Energy Around Us

Overview

Students explore common forms of energy found in everyday life and practice explaining them using evidence from observations. The lesson connects to prior learning by building from “what we notice” to “how energy moves from one place or form to another,” using clear science and informational-text thinking.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify forms of energy around them: electrical, light, motion, chemical, heat, sound, elastic, and gravitational.
• Students will be able to explain what each energy form does using simple cause-and-effect language.
• Students will be able to record observations from quick investigations and connect them to energy types.
• Students will be able to write a short informative paragraph that groups facts clearly about one topic (forms of energy).

Success criteria

• I can match an observation to the correct form of energy.
• I can explain what happens and why using information from our observations.
• I can organize my writing with a clear topic introduction and grouped facts.
• I can include a heading and add a simple sketch or diagram that helps explain.

Curriculum links

• Reading Informational Text: Explain ideas and concepts in a science text using specific information (RI.4.3).
• Reading Informational Text: Read and comprehend grade-appropriate informational text with scaffolding as needed (RI.4.10).
• Writing Informative/Explanatory: Write to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly (W.4.2).
• Writing: Introduce a topic clearly and group related information; include formatting such as headings (W.4.2a).

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: Energy Hunt. Teacher shows 6 quick picture cards (light from a lamp, sound from a phone, heat from a warm object, motion from a rolling toy, electrical from a plugged-in device, chemical from a battery-operated snack item). Students turn and talk: “Which energy form do you notice and what makes you think so?”

2. 5–12 min · Mini-lesson: What energy forms look like. Teacher explains each energy form with a student-friendly “What it is + what we see it do” script:

• Electrical: energy from electric power (often from plugs/batteries).
• Light: energy that lets us see and can travel.
• Motion: energy of moving objects.
• Chemical: energy stored in substances (food, batteries).
• Heat: energy from temperature differences.
• Sound: energy that travels and makes vibrations we can hear.
• Elastic: energy stored in stretched or compressed materials (rubber bands, springs).
• Gravitational: energy due to position (things can fall). Students repeat and sort the picture cards into an “Energy Types” chart on the board.

3. 12–24 min · Guided inquiry stations: Observations to evidence. Teacher sets up 3 stations (5–6 minutes each). Students rotate with a recording sheet that asks: “What did you observe? Which energy form matches? What made you decide?”

• Station A (Sound + Motion): Students tap a desk with hands or use a small xylophone/rubber mallet (teacher chooses safe options) and observe vibration effects; then lightly push a small cart/ball to observe motion.
• Station B (Heat + Light): Students feel safe warm/cool items (teacher-handled) and look at a flashlight/LED shining on objects.
• Station C (Electrical + Chemical / Elastic + Gravitational): Students observe a simple circuit demo (teacher-led) or battery-powered toy (electrical + chemical), and then test a rubber band launch and/or drop a small object to see elastic and gravitational effects. Teacher circulates, prompting with sentence frames: “I observed ____, so the energy form is ____. This is happening because ____.”

4. 24–31 min · Informational text read-aloud: Explain using evidence. Teacher reads a short grade-appropriate informational excerpt about energy forms (printed passage, 1 page). Teacher models highlighting where the text explains “what happened” and “why,” then points out phrases that connect to observations from stations. Students complete a quick matching task: pair 3 statements from the passage to the correct energy form, using evidence words from the text (for example: “stored,” “travels,” “makes,” “changes”).

5. 31–38 min · Writing: One organized informative paragraph. Teacher models how to write a paragraph with:

• Heading: “Forms of Energy I Observed”
• Topic sentence introducing the main idea
• Grouped facts in 2–3 sentences (one sentence per energy form observed)
• A closing sentence that answers “what happened and why” in simple terms Students write their paragraph on the worksheet. They may use a small sketch/diagram next to at least one energy form.

6. 38–40 min · Exit ticket: Quick check. Students answer: “Choose two energy forms you saw today. For each one, write what it is and one observation that proves it.”

Resources

• Picture cards for eight energy forms
• Board chart: “Energy Types” with columns for “What it is” and “What we observe”
• Station recording sheet with sentence frames
• Materials for stations (teacher selected to be safe): flashlight/LED, warm/cool safe items, sound maker (xylophone or tap boards), small cart/ball, rubber bands, simple teacher-led circuit or battery-powered toy, small drop objects
• Short printed informational passage on energy forms (grade-appropriate)
• Writing paper with headings and space for a simple sketch

Assessment

• During stations: teacher listens for correct energy-form identification and evidence-based explanations (observation-to-reasoning).
• After read-aloud: students complete the quick matching task using text cues.
• Exit ticket: check that students can explain “what it is” and cite an observation for two energy forms.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters and word bank for students who need support (is energy that…, I observed…, so it must be…, because…).
• Offer a simplified recording sheet with fewer choices (e.g., 4 energy types) while still including at least two from the full list.
• For advanced students, require an additional “why” detail: “What change or transfer did you notice?” (example: electrical to light in a flashlight).
• EAL/SEN support: allow oral rehearsal with a partner before writing; use visuals (icons next to each energy form).