OVERVIEW
When you turn on the television, tie your shoelace or drive to the store – you’re using energy. Energy is everywhere in nature – in the light of the sun, in wind, in falling water and erupting volcanoes. Without energy, there is no life.
LEVELS
Grades 4-5
SUBJECTS
Language Arts
Math
Science
Social Studies
Visual Arts |
CONCEPTS
People use ingenuity and innovation
to make the best use of available resources.
To sustain the availability and use of important resources,
people practice conservation.
Human consumption patterns affect the availability of
resources.
To meet the needs of an expanding human population, societies
practice resource management and employ technology.
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SKILLS
Analyzing
Categorizing
Classifying
Comparing
Contrasting
Data Gathering
Discussing
Interpreting
Organizing Information
Representing
Researching |
DISCUSSION AND STUDY TOPICS
The study of energy can be used in the context of many different
areas of learning. Here are some suggestions:
| Science |
| |
Energy
is produced from a variety of different resources. What
is the difference between a renewable and a non-renewable
resource? What are some examples of each? What kind of
resources are used to generate energy at your school,
in your community? Are they renewable or non-renewable?
(research project, class activity, class presentation) |
|
|
What
are the byproducts of producing energy from different
resources? What happens to these byproducts? How do these
byproducts affect the cost of energy generation? (research
project, class presentation, class experiment) |
| Math |
| |
What
are the costs involved in generating energy? Are some
forms of energy more expensive than others? Why? Have
students calculate the cost of generating energy in their
community. Are there other alternatives? Have students
monitor their electric meters at home to measure energy
use. Using their family’s electricity bill, have
students calculate the cost of a day’s worth of
energy. Are there ways to conserve energy at home?
(research project, class activity, essay topic) |
| Social Studies |
|
|
How have people generated energy/power
throughout history? How have attitudes toward energy/power
generation changed over time? Have students interview
their parents and grandparents to find out whether or
not things have changed. (research project, class
activity, essay topic) |
|
|
Do different parts of the world
use different energy sources? Why? Have student groups
research particular regions, countries or cultures to
determine energy sources and uses. (research project,
art project, class presentation, class discussion) |
| Language
Arts |
|
|
How do you use energy every day? How would you accomplish the same tasks if you lived 200 years ago? (essay topic, short story, play, video topic)
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Activity Sheet
CLUES
| 1. |
Energy from the sun. |
| 2. |
Byproduct of burning wood. |
| 3. |
Energy from water. |
| 4. |
Type of energy "trapped" in an atom. |
| 5. |
Type of energy meaning "earth heat." |
| 6. |
From the Greek word elektron. |
| 7. |
Boiling water produces ______. |
| 8. |
Coal, oil and natural gas are examples of ______ fuels. |
|
 |
| 9. |
Earth’s heat-trapping mechanism. (two words) |
| 10. |
Stored energy. |
| 11. |
"Blowing in the ____." |
| 12. |
Organic material used as fuel. |
| 13. |
Energy in motion. |
| 14. |
Power source for many industrial facilities. |
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Answers to Crossword Puzzle: 1. solar 2. ash 3. hydropower 4. nuclear 5. geothermal 6. electricity 7. steam 8. fossil 9. greenhouse effect 10. potential 11. wind 12. biomass 13. kinetic 14. boiler
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In addition to providing beauty and recreation, forests supply
raw materials to help meet society’s needs for housing,
paper, containers and thousands of other products used by consumers
every day. As one of the country’s leading forest products
providers, Georgia-Pacific
Corporation has a long-term
interest in and commitment to the health of our nation’s
forests. |
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