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This 250-word informational reading passage introduces Grade 4-5 students to the fundamental concepts of electric circuits. Aligned with NGSS standard 4-PS3-2, the passage explains how electric circuits are complete paths that allow electric current to flow from an energy source through devices and back. Students learn about the essential components of a circuit: a power source like a battery, wires that carry electricity, and a load such as a light bulb. The passage uses the familiar example of a flashlight to demonstrate how circuits need an unbroken loop to function properly. Through clear explanations and concrete examples, students discover why switches are important for controlling the flow of electricity and what happens when a circuit is broken. The content includes audio integration for enhanced accessibility and engagement. Key vocabulary terms like circuit, current, power source, load, and switch are defined naturally within the text. The passage connects abstract electrical concepts to everyday experiences, helping students understand the science behind devices they use daily. Supplementary activities include multiple-choice questions, writing prompts, and graphic organizers that reinforce comprehension and application of circuit concepts.
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All parts are connected in an unbroken loop, you have a closed circuit, and electricity flows continuously. Image Credit Freepik.
A circuit is a complete path that electricity travels through. Think of it like a race track that goes all the way around in a loop. Electric current—the flow of electricity—can only move when the path is complete. Without a complete circuit, electricity cannot flow and devices will not work.
A simple circuit needs three main parts. First, you need a battery, which pushes electricity through the circuit like a pump pushes water through pipes. Second, you need wires that connect everything together and create the path. Third, you need something that uses electricity, like a light bulb. When you connect a battery to a bulb using two wires, you create a loop. Electricity flows from one end of the battery, through the wire, into the bulb (making it light up), through another wire, and back to the other end of the battery.
If you break the path anywhere—like disconnecting a wire—the circuit becomes incomplete. When this happens, the electric current stops flowing immediately. The bulb goes dark because electricity needs that complete loop to keep moving. This is exactly how a light switch works. When you flip a switch off, you break the circuit path. When you flip it on, you complete the path again, and electricity flows.
What is a circuit?
A complete path for electricityA type of batteryA broken wireA light switch
What does a battery do?
It breaks the circuitIt pushes electricity through the circuitIt stops electric currentIt makes wires longer