How to bring those batteries back to life
First, you should be wearing safety goggles and rubber gloves
when you hook up the circuits to the battery.
Next, check the fluid levels in all of the cells of the batteries
by popping off the little caps. The fluid should be nearly to
the top of the hole, but not quite.
If not, then fill them with distilled water, or very clean water.
Fill with a funnel if necessary.