct position—making sure the positive side of the LED connected to the positive side of the battery. This required careful thinking and problem-solving, much like real electrical engineers. If the light did not turn on right away, students investigated their circuit, adjusted connections, and tested again until they found success.
Through this activity, students learned key science concepts including:
- Electricity needs a complete circuit to flow.
- Batteries provide stored energy that powers electrical devices.
- LEDs only work when connected with the correct polarity (positive to positive, negative to negative).
- Engineers often test and troubleshoot their designs to make them work.
Beyond the science learning, the project also encouraged creativity, patience, and perseverance. Students experienced the excitement of combining art and engineering to create something they could proudly share with their families.
Prairie STEM loves bringing hands-on learning experiences like this to students. When curiosity, creativity, and science come together, learning truly comes to life—sometimes even lighting up the room one Christmas card at a time. ✨
