The circuit will light up the headpiece using electricity. Electricity is a type of energy that comes from two types of charged particles. The type of charged particle that is positive is called a proton. A charged negative particle is called an electron. These tiny particles can hold electricity and pass it on.

To make electricity, you must have electrons. Electrons are a tiny charged part of an atom. When a stream of electrons move through a conductor, you get electricity. A conductor is anything that allows the flow of electrons to go through it. 

Materials such as copper metal that allow electricity to flow through them readily are conductors, others like plastic and rubber that don’t are called resistors.

Electrons have to travel and they do so in an electrical circuit kind of like running around on a circular track. The path of a circuit has to end where it starts with no gaps. This is called a closed circuit. If there is a gap, the electrons can’t continue so the circuit is broken. This is called an open circuit. 

Electric current provides energy to power lots of things in our daily lives, from microwaves to your phone.

A circuit is a path that an electric current (the flow of electricity) can take. The different parts of a circuit are an energy source, a conductor, an electrical load, and at least one controller. Using circuits, we can control the power of electricity to do certain tasks.

Following along so far? Great!

An energy source is what supplies the circuit with an electric current in the form of moving electrons.

Finally, many circuits have controllers that, well, control the flow of electricity by turning it on or off. Switches like light switches and buttons on a microwave are some controllers that you use every day!

For this project, the energy source is the battery. The electrical loads are the three LED lights. You will connect the lights to the battery using conductive thread (the conductor). On the lilypad battery holder, you may see a small black switch. That is our controller which allows Sylvia to turn her headpiece on or off whenever she likes. After you create the circuit, you will attach it to the headpiece and then decorate it by making fun shapes out of the felt pieces.

If you’re still uneasy about making a circuit for the first time, don’t be! I ‘ll guide you every step of the way. Find an open, flat area and assemble your materials.