Probes, Suggested Grade Levels, Concepts, and Related Disciplinary Core Ideas:

ELECTRIC CHARGE

1- Do the Objects Need to Touch? (3-5); action-at-a-distance face; contact force, interaction, electric force, electric charge; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about non-contact forces . The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that electrically charged objects can exert a force without direct contact. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

2- How Will the Balloons Move? (3-8); electric charge, electric force; interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric charge. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that objects charged in the same way repel each other. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

3- Can It Be Electrically Charged? (6-12); electric charge, conductors, insulators, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric charge. The probe is designed to reveal which materials students think can be electrically charged. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

4- What Happens When You Bring a Balloon Near a Wall? (6-12); electric charge, electrostatics, electric fields, electrons, protons, symbolic representations, models, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electrical interactions. The probe is designed to reveal how students represent electrical interaction. Type of Probe: Concept Drawing Probe

5- Conductors or Insulators? (6-12); electric charge, electric current, conductors, insulators, grounding, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about conductors and insulators. The probe is designed to determine how students distinguish between objects that allow the charge to move and objects that do not allow the charge to move easily. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

6- Does the Example Provide Evidence? (6-12); electric charge, electrostatics, interaction, evidence; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric charge. The probe is designed to reveal how students use evidence to explain an interaction. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

7- Where Can You Find Electric Charge? (6-12); electric charge, electrons, protons, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric charge. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that electrically charged particles are found in all matter. Type of Probe: Descriptor Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

8- Where Does the Charge Come From? (6-12); electric charge, electrostatics, conservation of charge, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric charge. The probe is designed to reveal where students think an electric charge comes from. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

ELECTRIC CURRENT

9- One Wire or Two? (3-8); circuit, battery, transfer of energy; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about complete circuits. The probe is designed to reveal whether students can figure out how a single wire can be used to make a complete circuit. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

10- How Can You Light the Light Bulb? (3-8); circuit, battery, transfer of energy; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about complete circuits using a filament lightbulb. The probe is designed to reveal how students think the battery and bulb need to be connected. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

11- Where Do I Put the Switch? (3-8); circuit, switch, current, transfer of energy; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about complete circuits. The probe is designed to reveal how students think current flows in a circuit. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

12- How Do You Think About the Flow of Electric Current Through a Circuit? (6-12); current, circuit, models; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric current. The probe is designed to identify the mental model students use to explain how electric current flows in a circuit. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

13- How Bright Will the Bulbs Be? (5-12); current, series circuit, circuit, resistance; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about series circuits. The probe is designed to reveal what students think happens to the brightness when more bulbs are added to a circuit. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe, P-E-O Probe

14- Which Burns Brighter? (6-12); circuit, current, parallel circuit, series circuit; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about . The probe is designed to . Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

15- How Would You Rank the Brightness of These Bulbs? (6-12); circuit, current, parallel circuit, series circuit, resistance; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about types of circuits. The probe is designed to how students think circuit configuration affects brightness of a bulb. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

16- How Does the Current in Each Battery Compare? (6-12): circuit, current, parallel circuit, series circuit, voltage, battery, resistance; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about different types of circuits. The probe is designed to find out how students rank the brightness of bulbs in 3 different circuit configurations. Type of Probe: Ranking Probe

17- Does It Matter if the Wire Has Knots? (5-12); circuit, current; circuit, current, parallel circuit, series circuit, resistance; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the flow of current through a wire. The probe is designed to reveal the limitations of water hose analogies students use to explain the flow of current. Type of Probe: Opposite Views Probe

18- Does Electricity Leak from an Outlet? (6-12); current, circuit; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electricity. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about how current leaves a wall socket. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

19- Why Two Prongs? (6-12); current, alternating current (AC); PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about household (AC) current. The probe is designed to reveal how students think a two pronged plug works. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

20- Does the Weight Change? (6-12); battery, electric charge, charge conservation, voltage; PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about chemical cells. The probe is designed to reveal what students think is happening inside a battery when it gets “used up”. Type of Probe: Familiar Phenomenon Probe

