Learning with Squishy Circuits

Squishy Circuits offer students the opportunity to create their own electrical circuits using clay, wires, batteries, LEDs, motors, and fans. The Squishy Circuit website offers a variety of project videos students can replicate such as a flower that powers a small fan to a snowman with illuminated arms. In addition, an app that includes instructions for creating circuits and a place to share creations is available.

 

In the South Carolina State Academic Standards and Performance Indicators for Science, third grade students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of simple electrical currents (2014, p. 29). Squishy Circuits would be an excellent hands-on activity for students to gain this knowledge and practice creating simple circuits. Circuits could be created by individuals or groups. Initially, students could replicate an example on the website then they could build their own creation and explain the item’s purpose and how it works.

 

A school library could keep a classroom set of Squishy Circuits to either check-out to a teacher or use in a makerspace. Students of all ages and ability levels can use the components to create items by following the available YouTube tutorials or creating an original design. The website offers prepackaged kits ranging from $15 to $275 and individual items to be purchased. Recipes for making the conductive and insulating clay would be helpful for teachers and libraries with limited resources as well as parents that would like to make some for their children to experience this activity at home.

 

According to Hughes’ (2022) R.A.T. model, technology can be used in a variety of ways for teachers and librarians to enhance students’ learning. In the case of teaching electrical currents, teachers and librarians could use Squishy Circuits to demonstrate to the class how a simple electrical current is created instead of referring to a drawing in a textbook or on a smartboard (replacement). Giving the students the opportunity to create a copy of the teacher’s circuit would amplify the learning experience. Finally, asking the students to work in a group to create their own circuit would transform their knowledge.

 

Links for a teacher or librarian:

Squishy Circuits Home Page: https://squishycircuits.com/

Sample Lesson Plan: https://www.thetech.org/sites/default/files/simplicityelectricitylab_squishycircuits.pdf

 

Resources:

Hughes, J.E. (n.d.). R.A.T. Model. TechEdges. Retrieved July 6, 2022 from

https://web.archive.org/web/20190612101737/https://techedges.org/r-a-t-model/

 

South Carolina Department of Education. (2014). South Carolina Academic Standards and Performance Indicators for Science.