Students are aware of devices that use electricity based on day-to-day life. Students understand that certain devices need to be plugged in or turned on to work. However, they may not understand that the power behind that work is generated by electricity because they cannot see it. In fact, the only experience students may have witnessing electricity is while watching a lightning storm. Electricity generated for everyday use often comes from human-made sources like batteries and power plants.

In this unit, students learn that electricity is the type of energy that enables many familiar household devices to work. It makes light bulbs work, warms heat-producing appliances, and powers the movement of devices with moving parts. Electricity powers every device in a home that plugs into a wall socket. Electricity also powers devices that run on batteries. The current electricity that operates devices that plug in is produced in electric power plants. The electricity is transferred in power lines to homes and other buildings.

Static electricity is a different type of electricity. Static electricity can be observed in lightning and in the spark that sometimes can jump from a fingertip to a doorknob. Static electricity can also be observed as an invisible push or pull between materials. Magnets also generate invisible pushes and pulls. This property of magnets makes them useful in mechanical motors that rotate because of electricity.