5E Science Lesson
EARTH DAY
Understanding Electricity and Saving Energy
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help save the planet
Complete the mission with 4th graders and help take care of the Earth
NGSS Standards: 4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. 4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another. 4-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.
Energy mission
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Engage
let's save energy!
Begin the lesson with a question to spark curiosity: "What happens if we don't have electricity for a day?" Allow students to discuss in groups and share their thoughts. Introduce the concept of electricity and its importance in daily life.
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Explore
Conduct a simple experiment to show how electricity flows through circuits. Use a battery, wires, and a small light bulb to construct a basic circuit. Ask students to predict what will happen when the circuit is complete and discuss the flow of electricity.
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Explain
Present a short interactive presentation on the types of energy, focusing on electric energy. Explain how electricity is generated, mentioning renewable and non-renewable resources. Discuss the environmental impact of different energy sources.
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ELaborate
Questioning and Predicting: Begin with a brief discussion to activate prior knowledge: "What do you think uses more energy, an LED bulb or an incandescent bulb? Why?" Divide students into small groups and distribute the materials. Ask each group to predict which appliances will use more energy and why.
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ELaborate
Investigation: Instruct each group to measure the energy usage of each appliance using the watt meters and record the data on their sheets. Encourage them to observe the differences in energy usage between LED and incandescent bulbs. Have students replace incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in the same appliance and measure again. Ask students to consider: "How does the energy usage change with different types of bulbs?"
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ELaborate
Analysis and Discussion: Once the data collection is complete, facilitate a discussion about the findings. Questions could include: "Which appliances used the most energy and why do you think that is?" "How did the energy usage of the LED bulb compare to the incandescent bulb?" "Based on what we've observed, why might people choose one type of bulb over another?"
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Evaluate
Each group presents their findings on how different appliances consume electricity and their recommendations for saving energy. Provide feedback and summarize key concepts about the importance of electricity conservation.
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You’ve finished!
Together we can create a healthier environment for the Earth!