Energy & Electricity
Standards:
Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts and research findings is important in engineering. (4-ESS3- 1) Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another. 4-PS3- 4 Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment. 4ESS3 Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.* MS-PS3- 3 Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies 4-ESS3-1 Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones. 4-PS3- 4 Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object. MS-PS3- 5 Use models to describe that that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun. 5-PS3
Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. 4-PS3-2
Objectives:
Skills:
Design and conduct scientific investigations
Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat and electric currents
Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another
Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time or cost
Generate and compare multiple solution to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved
Concepts:
Recognize that to conduct electricity a circuit needs to be complete
Understand the difference between conductors and insulators
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change
Explain the difference between static and current electricity
Understand that electricity is a form of energy that can move
Explain how the terms electron, proton, neutron and law of attraction are related to electricity
Explain how energy changes forms
Explain how energy from the sun changes on earth
Activities:
- TOPS Electricity Exploration including circuit building
- Snap Circuits, Little Bits and LogiBlocks
- Engineering projects involving electricity/circuits
- Solar energy exploration
- Solar oven
Assessments:
Observation during activities
Use of vocabulary during discussion and in writing
Snap circuit project explanations - verbal and written
House circuits
Circuit repair quiz
Written or oral explanation of game using motors, balls and buzzers (terminology: switch, circuit, series, parallel, conductor, insulator, buzzer) created using engineering design process.
Solar Energy quiz
Solar Oven
Solar House
