Course Guide
Simple Circuits — Teacher Guide
Teacher preparation, timing, facilitation notes, and troubleshooting for three Simple Circuits lessons. Companion to the Shared Activity Guide.
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Companion to the Shared Activity Guide. Three lessons, 30–50 minutes each. Appropriate for K*–3, or as a short drop-in activity at any grade level.
At a Glance
| Lessons | 3 (can be taught separately or back-to-back) |
| Time per lesson | 30–50 min |
| Ages | K–3 primary; adaptable for any grade as a short activity |
| Group size | Any; works best with 2–4 students per table |
| Prior knowledge needed | None |
| Mess level | Low — tape scraps, occasional sticky fingers |
Preparation Checklist (All Lessons)
Lesson 1 additions:
Lesson 2 additions:
Lesson 3 additions:
Lesson 1 — LED Art
Timing Guide
| Segment | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Optional: Rules & sharing discussion | 5 min | See extension notes below |
| Optional: Electricity video (Grades 3+) | 5–10 min | YouTube link |
| Distribute materials | 2–3 min | Hand out battery + LEDs before explaining |
| Free exploration | 10 min | Hands-off — let them discover |
| Part 1 debrief | 3 min | Ask: what did you notice? |
| Optional: Book inspiration | 5 min | Before drawing begins |
| LED Art drawing + building | 20–30 min | Circulate; main issue is LED leg contact |
| Optional: Greeting card | 10 min | Good for students who finish early |
Facilitation Notes
Optional Extension — Classroom Rules & Sharing
This is worth doing if you have mixed-age groups or if sharing is a known challenge in your class. Set up the expectation before materials are distributed: each student gets a few LEDs, but they’re welcome to trade to try different colors. This models the kind of collaborative making environment students will encounter throughout the course.
Optional Extension — Electricity Video (Grades 3+)
The video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrLWLWpS1Gw is a good 5-minute primer for students who have some reading ability and attention span for it. For K–2, skip it — the free exploration is a better first encounter with the concept. For Grade 3 and up, watching first gives students a framework that makes the exploration more purposeful.
Free Exploration
The most important instruction here is to give none. Hand out the battery and LEDs and say: “See if you can make the LED light up. That’s your only goal right now.”
Resist explaining positive/negative before students have had a chance to discover it. When a student figures it out, ask: “What did you notice? Why do you think it works one way and not the other?” Let them explain it in their own words first.
When to step in: If a student is visibly frustrated after 3–4 minutes, give one nudge: “Look at the two sides of the battery. Look at the two legs. Is there a pattern?”
For K–1 specifically: some students will struggle with the fine motor task of holding the LED legs against the battery. Pair these students or pre-bend the LED legs outward slightly so they grip the battery edge more easily.
Optional Extension — Book Inspiration
Have students hold their lit LED and battery up behind the pages of a picture book. This works beautifully — characters with glowing eyes, windows that suddenly have light in them, scenes that transform. It usually takes about 2 minutes before students are enthusiastically trading books. Keep it to 5 minutes or it becomes its own activity. The goal is to warm up their visual imagination before they draw.
LED Art Activity
The key framing is what part of your drawing needs light? — not “draw something and add an LED.” Students who start with the light source in mind (a lighthouse beam, a glowing nose, a lightsaber) tend to make more satisfying pieces than students who draw first and then figure out where to put the LED.
Good prompts if students are stuck: “What in your drawing would actually glow?” / “Where does the light come from in your picture?”
For K–1: simple one-LED pieces work well. A moon, a star, a single candle. Don’t push for complexity.
For Grades 2–3: students can attempt two LEDs if they’re confident, holding one battery leg against each — though this is fiddly and not always reliable without copper tape.
The diffusion effect surprises most students. When the LED is behind the paper, the glow spreads out softly. Point this out explicitly: “The paper is spreading the light — we call that diffusion. It’s the same thing that happens with a lampshade.”
Optional Extension — Greeting Card
A genuinely satisfying 10-minute add-on. Pre-fold a sample card to show the concept. The labeling activity inside the card (LED, battery, + leg, − leg) doubles as a vocabulary reinforcement moment. For older students, encourage them to write a message that connects to the light — “You light up my day,” “Shine on,” etc. Cards make excellent take-home pieces that share the project with families.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| LED won’t light up | Legs not making contact | Press harder; bend legs outward slightly |
| Light doesn’t show through paper | LED pointed wrong direction | Flip so the bulb faces the paper |
| Glow is very faint | Weak battery or thick cardstock | Swap battery; try thinner paper |
| Card LEDs stop working when closed | Legs shifting | Re-tape more firmly |
Lesson 2 — Paper Circuits
Timing Guide
| Segment | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Intro: what is copper tape? | 3–5 min | Brief demo of tape + corner technique |
| Follow the template | 15–20 min | Circulate; most issues are corners and LED contact |
| Three circuit types comparison | 10–15 min | Parallel vs series — let students discover the brightness difference |
| Optional: Make a switch | 10 min | Good for fast finishers |
| Optional: Circuit as story | 5 min | Creative extension |
| Design challenge: hoodie | 10 min | Design first, then build |
Facilitation Notes
Copper Tape Introduction
Demonstrate the corner technique before students start — pull the tape back on itself, then fold in the new direction. If your copper tape has non-conductive adhesive (white rather than copper-coloured on the back), this technique is essential: the conductive copper side must be touching itself at corners, not the adhesive side.
Show students how to peel slowly — rushing causes the tape to crinkle and lose contact.
Following the Template
Walk through the steps on the projector briefly, then let students build. Most issues are:
- Corners — tape lifted off the paper, breaking the circuit. Press firmly all the way along.
- LED legs — not lying flat or shifted after taping. One piece of transparent tape directly over each leg, pressed firmly.
- Short circuits — tape accidentally bridging + and −. The battery will feel warm; remove it and find the bridge.
Students who finish early: challenge them to build the parallel and series versions of the same circuit and compare brightness.
Three Circuit Types
Don’t explain the results before students experiment. Let them build all three and observe. Ask: “Which is brighter? What happens when you pull one LED out of the series circuit — do the others stay on?” The series failure is always a memorable moment.
The takeaway to land: parallel is better for wearables because one broken connection doesn’t take everything else down.
Optional Extension — Make a Switch
This is a favourite with students who like to fidget. Once they understand the gap-and-flap concept, many will start inventing their own switch designs — folded flaps, coin bridges, a finger touching the gap. All valid. The concept is the same: a switch is just a controllable gap.
Design Challenge: Hoodie
Treat it as a design activity before a build activity. The more useful question is “Where do you want the lights, and why?” before “How does the circuit work?” Students who have a reason for their layout (lights along the hood edge, lights spelling initials) make more intentional decisions about circuit type.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| LED doesn’t light up at all | Legs not making contact | Press harder; re-tape |
| LED worked, then stopped | Leg shifted | Re-press; re-tape |
| Battery feels warm | Short circuit | Separate tape; find the bridge |
| Some LED colors won’t light | Blue/green need more voltage | Swap for red or yellow; check battery |
| Tape won’t stick at corners | Non-conductive adhesive | Fold technique — copper must touch copper |
| Parallel circuit not brighter | Depleted battery | Replace battery |
| Series circuit: one LED out, all out | Expected — explain it | Good teaching moment |
Lesson 3 — Wearable Copper Tape
Timing Guide
| Segment | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Intro: paper vs fabric | 5 min | Brief discussion; show a sample if you have one |
| Build a wearable circuit | 20 min | Pairs work well; one holds fabric flat, one tapes |
| Design with purpose | 10–15 min | Sketch first, then build |
| Optional: Message wearable | 10 min | Connects to advocacy themes |
| Optional: Conductive thread intro | 10 min | If materials available |
| Wrap-up discussion | 5 min | See discussion questions below |
Facilitation Notes
Paper vs Fabric
The key difference to establish upfront: fabric moves. A paper circuit can stay flat forever; a wearable gets bent, stretched, and tugged. Connections need to be more deliberate. This framing helps students understand why the parallel rail approach (two strips running alongside each other) is used instead of a complex drawn circuit.
