Big Idea 11: Energy Transfer and Transformations

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A. Waves involve a transfer of energy without a transfer of matter.

B. Water and sound waves transfer energy through a material.

C. Light waves can travel through a vacuum and through matter.

Clarification for grades 5-8: The target understanding for Big Idea 11: Energy Transfer and Transformations, is the Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy is conserved as it transfers from one object to another and from one form to another.

General Information
Number: SC.5.P.11
Title: Energy Transfer and Transformations
Type: Big Idea
Subject: Science
Grade: 5
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.5.P.11.In.1
Identify the power source and wires (conductors) in an electrical circuit.
SC.5.P.11.In.2
Identify materials that conduct electricity.

Supported

SC.5.P.11.Su.1
Recognize the power source in an electrical circuit.
SC.5.P.11.Su.2
Recognize a material that conducts electricity.

Participatory

SC.5.P.11.Pa.1
Recognize that electrical systems must be turned on (closed) in order to work.

Related Resources

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

Lesson Plans

Electricity--Energy Lighting the Way!:

Students will investigate and illustrate complete circuits using a battery, wires, light bulb and various conductors and insulators. They will understand that electricity is a form of energy that can be converted into other forms of energy such as heat and light.

Type: Lesson Plan

Mars Exploration Administration:

Students will be given the opportunity to design a conductivity tester for astronauts to use on Mars. Students will then get to use a 3D printed tester to check common items for potential conductivity and then to redesign their tester.

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

Wire We All Wet?:

A fire caused by faulty wiring set off a sprinkler system, which damaged a school. The school must be remodeled and the electrical wiring must be replaced. Students will decide which materials to use to as conductors and which to use as insulators in the new wiring.

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. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Let It Flow:

Have you ever wondered how a light turns on? In this lesson, students will explore how electricity flows through a complete circuit in order to light a light bulb.

Type: Lesson Plan

Making Connections!:

Lights, camera, action! Well, you would have action if the camera was on, and it can only turn on if it has a battery, and it can only work if the battery is charged. Put it all together, and you have a complete circuit! In this lesson, students will learn that a circuit can be connected in more than one way to make something work. The students will work to connect circuits and test different items to identify if they are conductors or insulators.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Shocking Truth About Circuits - An Engineering Design Challenge:

This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of electrical energy, circuits, insulators and conductors in standards SC.5.P.10.4, SC.5.P.11.1, SC.5.P.11.1, SC.5.P.11.2 by constructing circuits. It may also be used as introductory instruction of the content.

Type: Lesson Plan

Circuit Circus:

Students will be able to identify characteristics of electrical energy. This lesson can be completed in one 80 minute time period or over two days. Students will learn about electrical energy, circuits, conductors and insulators through video, a hands on exploration and summarizing informational text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Let There Be Light!:

For students who have previously constructed complete circuits and tested for electrical conductors and insulators, this activity will put their knowledge to use and solve an energy crisis taking place in their neighborhood right now, by creating a series circuit and switch that returns control of their town's energy back to the Mayor. Thanks to the Super Energy Wizards!

Type: Lesson Plan

Transformation of Energy: Constructing an Electromagnet:

In this hands-on lesson, students will work in groups to construct an electromagnet.  This lesson focuses energy, forms of energy, and how energy is transformed in a circuit.  This lesson also can be used to address variables in an experiment, conductors and insulators, data tables and graphs, and open and closed circuits. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Electricity:

Explore the topic of Electricity including: how it is transformed into other types of energy, how a circuit works, and electrical conductors and insulators with this interactive research page.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Electric Circuits:

Investigate how the flow of electricity requires a closed circuit in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Ideas

Circuit Sense:

In this activity about electricity, learners identify closed and open circuits. First, learners examine and label diagrams of open and closed circuits. Then, learners build each of the circuits shown in the diagrams using electrical supplies. Throughout the activity, learners predict and then test if the light bulbs will turn on based on the circuit type.

Type: Teaching Idea

Current Electricity - Lights On:

This is an exploratory lesson that provides the learners with a chance to discover the possible connections in a controlled setting.While the possibilities may seem limitless there are but four basic ways to complete the simple circuit. The rule of each contact area needs to be in contact with one other contact area fulfills the options and possibilities.

Type: Teaching Idea

Introduction to Open and Closed Electrical Circuits:

Students will act out open and closed circuits as a whole class with some students acting as the "motors" or "light bulbs." It is followed by individual journal writing and a class discussion.

Type: Teaching Idea

Unit/Lesson Sequence

Circuits:

The students will experiment to see how circuits work. They will also study a closed circuit such as a lightbulb. The students will also learn about conductors and insulators.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Video/Audio/Animation

Superconductors:

Observe what happens when a magnet is placed on a superconductor

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Virtual Manipulatives

Signal Circuit:

This virtual manipulative will help you learn why the lights turn on in a room as soon as someone flip the switch. This virtual manipulative will allow you to flip the switch and watch the electrons.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:

  • Explain what happens when you turn on the switch.
  • Determine whether the blue spheres are positive or negative charges. Explain your thinking.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Circuit Construction Simulation:

An electronics kit in your computer! Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs, batteries, and switches. Investigate conductivity of various materials. Take measurements with the realistic ammeter and voltmeter. View the circuit as a schematic diagram, or switch to a life-like view.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Student Resources

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

Original Student Tutorials

Electricity:

Explore the topic of Electricity including: how it is transformed into other types of energy, how a circuit works, and electrical conductors and insulators with this interactive research page.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Electric Circuits:

Investigate how the flow of electricity requires a closed circuit in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Virtual Manipulatives

Signal Circuit:

This virtual manipulative will help you learn why the lights turn on in a room as soon as someone flip the switch. This virtual manipulative will allow you to flip the switch and watch the electrons.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:

  • Explain what happens when you turn on the switch.
  • Determine whether the blue spheres are positive or negative charges. Explain your thinking.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Circuit Construction Simulation:

An electronics kit in your computer! Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs, batteries, and switches. Investigate conductivity of various materials. Take measurements with the realistic ammeter and voltmeter. View the circuit as a schematic diagram, or switch to a life-like view.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Parent Resources

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

Virtual Manipulative

Signal Circuit:

This virtual manipulative will help you learn why the lights turn on in a room as soon as someone flip the switch. This virtual manipulative will allow you to flip the switch and watch the electrons.
Some of the sample learning goals can be:

  • Explain what happens when you turn on the switch.
  • Determine whether the blue spheres are positive or negative charges. Explain your thinking.

Type: Virtual Manipulative