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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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? (kinetic (movement) / chemical / elastic potential (stretch or squash) / thermal (heat)) → chemicalPrompt: Is it moving, raised up, stretched, hot, or able to release energy by reacting?
  2. Which are ways energy can be transferred? (only by fire / only by wires / by heating, by electric current, by light and sound, by forces / energy cannot move) → by heating, by electric current, by light and sound, by forcesPrompt: Think of a lamp, a speaker and a kettle.
  3. Which of these mainly has a kinetic (movement) energy store? (a drawn bow / a hot radiator / a stretched trampoline / a rolling football) → a rolling footballPrompt: Think about what each object is doing.

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 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 torch (flashlight)? (light / sound / heating (thermal) / movement (kinetic)) → lightPrompt: What is the device for?
  2. A solar panel transfers energy from… (sound to light / electrical to light / light to electrical / chemical to sound) → light to electricalPrompt: What does a solar panel collect?

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. A solar panel transfers energy from… (sound to light / electrical to light / chemical to sound / light to electrical) → light to electricalPrompt: What does a solar panel collect?
  2. Which device is mainly designed to give out movement (kinetic)? (an LED lamp / a doorbell buzzer / a torch (flashlight) / an electric fan) → an electric fanPrompt: Think about what you use each device for.

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

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How devices transfer energy

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which energy is wasted by an old filament light bulb?

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

  2. Question 2

    What is the main useful energy output of headphones?

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

  3. Question 3

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

    • A. a torch (flashlight)
    • B. a traffic light
    • C. a toaster
    • D. a food blender

  4. Question 4

    What is the main useful energy output of an electric kettle?

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

  5. Question 5

    Which device is mainly designed to give out light?

    • A. a food blender
    • B. a toaster
    • C. a torch (flashlight)
    • D. an electric fan

  6. Question 6

    What is the main useful energy output of an electric fan?

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

  7. Question 7

    Which device is mainly designed to give out sound?

    • A. a food blender
    • B. a traffic light
    • C. a washing machine drum
    • D. a loudspeaker

  8. Question 8

    A solar panel transfers energy from…

    • A. light to electrical
    • B. chemical to sound
    • C. electrical to light
    • D. sound to light

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Answer key: How devices transfer energy

  1. 1. B. thermal energy (heat)

  2. 2. B. sound

  3. 3. C. a toaster

  4. 4. C. heating (thermal)

  5. 5. C. a torch (flashlight)

  6. 6. D. movement (kinetic)

  7. 7. D. a loudspeaker

  8. 8. A. light to electrical