Show a sample rail circuit on fabric if you have one. Even a scrap of fabric with two strips of tape and a single LED makes the concept clear in seconds.
Building the Wearable Circuit
Pairs work better than individuals here — one student holds the fabric taut and flat while the other lays the tape. Fabric that bunches under the tape loses contact.
Common issue: Students place the two rails too close together. A 1 cm gap is the minimum; 1.5 cm is more forgiving. If the battery bridges both rails when placed, the gap is too narrow.
Short circuits on fabric: Same symptom as on paper — warm battery, no light. But on fabric it’s sometimes harder to find the bridge because the tape can shift under the fabric’s texture. Have students lift their work and look at the tape from behind.
Design with Purpose
This is where the lesson connects to the larger MakeFashion Edu themes. The prompt isn’t just “where do the lights go” — it’s “what do you want someone to notice, and why?”
Good prompts: “If someone saw this from across the room, what would they see first?” / “Is the light the focus, or is it supporting something else?” / “What story does this tell?”
For K–2: keep the design simple — one or two LEDs with a clear intention. For Grades 3+: push toward a specific message or identity element.
Optional Extension — Message Wearable
This extension works best after students have a working circuit and some confidence. Give them a clear constraint: choose one thing you care about and make the lights communicate something about it. The constraint focuses the creative work. Share-out at the end of class is worth the 3–4 minutes it takes — students explain their message and others try to guess it first.
Optional Extension — Conductive Thread
Only attempt if you have materials and at least 10 uninterrupted minutes. Pre-thread the needles to save time. The main teaching point is that the concept is identical — the thread carries current, LED legs connect across positive and negative lines — but the execution demands more patience and fine motor control. Frame it as a preview of what’s possible, not a full mastery activity.
Discussion Questions (Wrap-Up)
- What’s harder about circuits on fabric than on paper? What’s easier?
- Why do you think parallel circuits are better for clothing than series circuits?
- If you were making something to wear to an event you care about, what would the lights say?
- Can you think of clothes or accessories you’ve seen that have lights in them? How do you think they were made?
Differentiation (All Lessons)
For students who finish early:
- Lesson 1: Greeting card extension; try multiple LEDs in a drawing
- Lesson 2: Make a switch; design a circuit that tells a two-color story
- Lesson 3: Message wearable; conductive thread intro
- Any lesson: How many LEDs can one CR2032 power? (Typically 3–5 in parallel)
For students who struggle:
- Pair with a student who has succeeded — peer explanation often works better than teacher explanation
- Reduce complexity: one LED, one circuit, no extensions
- Lesson 1: Pre-bend LED legs outward to grip the battery more easily
- Lesson 2: Pre-fold copper tape corners before distributing
For K–1 specifically:
- Skip vocabulary (parallel, series, circuit) — use descriptive language instead: “the path the electricity travels,” “when one goes out and they all go out”
- Focus on the experience and the making; conceptual framing can come in later grades
- Adult support at each table is helpful for fine motor steps
For Grades 3+ or secondary:
- Introduce resistance and why LED colour affects brightness
- Connect to real electronics: phones, computers, EL wire in costumes
- Challenge: design a circuit with a switch, or a circuit where the LED brightness can be changed
Connection to the Full Course
These three lessons are an entry point into the MakeFashion Edu full curriculum:
- Storytelling & Advocacy — connecting circuit design to a message
- Elements of Fashion Design — using light intentionally
- Design Activities — building a full wearable piece for exhibition
The Full Semester Guide covers the complete arc from storytelling through runway exhibition.
Credits
Activities adapted from the MakeFashion Edu Introduction Course. Original curriculum by Twila Busby, Carrie Leung, and Elisa Busby.
SteamHead — Make · Great · Things A nonprofit maker education organisation.