Energy Lesson Plans
Elementary(K-6)
Stuffed Suns
The students will identify several ways that the sun's energy is of benefit to us.
Save Energy with Power Bear
The student will learn how to save energy with the Power Bear.
Power Bear Coloring Book
A fun filled coloring book with the power Bear reviewing sources of energy.
The Search for Energy
The students will learn the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources.
Energy, Work, Environment
The students will determine that it takes energy to move an object, and that energy is often converted from one form to another.
Daily Review Mathematics (3rd Grade)
Aligned to Idaho ’s Content Standards Great ISAT Review! Easy to implement as pre-lesson refresher.
Wasting Energy at Home
The student will be able to identify ways energy is wasted, list ways to conserve energy in the home, and categorize home appliances as heavy, moderate, or light users of energy.
Energy Activites
The student will conduct experiments to learn about how energy works in our world, observe changes that occur due to the forces of energy, and work in groups to explain the phenomena they observe.
How Much Energy Do You Use?
The student will be able to observe the items that use energy in their own homes, calculate the energy cost for their own homes, and compare this cost with others in their class and with the national average.
Cooling a House
The student will learn how to change the temperature by adding an object to the model. Students will experiment with trying to find the best fit for changing the temperature.
A Bright Idea
The student will study an example of the potential energy converted to energy in the forms of heat and light.
Heat from Lights
The student will work with one another and observe how temperature changes with the use of different light bulbs.
Energy to Grow On
The student will observe a natural conversion system.
Daily Review Mathematics (4th Grade)
Aligned to Idaho ’s Content Standards Great ISAT Review! Easy to implement as pre-lesson refresher.
Spool Racer
The students will be able to build models that will show potential and kinetic energy.
Energy Sources
The student will be able to observe different types of energy sources, where energy comes from, and conduct their own research reports on energy sources.
Daily Review Mathematics (5th Grade)
Aligned to Idaho ’s Content Standards Great ISAT Review! Easy to implement as pre-lesson refresher.
Pass the Sack
The students will understand that some energy resources are nonrenewable and that their use is limited by social decisions.
Get a Clue!
The students will identify and use vocabulary words related to the topic of energy sources in a game situation.
A Shocking Experience
Students will learn about, experiment with, and observe the effects of static electricity.
Cool Colors
The students will prove that the color of an object can affect the absorption or reflection of heat energy.
Daily Review Mathematics (6th Grade)
Aligned to Idaho ’s Content Standards Great ISAT Review! Easy to implement as pre-lesson refresher.
Electrolysis
The student will be able to create a working model showing molecule of Hydrogen and Oxygen.
Collapsing Can
Demonstrate the weight of air. A large amount of air can be vary heavy.
Hydrogen
The students will see that electricity can be used to separate hydrogen and oxygen in water and will explore the possibilities and advantages of hydrogen as a fuel.
Pop the Top
The student will experience what happens when there is a build up of gas and pressure. In addition, this activity provides a good contrast between a physical and chemical change.
Solid to Gas
The student will experience what happens when there is a build up of gas and pressure. This activity provides a good contrast between a physical and chemical change. Students should understand the transition between solid, liquid, and gas. Water is a good example of phase change between ice (solid), water (liquid), and gas (steam). In this experiment, dry ice goes from solid to gas. A process known as Sublimation.
Lets play Lingo
The students will become familiar with various energy sources as a result of playing a word game.
Source of Energy Lessons 1 & 2
Students will be able to describe energy. Students will be able to recall ways energy worked in our experiments.
Discovering Energy
Students will identify sources of energy that produce electricity and understand why certain sources are used in a particular area.
Energy Match Up
Student will gain information about energy use by matching subject phrases with predicate phrases.
Hot Air Balloons
Students with learn that hot air is lighter or less dense than cool air.
The Sun's Energy
Students will learn about the importance of the sun’s energy. They will also learn why some areas of the earth receive more heat and light than other areas.
Comparing Light Bulbs
Students will compare and contrast the brightness and heat of a 60 watts incandescent light bulb and a 13 watt CFL.
Discovering Sources For Electricity
Students will identify sources of energy that produce electricity and understand why certain sources are used in a particular area.
Get A Clue! 2
The students will identify and use vocabulary words related to the topic of energy sources in a game situation.
Happy/Sad Balls
Students will describe the potential and kinetic energy in happy/sad balls, yo-yos, super balls, and toy cars after using the scientific method to investigate each toy.
Tarp Mining
Students will learn the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Students will use the data collected to create Excel charts and graphs.
Secondary(9-14)
Black Body Radiation Lab
Students will observe the movement of energy through electromagnetic waves and will practice graphing skills when showing results of the laboratory experiment.
Electrolysis Lab
This lab will show students a conversion of energy from electromagnetic to chemical and from chemical to thermal and sound. There will be both an endothermic reaction and an exothermic reaction.
Incline Lab
Students will be able to see the relationship between Gravitational Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy, and make a graphical representation of the relationship between the two. Students will be able to make predictions based on experimental data
Stomp Rocket Lab
Students will be able to change parameters of the project to build a more successful rocket. Students will also be able to describe the energy conversions that are happening, and Newton’s laws that describe the motion of the rocket.
Science of Energy Introduction
An introduction to Science of Energy from the INL
Pendulum Lab 1
Pendulums swing with a very regular motion. This motion converts energy from gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy, and back again. This motion can be looked upon as a wave, or a cycle. We will examine this cycle, or wave, as part of the phenomenon of a pendulum.
Pendulum Lab 2
Develop a firm understanding of energy’s adherence to laws such as energy cannot be created or destroyed but rather transformed as in gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy and potential energy to kinetic energy back to kinetic energy and so forth.
Pop Bottle Rocket
Students will be able to change parameters of the project to build and fly a more successful rocket. Students will also be able to describe the energy conversions that are happening, and Newton’s laws that describe the motion of the rocket.
Safe, Reliable Nuclear Energy
The overall goal of this presentation is to introduce to the student the role of Nuclear Energy in the entire energy production landscape: Generation, use, environmental impacts, political considerations, etc.
Science of Energy
students will be able to explain what energy enables us to do, differentiate between forms and sources of energy, understand how energy is stored in the major energy sources, describe the main forms of energy and give examples, explain energy transformations, trace the energy flow of a system.
Claymation Energy Videos
Students will learn about various types of Energy Resources, Students will Learn Energy Conservation, Students will create Claymation Videos with an Energy Theme, Students will learn how to use a Digital Camera, Students will work with Windows Movie Maker.
*Note: Lesson Plans have a suggested grade level. They are not vested lesson plans and they have not been peer-reviewed. Please feel free to modify and use as needed to fit your grade level.
