The National Curriculum states that children should be taught how to "represent series circuits by drawings and diagrams, and how to construct series circuits on the basis of drawings and diagrams". To be able to do this, they should know about the various symbols which are used to represent the different features which may be found in a circuit.

1) A worksheet which shows these symbols (and their meanings) can be found here. This page can be printed and photocopied for the children to use during their science work. Although they may not encounter all of the different features shown on the worksheet, it will be useful for them to be aware of what they are, and how they are represented.

2) The second worksheet, which is available here, deals with the second part of the statement shown above, i.e. "how to construct series circuits on the basis of drawings and diagrams." The children should look at each circuit diagram in turn, and decide whether they think the bulb will light or not. If they think it will, they should put a tick in box A, if not put a cross. When they have made their predictions for all of the circuit diagrams, they should construct each circuit in turn, checking if the bulb lights. If the bulb does light, put a tick in box B, if not put a cross. Once they have done this for all circuits, they can check their predictions.

When letting the children make circuits, check that the equipment (e.g. bulbs, batteries) works before the lesson, removing anything that does not work. Although this may take up some of your time, you will save yourself a lot of stress during the lesson, and the children's results will be more accurate.

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