Big Idea 10: Forms of Energy

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A. Energy is involved in all physical processes and is a unifying concept in many areas of science.

B. Energy exists in many forms and has the ability to do work or cause a change.

General Information
Number: SC.4.P.10
Title: Forms of Energy
Type: Big Idea
Subject: Science
Grade: 4
Body of Knowledge: Physical Science

Related Benchmarks

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Independent

SC.4.P.10.In.1
Identify forms of energy, such as light, heat, electrical, and energy of motion.
SC.4.P.10.In.2
Describe the results of applying electrical energy (turn on lights, make motors run); heat energy (burn wood, change temperature); and energy of motion (go faster, change direction).
SC.4.P.10.In.3
Recognize that vibrations cause sound and identify sounds as high or low (pitch).
SC.4.P.10.In.4
Identify machines that use energy from moving water or air, including a windmill and a waterwheel.

Supported

SC.4.P.10.Su.1
Recognize uses of different forms of energy, including electricity (computer, freezer); heat (camp fire, stove); and energy of motion (rollercoaster, pinball machine).
SC.4.P.10.Su.2
Recognize the results of using electrical energy (turning on television); heat energy (burning wood); and energy of motion (rolling ball).
SC.4.P.10.Su.3
Recognize sounds as high or low (pitch).
SC.4.P.10.Su.4
Identify objects that use energy from moving air, such as a pinwheel or sailboat.

Participatory

SC.4.P.10.Pa.1
Recognize a source of heat energy (fire, heater).
SC.4.P.10.Pa.2
Recognize objects that create sounds.
SC.4.P.10.Pa.3
Recognize that moving air can move objects.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Formative Assessment

Bounce Back Ball:

Students will be working in teams of four to measure the rebound heights of a tennis ball dropped from four different heights. Students will be investigating with the bouncing balls to measure changes in the type of energy they possess.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Drifting Science:

Students will explore global ocean surface currents by completing an investigation using real-world ocean drifter data. Students will analyze maps of ocean drifters to make observations about why they appear in some places more than others. Using the resources provided, they will then select a specific ocean drifter from an interactive map and predict where it may drift to, what currents it might be carried by, and where it might end up in a specific amount of time.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Fast and the Curious:

In this lesson the students learn about wind energy and how it transforms through kinetic energy by designing a wind-powered model car.

Type: Lesson Plan

Friction: Friend or Foe?:

In this lesson, students will learn how different variables (mass, friction, and force) affect the motion of an object.

Type: Lesson Plan

"Life's a Breeze!":

In this Engineering Design Challenge, students must design a vessel that will carry passengers safely and quickly across a body of water by harnessing the power of the wind. Students will be given the opportunity to test and improve their vessels as they apply various math and science skills.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sound Vibrations Using the Engineering Design Process:

This lesson uses the engineering design process to guide students through the exploration of sound energy and pitch. The design challenge is to produce a low-pitch tone by using different containers and liquids. Students must also create a budget to purchase supplies.

Type: Lesson Plan

Set Sail with STEM: Exploring Wind and Water Movement as Energy with Sailboats:

Come sail away with this STEM activity! Students will use hands-on inquiry to find out more about wind and its effect on sails. Through trial and error and based on data collected, students will design, build, and race their own vessel or "sailboat" across the boundless waters of a kiddie pool. Students should gain a better understanding of how moving water and air are sources of energy and can propel objects forward at varying rates of speed.

Type: Lesson Plan

Waterpark Angles:

Your students have been hired as a team to build an amazing new slide for the brand new Water World theme park! Their teams will work to build multiple water slides and will decide which angle degree best helps the marble shoot farthest. Throughout the lesson they will be working with identifying and measuring angles while relating angle types and their measurements. Students will also be working with the idea of kinetic and potential energy.

Type: Lesson Plan

Lizard Lights:

Students will use a real-world problem solving situation to determine the best types of light bulbs to maintain an appropriate environment for a captive lizard. 

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Wind at Work: Wind as a Renewable Resource:

This is an Engineering Design Project that builds upon the understanding of wind as a natural resource. It is applying content knowledge and is not intended as an initial introduction to the benchmarks.

