Madlab Electronics

Make your own electronic circuit to keep!

Using soldering irons and appropriate safety equipment your school classroom becomes a hive of activity as students construct their own electronic device of real electrical components.

Whilst constructing circuits your students will learn about capacitors, resistors, diodes and more as well as how electronic circuit boards are manufactured in the real world.

The kits have been designed by Madlab and have been used by the Edinburgh Science Festival. 

 

Australian Curriculum and NSW K to 10 Syllabus Links

Australian National Curriculum Mapping for all our science workshops & shows

Australian ACARA Content Outcomes:

Science

• Electrical circuits provide a means of transferring and transforming electricity (ACSSU097).
   
• Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity (ACSSU219).

NSW Science & Technology Syllabus Content

A student:

 

• describes how scientific understanding about the sources, transfer and transformation of electricity is related to making decisions about its use (ST3-6PW).
  
  NSW K - 10 Science Syllabus mapping for all our incursions

Which electricity workshop is right for me?

As we offer a number of electricity workshops it can be a little confusing as to which is right for your class. Please have a look below for a very short description of the different ones available so you can quickly see what would work best for you school. The titles are clickable links to take you to the full workshop description.

Create a Buzz
This workshop covers the fundamentals of electricity & magnetism. What is static vs current electricity? What is electromagnetism? What materials are resistors vs. conductors? How do basic circuits work? Most schools choose this school science visit when they want us to spend time at the beginning of their topic prior to having students construct their own circuits later.
 
Electrical circuits
This school workshop is generally chosen when students already have a grasp of how electrical energy is transferred. The focus of this workshop is to arrange electrical components such as lights, batteries, capacitors, switches and more to produce either series or parallel circuits that work.
 
Madlab Electronics
In some ways similar to the electrical circuits program, only this time the circuits themselves are being constructed using soldering irons. The focus of this workshop is learning the skills and techniques for putting electrical circuits together in real electronics. Students can keep the circuits they make as part of this workshop.
 
Renewable Energy
The focus of this workshop is to look how electricity can be generated using renewable energy sources (wind, solar, etc.). These energy sources are compared with non-renewable electrical energy power generation in terms of reliability and their effect on the environment.
 

Are you studying energy transformations instead? 

If your class is looking at potential vs. kinetic energy, how energy comes from the sun as well as how energy can change into light, heat, sound, magnetic, chemical, etc., the most appropriate workshop would be Exploring Energy.
 

• For Years 5 and up with a maximum of 20 students per class
• Access to 3 electrical power sockets and at least 6 tables 
• Chairs are not required but useful
• Duration 2 hours, set up time 45 minutes and pack up time 30 minutes
• Soldering irons are used; safety precautions are taken however it is still the school responsibility to choose students who are suitable for this program

The nature of this workshop means that some students will finish early whilst others will get within 3/4 of completing their circuit due to varying abilities.

 

• $580 inc. GST per session (maximum 20 students)
• Cost includes a kit for each student to keep
• Combine with Create a Buzz or the Electrical circuits workshop as an extension
• In a regional area? Find out how we can attend your school as part of a country science tour!

If you are booking 3 or more programs we will require 50% of the invoice on booking so that we can order and pay for the kits we need.

We don't charge per student as we know that this causes an additional administrative load on your school office. Most schools tend to fill the science workshops & shows based on our recommended maximum number of students. If you have any questions on our science incursions please contact us.

Call 1300 856 828, or use this form to enquire or make a booking for your primary school.
Free 30 minute teacher PD video conference with 2 or more booked science shows.


 

Extension Ideas!
 

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  1-hour Professional Development in the afternoon or create a Full Day STEM Accelerator!
  For schools outside of metropolitan areas please contact us to discuss how this science workshop can visit your school as part of a regional visit.
  
  
   
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  Often students attend our science workshops and shows with questions that stem beyond the covered topic area. Ask a scientist aims to give students a chance to get their questions answered! Run as a 30-minute session at a cost of $70 inc. GST.
  
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NEW Primary science teaching book

Over 100+ Free Online Science Experiments!

• Fun science experiments that you can do at class or home! 
• Use for science projects or lesson plans.
• Step by step instructions make each science experiment fun, safe, cheap and easy to make.
• There are also links to good science websites, so teachers, parents and students can use this section as an online science resource. 
• Of course, the science experiments are highly engaging for all kids! 

• Light & Sound
• Science Trivia
• Kitchen Chemistry
• Force & Movement
• Electricity Experiments
• Coloured Shadows
• Mathematics
• Human Body
• Water, Balloon & Candle
• Air Takes Up Space
• Glowing Messages
• Lovely Light Beam