Science lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 45 minutes
Conservation of energy and wasted energy
Energy
CCSS NGSS.MS-PS3-5CCSS NGSS.HS-PS3-1England: KS3 Physics: Energy (changes in systems)England: KS4 Combined Science: Energy
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Conservation of energy and wasted 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: How devices transfer energy
Leads to: Kinetic and gravitational potential energy; Efficiency; Use energy conservation to find speeds and heights
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 (How devices transfer energy). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is the main useful energy output of an electric toy car? (light / sound / heating (thermal) / movement (kinetic)) → movement (kinetic)Prompt: What is the device for?
- A solar panel transfers energy from… (electrical to light / light to electrical / chemical to sound / sound to light) → light to electricalPrompt: What does a solar panel collect?
- Which device is mainly designed to give out movement (kinetic)? (an electric kettle / a torch (flashlight) / a doorbell buzzer / a food blender) → a food blenderPrompt: Think about what you use each device for.
Hook · 5 min
- Wind up a toy or stretch an elastic band and ask where the energy goes.
- Share the objective: Conservation of energy and wasted 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: A speaker is supplied with 200 J of energy. It transfers 80 J usefully. How much energy is wasted, in J?
- Step 1: 200 − 80 = 120
- Step 2: So the answer is: 120 J
- Answer: 120 J
- 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.
- A motor is supplied with 1000 J of energy. It transfers 600 J usefully. How much energy is wasted, in J? → 400 JPrompt: Energy is conserved: input = useful output + wasted output.
- What does the law of conservation of energy say? (Energy is always destroyed as heat / Energy is used up and disappears / Machines create energy / Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred) → Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferredPrompt: Where does "used" energy go?
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.
- Where does most wasted energy usually end up? (destroyed / back in the battery / heating the surroundings / inside the plug) → heating the surroundingsPrompt: Machines often feel warm after use.
- Conservation of energy: which statement is NOT true? (No real machine is 100% efficient. / Wasted energy is often transferred to the surroundings by heating. / Energy is used up and disappears. / A Sankey diagram shows useful and wasted energy.) → Energy is used up and disappears.Prompt: Can energy ever be created or destroyed?
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: How devices transfer energy.
- 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: Kinetic and gravitational potential energy; Efficiency; Use energy conservation to find speeds and heights.
- 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-8.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder