Most pupils don't know what a telegraph is, much less how one works. A secret simulation has scholars pick the size of the primary and secondary loops, the battery voltage, and which letters in the Morse Code they want to transmit. They observe the workings of a telegraph and the importance of the loops on both sides of the transmission.

Concepts

telegraphs, morse code, electromagnetism, electric currents, electric motors, magnetism, voltage

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Discuss how the invention of the telegraph changed society
• Have students write a short message in Morse Code for another student to translate

Classroom Considerations

• Sign up for a free CK-12 account to access the interactive

Pros

• Offers challenging analysis question in the simulator
• Includes intuitive controls, allowing students to explore the simulation with little guidance

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.9-10.4 RST.11-12.4