Download Exploring Forms of Energy

Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 46550
Exploring Forms of Energy
This lesson helps students explore and learn about different forms of energy: mechanical, chemical, electrical, sound, light and heat. This lesson
works students through the Engage, Explore, and Explain sections of the 5E model. This lesson can be completed over one or two 50-minute
science blocks depending on time you give students for each activity. During this lesson students will work in groups to sort pictures according to
different forms of energy. After sorting the pictures, the teacher and students will come together to discuss and define the different forms of
energy and where each picture should be sorted and why.
Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 5
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Overhead Projector
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 30 Minute(s)
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Energy, Mechanical Energy, Chemical Energy, Electrical Energy, Sound Energy, Heat Energy, Light
Energy, Forms of Energy, Kinetic Energy, Potential Energy
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
ATTACHMENTS
Forms of EnergySummative Assessment.pdf
Forms of EnergyFormative Assessment.pdf
Forms of EnergyFormative Assessment Sample Answers.pdf
Forms of EnergySummative Assessment Answer Key.pdf
Forms of EnergyExplore Picture Sort.pdf
Forms of EnergyExplain Powerpoint.pptx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Learning Cycle (5E Model)
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will able to:
Explain that energy has the ability to cause motion or create change.
Describe forms of **energy, including: mechanical, chemical, electrical, sound, *light, and heat.
Engage effectively with their peers in a whole group or small group setting.
Summarize the points the teacher makes and be able to support those points through reasoning and evidence.
*Light energy or 'radiant' energy is only the small band of visible energy found on the electromagnetic spectrum. We will not be dealing with the other parts of the EM
spectrum in this lesson.
**There are many other forms of energy not covered here. Students may ask about nuclear energy or even gravitational energy, but these are not addressed in this
lesson.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
page 1 of 4 Prior knowledge for this lesson:
SC.4.P.10.1: Observe and describe some basic forms of energy, including light, heat, sound, electrical, and the energy of motion.
SC.4.P.10.2: Investigate and describe that energy has the ability to cause motion or create change.
SC.3.P.10.1: Identify some basic forms of energy such as light, heat, sound, electrical, and mechanical.
SC.3.P.10.2: Recognize that energy has the ability to cause motion or create change.
In addition to the standards students should also be able to:
Utilize their schema (background knowledge) to make an educated prediction.
Comprehend how to work cooperatively in a group or pair.
Summarize information that is given to them and restate the information in another form.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. How do you use energy every day? (Suggested Answer: I use electrical energy everyday when the the lights are turned on, Heat energy is used every day when you
cook dinner on the stove, etc )
2. What are some different forms you see energy in throughout the day? (Suggested Answer: Chemical energy is used to power cars in the form of gasoline, Sound
energy is used when we watch TV, etc)
3. Is there anything that different forms of energy have in common? (Suggested Answer: All energy makes something happen, Often different forms of energy are
used together to power an object, etc)
4. What are some differences in different forms of energy? (Suggested Answer: Light Energy is different from Sound energy because light can travel through space
but sound can't.)
Engage: What object, event, or questions will the teacher use to trigger the students' curiosity and engage them in the concepts?
To begin the lesson, the teacher should show the class the following video: YouTube: Kinetic and Potential Energy. The video is a short overview about the two types
of energy: Kinetic and Potential Energy set to song.
After showing the video, the teacher should lead a short discussion using the following questions to ensure students gathered what they needed from the video before
moving on to the Explore portion of the lesson:
1. What kind of energy is stored or not being used at the moment? (Potential energy)
2. What is an example of Potential Energy? (example response: ball on top of a hill, a water balloon)
3. What is energy that is in motion? (Kinetic energy)
4. What is an example of Kinetic Energy? (example response: ball rolling down a hill, when the water balloon pops)
After questioning the students, the teacher should:
1. Before handing out the rubber bands remind students to follow directions. Wait until instructed to do anything with the rubber band and always aim away from
people, especially their faces.