21- How Fast Do the Charges Move? (6-12); electric charge, current, battery, movement of charge; PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electric charge. The probe is designed to reveal how fast students think electric charges move in a wire. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

MAGNETS AND ELECTROMAGNETISM

22- Can Magnets Push or Pull Without Touching? (3-5); push, pull, magnetic force, attraction, repulsion, action-at-a-distance, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic force. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about magnetic interactions. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

23- Can You Pick It Up with a Magnet? (3-8); magnetic force, magnetic materials, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic materials. The probe is designed to reveal which materials students think interact with a magnet. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe, P-E-O Probe

24- Does a Magnet Pick Up Any Kind of Metal? (3-8); magnetic force, magnetic materials, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic metals. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that. only certain types of metals interact with a magnet. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Opposing Views Probe

25- What Happens When You Wrap a Magnet with Aluminum Foil? (5-12); magnetic force, magnetic materials, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic force. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about how magnetism passes through materials.. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

26- What Happens If You Use the Other End of the Magnet? (3-8); magnetic force, interaction, attraction, repulsion, poles; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic interactions. The probe is designed to reveal how students think the pole of a magnet determines the interaction. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

27- Does a Magnet Work Without Air? (5-12); magnetic force, magnetic field, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about . The probe is designed to . Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetism. The probe is designed to reveal whether students think air is needed as a medium for magnetic interaction. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

28- Which One Attracts? (6-12); magnetic force, attraction, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic attractions. The probe is designed to reveal whether students think the word attract applies only to the magnet. Type of Probe: Word Use Probe

29- How Would a Magnet Work on the Moon? (6-12); magnetic force, gravity, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetism . The probe is designed to reveal whether students think gravity affects magnetism. Type of Probe: Imaginary Phenomenon Probe

30- What Happens When You Hold a Magnet Near a Refrigerator? (6-12); magnetic force, interaction, symbolic representation, model; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic interactions. The probe is designed to find out how students visually represent a magnetic interaction. Type of Probe: Representation Analysis Probe

31- What Happens When a Magnet Is Brought Near a Charged Ball? (6-12); magnetic force, interaction, electric charge, poles; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic interactions. The probe is designed to find out if students confuse electrostatic effects with magnetic effects . Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

32- What Makes It Stick? (6-12); magnetic force, electric charge, magnetic field; PS2.B: Types of Interactions and PS3.C: Relationships Between Energy and Forces; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic interactions. The probe is designed to reveal how students think magnets “stick” to objects. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

33- What Happens When a Magnet Breaks? (6-12); magnetic force, poles, magnetic dipole, symbolic representation, models, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the properties of magnets. The probe is designed to find out how students would represent the poles of a bar magnet cut in half. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe

34- How Can You Represent a Magnetic Field? (6-12); magnetic field, symbolic representation, models, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic fields . The probe is designed to reveal how students would represent a magnetic field using magnetic field lines. Type of Probe: Representation Probe

35- How Can You Magnetize a Nail? (6-12); magnetization, domains, symbolic representation, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetization. The probe is designed to find out how students would represent a magnetized and non-magnetized nail at the particle level. Type of Probe: Representation Probe

36- How Can You Make an Electromagnet? (6-12); electromagnet, magnetic field, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electromagnets. The probe is designed to reveal where students think the magnetic effect comes from when wire is wrapped around a nail to make an electromagnet . Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

37- Does the Type of Wire Make a Difference in an Electromagnet? (6-12); electromagnet, magnetic field, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electromagnets. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that an electromagnetic effect can pass through an insulated wire. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe, P-E-O Probe

38- How Can You Make a Stronger Electromagnet? (6-12); electromagnet, magnetic field, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electromagnets. The probe is designed to reveal what variables think affect the strength of an electromagnet. Type of Probe: P-E-O Probe

39- What Happens When You Bring a Compass Near a Current-Carrying Wire? (9-12); magnetic field, magnetic poles, interaction; PS2.B: Types of Interactions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about magnetic poles. The probe is designed to reveal whether students think a magnetic field must always have magnetic poles. Type of Probe: Phenomenon-Based Friendly Talk Probe