Download Law of the Conservation of Energy

Energy
Lesson #2: Law of the Conservation of Energy
Time frame: 60 minutes
Please write the vocabulary on the board before the lesson
Vocabulary:
Conservation- prevention of injury, decay, waste or loss
Friction- the force that resists motion between objects/bodies in contact
Objective:
Students will be able to
1) Explain and demonstrate the law of the conservation of energy
Introduction:
Students have learned about three forms of energy - potential, kinetic and
chemical. Potential energy is stored energy that can be harnessed for a later action like
falling or rolling. Kinetic energy is the energy of movement. Moving cars and bikes have
kinetic energy. Chemical energy is a form of potential energy; it is stored in food,
batteries and gasoline. All of these types of energy interact with one another. The
chemical energy from food can be turned into kinetic energy when you start running
around or into potential energy when you climb up to the top of the slide and wait before
sliding down.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed - instead it is always shared. Energy can
change form but the total amount of energy in the universe stays the same. This idea is
called the law of the conservation of energy.
Read story with students to introduce concept.
Focus Activity 1:
Watch the downloaded video “Conservation of Energy” on the iPads. Review as
a class what they just watched.
Focus Activity 2:
In your bin is a tetherball. Attach the ball to a swing set outside or a strong
branch if a swing set is not available. Have students try out the experiment. Discuss
concepts of conservation of energy, potential energy, and friction as you go.
Conclusion
Discuss with students four places where they see energy being shared or transformed.