Andrea N. Bailey
This unit will give the students the ability to use demonstrations to better understand the chemistry, physics, and economics of various energy alternatives. The unit will allow students to connect to science in their daily lives when they are beginning to question their lives in general. This unit will allow students to feel comfortable with the processes of scientific investigation. Students will design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate investigations of renewable energy.
This unit will help students consider which energy source will be most effective for the economy and the environment in the future. At the completion of the unit, students will be able to distinguish between potential and kinetic energy, identify and describe different forms of energy, and demonstrate an understanding of renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy. These topics can be integrated directly through math, science, and technology. Students will further appreciate why it's important to conserve energy because it directly affects their own daily lives while serving a larger purpose.
(Developed for Science, grade 5; recommended for Science, grade 5)