2. Hand out 1 rubber band to each student. After each student has a rubber band the teacher ask students to demonstrate Potential Energy with the rubber band (the
students should pull the rubber band tight, to show that it is energy in waiting or is stored).
3. After showing Potential energy the teacher should ask students to demonstrate Kinetic energy with the rubber band (the students should let the rubber band
snap/fly across the room/hit the desk/etc to show that the rubber band is energy in motion or when the energy is released.
4. Practice two or more times. Say potential energy. Everyone should stretch their rubber band in their hand and ready to go. Then say 'Kinetic energy!' and everyone
releases their rubber band.
5. Discuss other examples of potential and kinetic energy in the classroom. A pencil and a blank piece of paper are potential. Then when you pick up the pencil and
start writing on it, this is now kinetic. Have students come up with ideas.
6. Collect the rubber bands from students before moving on to Explore portion of the lesson.
Explore: What will the students do to explore the concepts and skills being developed through the lesson?
To begin the Explore portion of the lesson, the teacher should discuss with students that while there is stored energy (Potential) and energy in motion (Kinetic) those
types of energy can come in many different forms and that they are going to explore those different forms of energy today.
After a quick introduction discussion, the teacher should move to the Explore Picture Sort activity. Instructions and materials for the activity can be found in: Forms of
Energy Picture Sort.
**The teacher may want to spend more time looking through magazines or online to find a greater variety of images. For the purpose of this activity only sample
images were provided. Also note, that while you may assume what type of energy students will classify the image as, they might have a completely different idea.
Allow students to choose the form of energy as long as they can support it with logical reasoning. If you aren't sure with a student's idea, then look it up! For example,
an image of a dolphin might lead you to think sound energy for echolocation, it could also be chemical energy for digestion, or mechanical energy for the motion of the
dolphin swimming quickly through the water.
Explain: What will the students and teacher do so students have opportunities to clarify their ideas, reach a conclusion or
generalization, and communicate what they know to others?
After students have been given sufficient time to meet with their groups, discuss the pictures, and sort them; bring the students back together whole group to begin
the Explain portion of the lesson.
For the Explain section of the lesson, the teacher will work through the Forms of Energy PowerPoint. The PowerPoint contains directions, discussion topics, and
definitions of each form of energy. The PowerPoint can be obtained from: Forms of Energy PowerPoint
In addition to the PowerPoint, as you work through the slides with the students, make sure to refer back to displays/charts that the students created during the Explore
activity, correcting any misconceptions that students may have had for the forms of energy depicted in the pictures.
Elaborate: What will the students do to apply their conceptual understanding and skills to solve a problem, make a decision,
perform a task, or make sense of new knowledge?
To apply the conceptual understanding and skills the students have gained through the lesson, have them complete a summative assessment about the six forms of
energy covered in this lesson. The assessment can be found at: Forms of Energy Summative Assessment
page 2 of 4 In the assessment, students are presented with 6 pictures that they have not been exposed to in the lesson and must correctly label the pictures as mechanical,
chemical, electrical, sound, heat, or light energy. The students will also need to provide a written statement of why they paired each picture with their chosen energy
form.
After students have been given 10-15 minutes to complete the assessment have students trade papers with a partner or grade their own assessment with a different
colored pen. Go through the assessment with students and discuss their answers to each question, making sure to clarify their understanding and clear up any
misconceptions that students may have gained throughout the lesson. An answer sheet to the assessment can be found at: Forms of Energy Summative
Assessment Answer Key
The students may be able to make the case for a different form of energy from the image. They must support it with their reasons why they chose that form of
energy.
Summative Assessment
Following the lesson, students will complete the Forms of Energy Summative Assessment (Teacher answer sheet can be found at: Forms of Energy
Summative Assessment Answer Key
In the quiz, students are presented with 6 pictures that they have not been exposed to in the lesson and must correctly label the pictures as mechanical, chemical,
electrical, sound, heat, or light energy. The students will also need to provide a written statement of why they paired each picture with their chosen energy form.**
As long as they can defend their answer they can match a picture with a form of energy that may not seem obvious at first. The power in this assignment is for
them to defend their thinking with facts and/or evidence.
