Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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.
- Which energy store is most important here: a hot radiator? (thermal (heat) / elastic potential (stretch or squash) / gravitational potential (height) / kinetic (movement)) → thermal (heat)Prompt: Is it moving, raised up, stretched, hot, or able to release energy by reacting?
- When you rub your hands together, the movement energy is transferred to… (nuclear energy / elastic energy / chemical energy / thermal energy (they warm up)) → thermal energy (they warm up)Prompt: How do your hands feel?
- Which of these mainly has a elastic potential (stretch or squash) energy store? (a stretched rubber band / a rolling football / a hot radiator / water behind a high dam) → a stretched rubber bandPrompt: Think about what each object is doing.
Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What is the main useful energy output of a doorbell buzzer? (light / sound / heating (thermal) / movement (kinetic)) → soundPrompt: What is the device for?
- A solar panel transfers energy from… (sound to light / light to electrical / chemical to sound / electrical to light) → light to electricalPrompt: What does a solar panel collect?
You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- What is the main useful energy output of an electric heater? (light / sound / heating (thermal) / movement (kinetic)) → heating (thermal)Prompt: What is the device for?
- A wind-up toy car is wound up and let go. What happens to the energy? (kinetic → chemical / thermal → nuclear / elastic potential → kinetic / light → sound) → elastic potential → kineticPrompt: Winding it up squeezes a spring.
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