Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

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

How devices transfer energy

Energy

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

Objective and success criteria

Students will: How devices transfer energy.

  • 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: Energy stores and transfers

Leads to: Conservation of energy and wasted energy

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 (Energy stores and transfers). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which energy store is most important here: a drawn bow? (gravitational potential (height) / chemical / thermal (heat) / elastic potential (stretch or squash)) → elastic potential (stretch or squash)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 becomes zero / It decreases / It increases / It stays the same) → It increasesPrompt: Kinetic energy depends on speed.
  3. Which of these mainly has a chemical energy store? (water behind a high dam / a squashed spring / a hot radiator / a sandwich) → a sandwichPrompt: Think about what each object is doing.

Hook · 3 min

  • Wind up a toy or stretch an elastic band and ask where the energy goes.
  • Share the objective: How devices transfer energy. 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: What is the main useful energy output of a toaster?
  • Step 1: Kettles, toasters and heaters transfer energy usefully by heating.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: heating (thermal)
  • Answer: heating (thermal)
  • 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. What is the main useful energy output of a doorbell buzzer? (light / sound / heating (thermal) / movement (kinetic)) → soundPrompt: What is the device for?
  2. A solar panel transfers energy from… (light to electrical / sound to light / chemical to sound / electrical to light) → light to electricalPrompt: What does a solar panel collect?

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. What is the main useful energy output of a torch (flashlight)? (light / sound / heating (thermal) / movement (kinetic)) → lightPrompt: What is the device for?
  2. A solar panel transfers energy from… (light to electrical / sound to light / chemical to sound / electrical to light) → light to electricalPrompt: What does a solar panel collect?

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: Energy stores and transfers.
  • 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: Conservation of energy and wasted energy.
  • 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

eurekami

How devices transfer energy

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What is the main useful energy output of a traffic light?

    • A. light
    • B. sound
    • C. heating (thermal)
    • D. movement (kinetic)

  2. Question 2

    Which device is mainly designed to give out sound?

    • A. a toaster
    • B. headphones
    • C. an electric fan
    • D. an electric kettle

  3. Question 3

    Which energy is wasted by an old filament light bulb?

    • A. chemical energy
    • B. thermal energy (heat)
    • C. nuclear energy
    • D. light

  4. Question 4

    What is the main useful energy output of an electric toy car?

    • A. light
    • B. sound
    • C. heating (thermal)
    • D. movement (kinetic)

  5. Question 5

    Which device is mainly designed to give out heating (thermal)?

    • A. an electric kettle
    • B. a loudspeaker
    • C. an LED lamp
    • D. a doorbell buzzer

  6. Question 6

    A wind-up toy car is wound up and let go. What happens to the energy?

    • A. kinetic → chemical
    • B. elastic potential → kinetic
    • C. light → sound
    • D. thermal → nuclear

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: How devices transfer energy

  1. 1. A. light

  2. 2. B. headphones

  3. 3. B. thermal energy (heat)

  4. 4. D. movement (kinetic)

  5. 5. A. an electric kettle

  6. 6. B. elastic potential → kinetic