This Little Light: Flashlight Construction

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Building a flashlight from common and recyclable materials is a fun way to build a circuit, and every student can take it home with them!  Construction is pretty simple but it sometimes takes a little troubleshooting because strong connections between all the parts is essential to making this work!


Material Notes - 

  • Cardboard: I just cut up a shipping or paper box into strips.

  • Christmas lights: Use a BROKEN strand; there is no reason to use working lights because you are going to cut them up.  For each light you are going to need a light with wire tails and a length of wire.  Each end of both components will need to be stripped.  I like a wire stripping tool but you can do it with scissors.

  • Battery:  Use a AA or AAA, larger batteries have the potential to generate too much heat.

  • Large Paper Clip

  • Brads: you will need 2

  • Skewer: This will not be a part of the final product but it will allow you to put a hole in the cardboard for the brad.


Procedure - 

STEP 1: Test your light bulb by placing each end of the light bulb to the battery.



STEP 2: Use a skewer to put a hole in the cardboard, and secure a paperclip using a brad.


STEP 3: Use a skewer to put a second hole in the cardboard, just inside of the other end of the paper clip. Move the paper clip to the slide and put in another brad that IS NOT HOLDING the paper clip in place



STEP 4: Flip the cardboard over and tape the battery to the cardboard.


STEP 5: Secure one end of the light to one end of the battery. Secure the other end of the light under the brad.

STEP 6: Secure one end of a wire to one end of the battery. Secure the other end of the wire under the brad.


When the paper clip is moved to come into contact with the brad on the front the light should illuminate.  If not, check your connections.  Circuits will only work if metal is touching metal at all points!




Follow up Questions - 

I really use this as a fun way to build a circuit that every student can take home but if you are looking for a few follow up questions, here is what I have used.

  • Did you build a series or parallel circuit?

  • The voltage of an AA battery is 1.5 volts.  The resistance of a christmas light is 50 ohms?  What current is flowing through your flashlight?

  • What is the advantage of having a switch as a part of your circuit?

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