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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Energy stores and transfers

Energy

CCSS NGSS.4-PS3-1CCSS NGSS.4-PS3-2England: KS3 Physics: Energy (energy changes and transfers)England: KS4 Combined Science: Energy

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Energy stores and transfers.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Sunlight warms things

Leads to: How devices transfer energy; Renewable and non-renewable energy resources; Energy in food

Materials: Wind-up toys or a pendulum, Energy transfer diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Sunlight warms things). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. On a sunny day, which is warmer to touch? (they are the same / a slide in the sunshine / a slide in the shade) → a slide in the sunshinePrompt: What warms things up during the day?
  2. Sunlight: which statement is true? (The Sun only warms things in summer. / Shade is warmer than sunshine. / Dark colours warm up faster in sunlight than light colours. / White clothes get hotter in the sun than black clothes.) → Dark colours warm up faster in sunlight than light colours.Prompt: Think about standing in the sun and in the shade.
  3. Sunlight: which statement is NOT true? (It is usually cooler in the shade than in sunshine. / Dark colours warm up faster in sunlight than light colours. / The Sun warms the land, air and water. / Shade is warmer than sunshine.) → Shade is warmer than sunshine.Prompt: Which colour reflects sunlight?

Hook · 3 min

  • Wind up a toy or stretch an elastic band and ask where the energy goes.
  • Share the objective: Energy stores and transfers. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which energy store is most important here: a drawn bow?
  • Step 1: Stretched or squashed objects have an elastic potential energy store.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: elastic potential (stretch or squash)
  • Answer: elastic potential (stretch or squash)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which energy store is most important here: a rolling football? (chemical / gravitational potential (height) / elastic potential (stretch or squash) / kinetic (movement)) → kinetic (movement)Prompt: Is it moving, raised up, stretched, hot, or able to release energy by reacting?
  2. A moving car speeds up. What happens to its kinetic energy? (It stays the same / It increases / It decreases / It becomes zero) → It increasesPrompt: Kinetic energy depends on speed.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which energy store is most important here: a piece of coal? (thermal (heat) / gravitational potential (height) / chemical / elastic potential (stretch or squash)) → chemicalPrompt: Is it moving, raised up, stretched, hot, or able to release energy by reacting?
  2. Which of these mainly has a kinetic (movement) energy store? (a spinning fan / a drawn bow / petrol (gasoline) / a battery) → a spinning fanPrompt: Think about what each object is doing.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Sunlight warms things.
  • Use concrete materials: wind-up toys or a pendulum.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: How devices transfer energy; Renewable and non-renewable energy resources; Energy in food.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Energy stores and transfers

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which of these mainly has a elastic potential (stretch or squash) energy store?

    • A. a cup of hot tea
    • B. a rolling football
    • C. a stretched trampoline
    • D. a hot radiator

  2. Question 2

    Which are ways energy can be transferred?

    • A. only by wires
    • B. energy cannot move
    • C. by heating, by electric current, by light and sound, by forces
    • D. only by fire

  3. Question 3

    Which energy store is most important here: water behind a high dam?

    • A. kinetic (movement)
    • B. elastic potential (stretch or squash)
    • C. thermal (heat)
    • D. gravitational potential (height)

  4. Question 4

    A ball is dropped. Which energy store decreases as it falls?

    • A. elastic
    • B. nuclear
    • C. gravitational potential
    • D. kinetic

  5. Question 5

    Which energy store is most important here: a sandwich?

    • A. thermal (heat)
    • B. chemical
    • C. gravitational potential (height)
    • D. elastic potential (stretch or squash)

  6. Question 6

    Which of these mainly has a thermal (heat) energy store?

    • A. a sandwich
    • B. a battery
    • C. a squashed spring
    • D. lava from a volcano

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Answer key: Energy stores and transfers

  1. 1. C. a stretched trampoline

  2. 2. C. by heating, by electric current, by light and sound, by forces

  3. 3. D. gravitational potential (height)

  4. 4. C. gravitational potential

  5. 5. B. chemical

  6. 6. D. lava from a volcano