| You will want to gather these materials - a piece of | | | | electric fields inside the tube. This usually happens |
| glad cling wrap or any plastic wrap, a piece of cotton | | | | when the tube is connected through a light fixture and |
| fabric, a piece of fleece fabric, a piece of wool fabric, | | | | the electricity is connected. What you are doing is to |
| other kinds of fabric like something fuzzy. You will also | | | | find out if you can create your own electricity and by |
| need a fluorescent light bulb. You can use a small 12 or | | | | rubbing the cling wrap on the bulb and having the piece |
| 18 inch tube so it is easy for the child to hold. | | | | of fabric you are a conductor and are creating static |
| Now what do I do? | | | | electricity. |
| Go to a totally dark room. | | | | Your discovery will be what material makes the light |
| This is the easy part. Hold the light bulb tube in one | | | | bulb glow the brightest. First make a judgement about |
| hand and a piece of material in the other. Now rub the | | | | what fabric you think will work the best and test your |
| cling wrap quickly along the light bulb tube. Watch what | | | | theory to see if your scientific theory is correct. There |
| happens. Now try it with each of the other fabrics you | | | | is no right or wrong only subjective opinion to find an |
| have. | | | | answer. |
| This is a good reason to have several different types | | | | You may want to do this in a room where there is a |
| of materials with different textures, weights and | | | | soft ground covering. You don't want to drop the light |
| surfaces like fuzzy, smooth and thick. See what | | | | bulb as it may cause broken glass. The electrical |
| happens with each fabric. This is your variable for the | | | | current created is not dangerous. It is static electricity. |
| project, the different pieces of fabric. | | | | You may want to demonstrate with your young child |
| For the child you will want to have them hold the light | | | | first so they do not become alarmed if they see the |
| bulb and fabric and help them by rubbing the glad wrap | | | | light bulb glowing and drop it. Make a science project |
| on the light bulb. | | | | for elementary students easy to understand, easy for |
| What should we notice or expect from this | | | | them to complete themselves and document. This will |
| experiment to make sure we are doing it correctly. | | | | give them confidence in their abilities and they have |
| A fluorescent light bulb will emit a glow when there is | | | | done the science project themselves. |