Lesson 1: What is Energy?
Michigan Science
Standard VI.1 Matter and Energy:
All students will measure and describe things around us; explain what the world
around us is made of; identify and describe forms of energy; and explain how
electricity and magnetism interact with matter.
Elementary Benchmark 4: Identify forms of energy associated with common phenomena.
National Education Technology Standards:
1.Basic operations and concepts
· Use keyboards and other common input and output devices (including adaptive devices when necessary) efficiently and effectively.
Objective:
To introduce students to the concept of energy, with an emphasis on electrical
energy.
·
Computer access (1 computer per student)
·
Kidspiration
software
Ask the students:
1. What
is energy?
2. What
evidence do you see every day that electricity is a form of energy?
Tell the students that
energy makes things happen; when we walk or run we are using energy from the
food that we eat. There are many different kinds of energy, in this unit we are
going to focus on electrical energy. We use electricity constantly in our
lives. What kinds of machines or other devices do we use everyday that require
electricity?
Have the students work
independently to make a web about energy using Kidspiration. Webs should
have the topic in the center and at least 8 branches coming out. Students may
choose from two different ideas:
1. Put
energy in the center circle, then list different types of energy and ways to
use these different types.
2. Put
electricity at the center and list different things/machines that use
electricity.
Bring the students back
together to discuss what they have put in their webs. What are some of the
different types of energy that they put in their webs? How are these types of
energy produced? Where do they come from? Solar energy comes from the sun.
Water is used for hydropower. In this unit we are going to focus on electrical
energy, or electricity. What are some things that we use every day that require
electricity? (Lights, radios, refrigerators) There are countless devices that
we use every day that require electricity.
Have the students work independently to list all the devices/machines they can think of that use electricity.
Adapted from: Electrical Energy published Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company, 1993.