Insulators vs. Conductors
This is Lesson 5 of 7 in the National FFA Organization’s Electricity Unit, a supplement to the Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems CDE. Students learn the difference between conductors and insulators, then build a simple conductivity tester to predict, test, and classify common solid objects and liquids as conductors or insulators. The resource includes a lesson plan, a “Will It Conduct?” student worksheet, and an answer key.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- Define the terms conductor and insulator in the context of electrical circuits.
- Predict whether common classroom materials will conduct electricity.
- Test and classify materials as conductors or insulators using a simple circuit.
- Explain why certain materials are used in real-world electrical applications based on their conductive or insulative properties.
- Time required
- 60 minutes (*Time requirements may vary based upon student understanding and class schedule.)
- Grade level
- Grades 9 and 10
- Materials
-
- A copy of the “Will It Conduct?” worksheet for each student
- Four wide rubber bands (per group)
- Two or three D-cell batteries (per group)
- One #40 light bulb (per group)
- One #40 light bulb holder (per group)
- 2.5 ft (76 cm) insulated wire (gauge AWG 22) (per group)
- Two in (5 cm) wide strip of aluminum foil (per group)
- An assortment of solid test objects: nails or screws (of various metals), glass stirring rod, wooden dowel, cardboard, rubber eraser, rubber shoe sole, plastic utensil, old metal utensil, brass key, cork, copper wire, chalk, aluminum foil, graphite (from a mechanical pencil), plastic pen, feathers, Styrofoam, etc.
- An assortment of test solutions: tap water, salt water (distilled), sugar water (distilled), baking soda and water (distilled), citric acid, vinegar, Gatorade or sports drink
- Masking tape
- Distilled water
- Tap water
- Marking pen (for labeling the solutions)
- Wire strippers or sandpaper (to remove insulation at wire ends)
- Vocabulary
- Circuit, Conductor, Current, Insulator
- Cross-Curricular Connections
- Science – Test and classify materials based on their conductivity.
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills
- Information Literacy; Initiative and Self-Direction; Productivity and Accountability
- SAE and FFA Connections
- Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems CDE; Agricultural Proficiency Area: Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication; Foundational SAE Connections: Agricultural Literacy
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
AFNR Career Ready Practices
- CRP.02Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired through experience and education to be more productive.
- CRP.04Communicate clearly, effectively, and with reason. Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal and/or visual methods.
- CRP.07Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies.
- CRP.08Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem.
AFNR Performance Element
- PST.04Plan, build and maintain AFNR structures.
Common Career Technical Core
- AG-PST4Plan, build and maintain AFNR structures.
Common Core – Reading: Informational Text
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Common Core – Science & Technical Subjects
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.2Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.4Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.9Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.
Common Core – Speaking and Listening
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.