Type: Lesson Plan

Wind Sculptures - An Engineering Design Challenge:

This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concept of how moving air is a source of energy and can be used to move things. It is not intended as an initial introduction to this benchmark.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sunshine Power Company MEA:

This Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) is written at a 4th grade level. In this open-ended problem, students must consider how to rank wind companies based on factors like windiness, noise levels, and power output. In teams, students determine their procedures and write letters back to the client.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Designing Windmills:

In this lesson, students engage in an engineering design contest to design and create a windmill that will lift a load.

Type: Lesson Plan

To Flow or Blow: Which One is Best for Here?:

In this lesson, 4th grade students will use web-based articles and maps to look at current and potential air (wind) and water (hydro)power plants for their, or a teacher-given, local area. Students will present an argument for which type of renewable energy plant they believe would be best citing evidence from text(s) and/or map(s). Students may work and/or write in groups or individually. Access points are included for this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Energy Part 5: Mechanical:

Learn about mechanical energy, including its two forms--kinetic energy and potential energy--with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy Part 4: Electricity :

Explore electrical energy and electricity in this interactive tutorial about forms of energy. 

This is the fourth tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy Part 3: Sound:

Learn about sound, one of the main types of energy, as you complete this interactive science tutorial.

This is the fourth tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy: Part 2 Heat:

Discover what heat energy is and the role it plays on the Earth in this interactive tutorial.

This is the fourth tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy Part 1: Light:

Light is all around us and we need it to survive.  In this interactive tutorial, learn about light energy and how it works!

This is the first tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiasts

KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Energy Storage:

This video about energy storage has a lot of potential to help you learn about solar power and batteries.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Waves:

When your classroom is the open ocean, which is the longest period? The one from the tsunami.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Resource Collection

Energy Kids:

This website provides information and resources for teachers seeking to make learning about energy fun and exciting for students. Renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy are well organized and supplemented with diagrams, maps, and graphs. Other sections include fun facts about energy, games & activities, history, and classroom activities. This resource was developed by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Type: Resource Collection

Teaching Ideas

Boing! Wind Me Up!:

This activity features a wind-up boat which uses the stored energy of a rubber band to motor around a bathtub or any other body of water you choose to use!

Type: Teaching Idea

Biomusic:

Students have an opportunity to identify a variety of sounds in the environment, discuss the sounds using appropriate terminology and identify whether they are a product of human production or the natural environment.

Type: Teaching Idea

Exploring Sound Length Makes A Difference:

In this elementary physics lab, students will begin to explore the relationship between the length of an object and the sound it produces as it vibrates, by using a wood or plastic ruler and the edge of a desk or table.

Type: Teaching Idea

Good Vibrations-SeaWorld Classroom Activity:

In this activity, students investigate how sound travels through air, solids, and water, students will be able to explain why sound is an effective means of communication and navigation for whales.

Type: Teaching Idea

Jitterbug and Shake, Rattle and Vibrate:

As a result of this activity, students will be able to explain that various objects can be made to vibrate, producing different sounds.

Type: Teaching Idea

Sound All Around:

Students will have an opportunity to work with sounds and learn about pitch, volume and how sound travels.

Type: Teaching Idea

Text Resource

Tower Of Power:

The article describes a new kind of solar energy which concentrates light waves from the sun.

Type: Text Resource

Video/Audio/Animations

Pitch:

The students will watch a short video showing how different pitches are made.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Sound:

The students will watch a short video that shows them how sound is created and how it is interpreted by our brain.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials

Energy Part 5: Mechanical:

Learn about mechanical energy, including its two forms--kinetic energy and potential energy--with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy Part 4: Electricity :

Explore electrical energy and electricity in this interactive tutorial about forms of energy. 

This is the fourth tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy Part 3: Sound:

Learn about sound, one of the main types of energy, as you complete this interactive science tutorial.

This is the fourth tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy: Part 2 Heat:

Discover what heat energy is and the role it plays on the Earth in this interactive tutorial.

This is the fourth tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Energy Part 1: Light:

Light is all around us and we need it to survive.  In this interactive tutorial, learn about light energy and how it works!

This is the first tutorial in a five-part series. Click below to open the others in the series.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Video/Audio/Animations

Pitch:

The students will watch a short video showing how different pitches are made.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Sound:

The students will watch a short video that shows them how sound is created and how it is interpreted by our brain.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.