Electrical Circuits Activities for 5th Grade Science

This 5E lesson for TEKS 5.8B guides 5th-grade students in exploring how electrical energy in complete circuits can transform into motion, light, sound, or heat, while identifying the requirements for a functioning circuit. The lesson includes hands-on station labs, reading passages, videos, and research tasks, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding through categorization, writing, drawing, and assessments. Editable presentations, interactive notebook templates, and note-taking guides are provided in both print and digital formats. With STAAR 2.0-aligned assessments and flexible activities, this resource supports both in-person and virtual learning environments. The resources below will give students a comprehensive understanding of electrical circuits. All of the following materials are also included in the Kesler Science Membership.

The Kesler Science 5E Lesson for TEKS 5.8B is a comprehensive energy unit that helps 5th-grade students explore how electrical energy in complete circuits can transform into motion, light, sound, or heat, while identifying the requirements for a functioning circuit. The lesson includes editable presentations, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments designed for student-led, differentiated learning with minimal prep.

Following the 5E Model, the lesson begins with engaging class activities and vocabulary resources in English and Spanish. Students then explore circuits through a station lab featuring hands-on experiments, reading passages, videos, and research tasks. Output stations allow students to demonstrate understanding through categorization, writing, drawing, and assessments, with a bonus challenge station for extended learning.

The explanation phase offers editable PowerPoints, interactive notebook templates, and note-taking guides in both print and digital formats. Elaboration activities include student-choice projects, while the evaluation phase provides STAAR 2.0-aligned assessments and review questions. This flexible lesson supports both in-person and virtual learning environments.

Engage your 5th-grade students with this student-led station lab aligned with the 2021 TEKS 5.8B standard. This interactive physical science lesson explores how electricity travels through circuits, allowing students to demonstrate how electrical energy in complete circuits transforms into motion, light, sound, or thermal energy while identifying the requirements for a functioning circuit.

Designed for flexible, student-centered learning, the lab features nine differentiated stations that encourage independent or small-group work. Activities include hands-on experiments, videos, readings in English and Spanish, and research tasks. Students will build models, illustrate circuits, write responses, and complete assessments that reinforce their understanding of energy transformations.

A bonus challenge station offers extension activities such as crosswords, games, and mini-projects for advanced learners. This low-prep, high-engagement resource is suitable for both in-person and virtual learning environments.

The Electrical Circuits Student Choice Projects align with the 2021 TEKS energy standard 5.8B, offering 5th-grade students various ways to demonstrate their understanding through creative, student-led activities. A project page outlines six different options, plus a “design your own” project, with an editable rubric for teacher, peer, or self-assessment.

These flexible, multimodal projects allow for personalized learning and are easily adaptable to different student needs. Two versions of the project page support differentiation, with modified options for students who need extra support and challenge opportunities for advanced learners. Teachers can adjust the rubric to fit their grading preferences.

The resource includes nine project options, teacher directions for support, and an editable rubric assessing vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy. Most projects can be completed using standard classroom supplies like paper, markers, and scissors, with digital completion options available.

The Closed Circuits Science and ELA Integrated Writing Activity engages 5th-grade students in a creative exercise to demonstrate their understanding of closed circuits. Using an instruction manual format, this activity encourages scientific reasoning and writing exploration. It is designed for both in-person and virtual learning, keeping students engaged inside and outside the classroom.

This TEKS-aligned prompt helps students show how the flow of electricity in closed circuits can produce light, heat, or sound. The resource includes teacher directions with answer guides, project ideas, and rubrics, as well as projection versions for classroom or virtual use. Students receive full-sized handouts featuring a prompt, self-check, pre-writing strategy, and layout template, along with half-sheet versions ideal for interactive notebooks. A digital interactive PowerPoint version, compatible with Google Slides, supports both remote and in-person learning.

This versatile activity works well as a cross-curricular project, pre-test assessment, student choice assignment, enrichment for early finishers, extra credit, make-up work, TELPAS sample, or differentiation exercise. It can also be displayed on bulletin boards or collected into student anthologies. Designed for review, this prompt assumes prior knowledge of closed circuits or access to research materials.

WIKI Tickets© formative assessments are a fun and engaging way to check student understanding of physical science concepts for 3rd–5th grade. This set includes 37 assessments, each available in five formats: a full-screen projection version, three printable handout sizes, and an interactive digital version compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides. Designed to align with NGSS and TEKS standards, every standard is covered with at least one ticket, and some topics include multiple assessments for deeper exploration. A helpful table of contents is also included to show the alignment with specific standards.

These assessments cover a wide range of topics, including forces and motion, forms and transfers of energy, states and properties of matter, electrical circuits, magnetism, gravity, and waves. Additional concepts such as conservation of mass, mixtures and solutions, reflection and refraction, and the Sun’s energy are also addressed. WIKI Tickets© can be used as exit tickets, bellringers, or quick comprehension checks and are adaptable for in-person, 1:1 digital, or virtual learning environments. Whether projected, printed, or assigned digitally, they offer a flexible, ready-to-use tool for assessing student progress.

Year-Round Resources

These year-round activities will increase your students' understanding of many middle school science topics. All of these activities are also included in the Kesler Science Membership.

Visual Data & Graphing

You're not alone if your students struggle with understanding graphs, charts, and tables. It's a skill that takes an enormous amount of practice. This resource will help students build a strong foundation in analyzing data and creating their own data visualizations.

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Bell Ringers and Warm-Ups

These middle school science bell ringers are an excellent way to engage your students as soon as they walk into your classroom. This comprehensive FULL YEAR resource includes everything you need to start off each science class with an interesting warm-up activity.

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Review Board Games

Each game board has been carefully designed to keep students engaged. There are 10 different action spaces on each board and dozens of question cards. All of the actions are related to science concepts and keep the students motivated throughout the game.

Each game is ready to play. Simply print out the board and the cards and let the students enjoy reviewing nine different units.

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Essential Questions and Standards

Below are the essential questions and standards associated with the lessons and activities included in the atoms unit. This topic is only one of more than 100 middle school science topics included in the Kesler Science Membership.

Essential Questions

How does electricity move through closed circuits?
How can electricity produce light, heat, and sound?

Standards

TEKS Science - 5.8B Electrical Circuits