Lesson Seven: Introduction to Breadboards

Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering

Lesson Plan Author: Phelana Pang

LESSON OVERVIEW

Activity Time: 50 minutes.

Lesson Plan Summary:

In this lesson, students will explore how breadboards work and create simple circuits.

STUDENT UNDERSTANDINGS
Big Idea & Enduring Understanding:
• Breadboards are used to prototype circuits.

Essential Question:
• How can breadboards be used to create circuits?

Learning Objectives:
Students will know…
• Breadboards are made of rows of metal clips. Components can be inserted into certain
positions in the breadboard to create a circuit.

Students will be able to…

• Use breadboards and create circuits.

Vocabulary:
• Circuits: circuit, battery/power, current, switch, open/closed, positive/negative
terminals, resistor, LED, motor, diode.

Standards Alignment: This lesson addresses the following middle school Next Generation
Science Standards (NGSS).

NGSS Cross-Cutting Concepts

● Systems and System Models
● Cause and Effect

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

NGSS Science & Engineering Practices
● SEP: Developing and Using Models

MATERIALS

Material Description Quantity

Student Handout 7.1: Students label the parts of the breadboard and 1 copy per
Introduction to identify components student
Breadboards
Breadboards Item #64, $5.00 from 1 per
https://www.adafruit.com/product/64 group/pair
AA battery packs Item #12900, $1.50 from 1+ per
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12900 student/pair
AA batteries 2+ per
student/pair
LEDs Item# 12062, $2.95 for 20 pack from 1+ per
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12062 group/pair
330 ohm resistors Item #11507, $0.95 for 20 pack from 1+ per
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11507 group/pair
Push buttons Item #9190, $0.50 from 1 per
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9190 group/pair
Potentiometers Item #9806, $0.95 from 1 per
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9806 group/pair
Vibration motors Item #8449, $4 from 1 per
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8449 group/pair
Buzzers $4.49 from 1 per
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Buzzer-DC- group/pair
Physics-Circuits/dp/B0083LWHDQ

TEACHER PREPARATION

1. Teacher should go through Student Handout 7.1 and create each circuit (can save the
circuits as samples or take pictures as needed).

2. Preview the Introduction to Breadboard video by Science Buddies and see how much of
it you want to show (entire video is 12:20 minutes, but you can show just up to 6:04).
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WReFkfrUIk

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

 PROCEDURE

Engage: Circuit Review (5 minutes)

1. Review circuit concepts from lesson 6. Have students quickly recap the components
they’ve used and how circuits need to be wired.

Explore and Explain: Introduction to Breadboards (35 minutes)

2. Introduce breadboards and how they are arranged.

3. Show the Introduction to Breadboard video by Science Buddies.

a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WReFkfrUIk (up to 6:04).

4. Design the following circuits on a breadboard:

a. Circuit 1: Battery, LED, resistor
b. Circuit 2: circuit 1 + switch
c. Circuit 3: circuit 2 with motor or multiple LEDs

Evaluate: Reflection (10 minutes)

5. Students can explain their understanding in their lab notebook using the reflection
prompts at the bottom of the page of the handout.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

Assessment Opportunities: Student knowledge, skills, and concepts for this lesson will be
assessed in a number of ways.
• As students go through the exercises, check for understanding. Ask students to explain
why components were placed in certain orientations.
• Check the responses to the reflection questions at the bottom of the handout.

Student Metacognition:
• Provide students opportunities to come up with questions, reflect on their initial ideas
about what they know and understand, and write them down in their lab notebook.
They can add new/changing ideas to their lab notebook.

Scoring Guide:
• Teacher Resource 7.1 provides a scoring guide for Student Handout 7.1.

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

 EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Extension Activities:
• Students can use breadboards to create circuits in parallel and circuits in series with
multiple LEDs, resistors, buttons, etc.
• Students can draw circuit diagrams for the circuits they design.

TEACHER BACKGROUND & RESOURCES

Background Information:
Breadboards allow for prototyping of circuits. It allows for “plug and play” of components
without soldering. This is great for students to experiment with and gain understanding of the
way circuits need to be designed in order for them to work.

