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

Faster objects have more energy

Energy

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

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Faster objects have more 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: Where does the energy go when things collide?

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 battery? (gravitational potential (height) / chemical / elastic potential (stretch or squash) / kinetic (movement)) → chemicalPrompt: 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 increases / It becomes zero / It decreases / It stays the same) → It increasesPrompt: Kinetic energy depends on speed.
  3. Which of these mainly has a kinetic (movement) energy store? (a squashed spring / a rolling football / petrol (gasoline) / a battery) → a rolling footballPrompt: 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: Faster objects have more 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: Why does a fast-moving football hurt more to stop than a slow one?
  • Step 1: The faster an object moves, the more kinetic (motion) energy it has.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: It has more energy of motion to transfer to your hands.
  • Answer: It has more energy of motion to transfer to your hands.
  • 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 has the most energy of motion? (the same cyclist riding slowly / a cyclist riding fast downhill / a parked bike / the same cyclist standing still) → a cyclist riding fast downhillPrompt: Same cyclist, different speeds.
  2. True or false? A slow ball has more energy than the same ball moving fast. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Compare the same object at different speeds.

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. True or false? A still object has no energy of motion. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Compare the same object at different speeds.
  2. Why does a fast-moving football hurt more to stop than a slow one? (It is heavier when it moves fast. / It has more energy of motion to transfer to your hands. / Fast balls are hotter. / Slow balls have no energy.) → It has more energy of motion to transfer to your hands.Prompt: What changes when the ball speeds up?

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: Where does the energy go when things collide?.
  • 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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Faster objects have more energy

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    A bowling ball is rolled slowly, then quickly. When does it knock down more pins?

    • A. when it is rolled slowly
    • B. it never knocks pins down
    • C. when it is rolled quickly
    • D. it is always the same

  2. Question 2

    True or false? A still object has no energy of motion.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    A ball rolled down a ramp from three different heights and hit a wooden block. Which release height gave the ball the most energy when it hit?

    How far the block was pushed (cm)051015204low9medium17high
    • A. low
    • B. medium
    • C. high

  4. Question 4

    Which has the most energy of motion?

    • A. a parked bike
    • B. the same cyclist standing still
    • C. the same cyclist riding slowly
    • D. a cyclist riding fast downhill

  5. Question 5

    True or false? The faster an object moves, the more energy it has.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    True or false? A slow ball has more energy than the same ball moving fast.

    • A. True
    • B. False

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Answer key: Faster objects have more energy

  1. 1. C. when it is rolled quickly

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. C. high

  4. 4. D. a cyclist riding fast downhill

  5. 5. A. True

  6. 6. B. False