Energy
Subject: Physics
Grade Level(s): Grade 3
Big Idea(s): ENERGY Students investigate different forms of energy (light, heat, sound, and motion) and determine ways that energy is converted to make things happen.
LIGHT Students use mirrors to reflect light and learn that light travels in straight lines. They are introduced to blocked light (shadows), light absorption, and to white light as a mixture of all colors of light.
MATTER Students work with different states of matter, measure mass and volume using metric standards and tools, and solve problems using their knowledge of metric measurement.
CHANGING MATTER Students use a thermometer to measure and record temperatures as they explore melting of common substances.
What you need: flashlight, candle, matches, solar cells, motors with leads, tone generator, batteries, 2 plastic cups with gravel, science notebooks, recording sheet (see attached), bins for materials at each station
Setting: classroom desks or big tables, with a table for each stations (preferrably with an adult per station)
Time Needed: 60-90 minutes
Summary:
Objective: Students will be able to identify the energy source and action from each investigation.
Anticipatory set: Activate students’ prior knowledge: What is energy?
Modeling by teacher: Flashlight challenge
Flashlight Demonstration and guided instruction (see worksheet)
Independent Practice and Experimentation: Students rotate through 4 energy stations: 1. Solar cell, 2. Motor, 3. Tone generator, 4. Candle and hand rubbing
Students will record observations on FOSS worksheet
Closure: Review students’ results
Learning Goals / Objectives:
ENERGY Students investigate different forms of energy (light, heat, sound, and motion) and determine ways that energy is converted to make things happen. They explore ways that energy forms are carried from one place to another. Students explore energy working with materials (batteries, bulbs, candle, solar cells, spring toys, rolling balls), through readings.
PS1a Energy comes from the Sun to Earth in the form of light.
PS1b Sources of stored energy take many forms.
PS1c Machines and living things convert stored energy to motion and heat.
PS1d Energy can be carried from one place to another by waves, by electric current, and by moving objects.
Students will be able to identify the energy source and action from each investigation.Students were able to identify the action and energy source on their chart during each energy station.
Setup:
copies of energy recording worksheet, 4 pre-prepared energy station bins
Anticipatory Set:
What is meant by the word energy?
What do we need energy for?
What does energy do?
Teacher had a student volunteer turn on a flashlight
When it didn’t work, teacher prompted class to think, “What do you think we can do to get the flashlight to work?”
Brief class discussion
Prompted student to open flashlight to see that the batteries were missing
Student installed batteries and turned on flashlight
Begin discussion of energy sources and actions and fill out class example worksheet
Instructions / Activities:
- Students rotate through 4 energy stations: 1. Solar cell:turn on the lamp, connect the motor to the solar cell, record your observations, 2. Motor: figure out how to connect the battery to the motor, record your observations 3. Tone generator: figure outhow to turn the tone generator on, use the volume and pitch knobs to adjust the tone generator, gently hold two fingers on the black part of the speaker, record your observations, 4. Candle and hand rubbing: ask your teacher to light the candle, observe the candle carefully, don’t put your hands near the flame, record your observations/Hand rubbing: rub your hands together quickly, record your observations
Assessment:
In science notebooks, students will complete 4 sentence frames, one from each station:
The energy in the __________ (energy source) converted or changed into ________ (action) energy.
Wrap-up / Closure:
Students were responsible for identifying the energy source and action of each station. As a closure activity, they used the target vocabulary to complete this sentence frame (see attached photo).
Attachments: https://ccsplibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/1-98399c595b52310e23a081ee652e5a53/2013/06/Energy.docx