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

Student Handout 7.1: Introduction to Breadboards
Name:________________________________ Date:__________________ Period:__________

What is a breadboard?
A breadboard is a device that allows you to build basic to intricate circuits. Here is how it
works…

If we open up a
breadboard and look
inside, this is what you will
find (left). Metal rows,
which means every row is
connected. Each column is
not!

The two columns along the side are for powering the board.
You will notice a (+) on one side and a (-) on the other.
When connecting a battery pack, the red wire goes to (+)
and the black wire goes to (-).

Connect any wire from the power columns to the board to power your circuit. You can watch
this detailed how-to video for more explanation. The first six minutes are best! How to
Use a Breadboard from Science Buddies TV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WReFkfrUIk.

You will often need a resistor to make sure your circuit works. A resistor is a component that
reduces the voltage traveling through the circuit. This is important because different

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

 pieces need different amounts of power even when they are in the
same circuit! If you don’t use a resistor, you can damage components,
like burn out an LED, or your circuit simply just won’t work! It can be
hard to determine what resistor to use for your circuit. Each resistor
reduces electricity by a certain amount. The best method is to do
some research and find out what is best based on your project.

Do this: On the diagram to the right,

1. Label the battery pack, (+) column, LED, resistor, and (-)
column.

2. Is the circuit open or closed? How do you know?

3. What might you add to the circuit to make it work? Draw it in and label.

TASK 1:
Let’s try using it! You will need: two AA batteries, a battery holder, 1 LED, 330 ohm (Ω) resistor,
and jumper wires
Step 1: Power your bread board by connecting the red wire to the positive column and the
black wire to the negative column.
Step 2: Place your LED in the breadboard. Be sure to place the two leads into different rows.
Step 3: Use a red wire to connect the positive column to the positive lead (the longer one!) of
your LED.
Step 4: Connect one end of the resistor on the same row as the negative lead (the shorter one!)
of your LED, and the other end in a different row (NOT the same row as the positive lead
of the LED).
Step 5: Use a black wire to connect the resistor to the negative column of your bread board.

Congratulations! Your light should be on, you have successfully used a breadboard to complete
a circuit!

TASK 2: Try building the circuit diagrammed below! Gather your supplies (LED, resistor, push
button, battery pack - it’s okay to use two batteries only), then build the circuit.

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

TASK 3: Instead of an LED, can you attach a motor to your circuit so that the button turns the
motor on and off (a motor requires more current than an LED)? Or can you connect
multiple LEDS to your breadboard (try in parallel and in series)? Draw your breadboard
set-up(s) below and label.

TASK 4: Instead of a button, can you connect a potentiometer to your circuit? A

potentiometer acts like a dimmer switch, changing the brightness of your light!
Here is a helpful guide: Dimmer Switch Step by Step Guide, available at:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-control-the-brightness-of-a-LED/

Reflection

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

 1. How does a breadboard work? Explain its layout and how its construction makes it a
helpful tool.

2. Explain the role of each of the following components:

Battery

Wires

Push Button

LED

Resistor

Potentiometer

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington

 Teacher Resource 7.1: Introduction to Breadboards Answer Key

Do this: On the diagram to the right,

1. label the battery pack, (+) column, LED, resistor, and
(-) column.
2. Is the circuit open or closed? How do you know?
Open - no wire to connect LED to battery

3. What might you add to the circuit to make it work?

Draw it in and label.
Insert one end of a wire anywhere along column of red wire from battery pack, and insert
the other end of the wire in the same row as the positive end of the LED.

Reflection
1. How does a breadboard work? Explain its layout and how its construction makes it a
helpful tool.
The breadboard is made of metal clips that are connected by rows. Components can be
used to connect different rows. The columns on either side of the breadboard are not
connected to the rows and can be used for battery and ground. This allows for testing
circuits and different components without having to solder them in a permanent circuit.

2. Explain the role of each of the following components:

Battery Source of voltage

Wires Connects components

Push Button Switch that closes circuit

LED Light emitting diode - lights up in closed circuit, requires resistor

Resistor Reduces current flowing through circuit

Potentiometer Varies the amount of resistance flowing through a circuit

Copyright © 2018, Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, University of Washington