Formative Assessment
Before beginning the lesson, the teacher should pose following question to students: "Think of one activity you completed today or watched someone complete
today that required energy. What type of energy do you think you used to complete the activity?"
After posing the question to the students, have students complete their answer on the worksheet: Forms of Energy Formative Assessment under "Energy Box
1." (Teacher answer sheet of worksheet can be found at: Forms of Energy Formative Assessment Sample Answers)
After students successfully complete their worksheet, have them turn and talk to a peer that is close to them and discuss what they wrote on their worksheet and
why. As students are writing and communicating with each other, the teacher should circulate the room to check for the amount of prior knowledge the students
possess on the different forms of energy.
Feedback to Students
After students have worked in groups to sort the provided pictures into mechanical, chemical, electrical, sound, heat, or light energy and the teacher has presented
the Explain PowerPoint with discussions, the teacher should refer back to the original question they posed and again ask the students: "Think of one activity you
completed today or watched someone complete today that required energy. What type of energy do you think you used to complete the activity?"
After repeating the question, have students fill in their answer on the worksheet: Forms of Energy Formative Assessment under "Energy Box 2" to see if the
original type of energy they recorded has changed and why or why not. (Teacher answer sheet of worksheet can be found at: Forms of Energy Formative
Sample Answers
The teacher should circulate around the room to help with any misconceptions and to formatively assess if students gained knowledge about different forms of
energy from the picture sort.
Also keep in mind that there are many types of energy that could be found in these images, but we are looking for the main example based on the discussion. Allow
students to support their thinking with a logical answer. For example refer to the picture of the dolphin. This is an example of sound energy when we talk about
echoloation but the dolphin is moving so it could be mechanical energy, he is also digesting food, so it could be chemical energy.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
The Engage section of this lesson is student centered and students will need to be able to work productively in groups.
Students that may need additional support to work cooperatively or up to the level of their peers may need additional scaffolding during this period.
Some students may need additional support for the Summative Assessment and Formative Assessment as it requires students to read directions, internalize
instructions, and form complete and cohesive answers to the questions.
The teacher may need to pull aside a small group of students during this section for direct instruction or one-to-one coaching to ensure they make it successfully
through each assessment.
Extensions:
As an extension activity to this unit students could be asked to go out and explore one form of energy that is transferred to another form of energy and report their
findings to the class.
If you have access to iPads, digitial cameras or something similar, you could have students compile a set of their own images on a scavenger hunt walk around the
school. They could import the pictures into their own powerpoint slide show or just share them individually with the class.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Overhead Projector
Special Materials Needed:
Materials for student use: (Listed per student)
Pencil
Eraser
Scissors
Tape/Glue/Magnets (refer to Explore Activity)
Rubber band
page 3 of 4 Further Recommendations:
It is important to check for student understanding throughout the entire unit. If at any time students have misconceptions about forms of energy it is important to
pause the lesson and tend to the misconceptions.
Forms of energy aren't usually found in isolation. Almost every example given is showing several forms of energy being used. Converting from mechanical to
electrical, to light, to heat would be a what is demonstrated just from turning on a lamp. This makes it difficult for some students. To assist students with the concept,
point out that we are looking at the main type of energy displayed to help them figure it out.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Liz Foster
Name of Author/Source: Liz Foster
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Brevard
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.5.SL.1.1:
LAFS.5.SL.1.3:
SC.5.P.10.1:
Description
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners
on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and
other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the
remarks of others.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the
discussions.
Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence.
Investigate and describe some basic forms of energy, including light, heat, sound, electrical, chemical, and mechanical.
Remarks/Examples:
Annually assessed on Grade 5 Science FCAT 2.0. Also assesses SC.3.P.10.1, SC.3.P.10.3, SC.3.P.10.4,
SC.3.P.11.1, SC.3.P.11.2, SC.4.P.10.1, and SC.4.P.10.3.
page 4 of 4