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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Exploring Energy Transfer Across Energy Stores

2 Days

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Exploring Energy Transfer & Solving Real World Problems

A 8th grade STEM lesson

Katherine Otwell

6/8/2024

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Notes for teachers

Teacher Notes:

The Energy Transfer Mechanisms slide has a hands-on station lab activity that you will need to set up in advance. Directions are here.
PBS Learning Media - sign up
STEM Case File - Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway - Access to Gizmo software or complete the Design Challenge in the speaker notes at the bottom of that slide.

List of Materials

Interactive whiteboard or projector
Computer/tablet with internet access
Various objects representing different energy stores (e.g., toy car for kinetic energy, battery for chemical energy, light bulb for electrical energy) You can show pics or bring objects into class.
Engineering materials for design challenge (e.g., cardboard, tape, scissors, rubber bands, marbles)
Renewable energy case study materials (e.g., information sheets, images, videos)
Colored paper or plain white paper
Colored pencils/markers
scissors

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Standards

Arizona Science Standard: 8.P4U1.3 - Construct an explanation on how energy can be transferred from one energy store to another.

Az Science Standard 8.P4U2. 5

Develop a solution to increase efficiency when transferring energy from one source to another.

Standard 5.0 Apply Technology and Tools to Engineering Solutions

Standards

Standard 2.0 Create engineering solutions by applying a structured problem-solving/decision making process

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Objective:

Students will construct an explanation on how energy can be transferred from one energy store to another, integrating STEM principles through hands-on activities and real-world applications.

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Day 1

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Driving Question:

How does energy change and move around, and how can we use that knowledge to solve problems?

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Agenda

Day 1: Introduction to Energy Transfer & Hands-on Station Work (45 minutes)

Engage (10 minutes):

Begin by asking students to brainstorm different forms of energy they encounter in their daily lives. Write their responses on the board.
Introduce the concept of energy transfer by explaining that energy can move from one form (or energy store) to another. Provide examples to illustrate this concept (e.g., a light bulb converting electrical energy to light energy).

Explore Energy Stores (10 minutes):

Show students various objects representing different energy stores (e.g., toy car, battery, light bulb).
Ask students to identify the type of energy associated with each object and its corresponding energy store. Discuss as a class.

Explain Energy Transfer Mechanisms - Station Work (55 minutes total):

Present an overview of energy transfer mechanisms, including conduction, convection, radiation, mechanical work, and electromagnetic induction.
Provide brief examples of each mechanism and its application in everyday life and STEM fields.

Elaborate (5 minutes):

Engage students in a brief discussion about the importance of understanding energy transfer in STEM fields. Encourage them to think about how energy transfer concepts relate to real-world problems and innovations.

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Brainstorm

Engage (10 minutes):

Begin by asking students to brainstorm different forms of energy they encounter in their daily lives. Write their responses on the board. The images won’t show up until you click to move on. Brainstorm first before showing the images, then click through the images.
Introduce the concept of energy transfer by explaining that energy can move from one form (or energy store) to another. Provide examples to illustrate this concept (e.g., a light bulb converting electrical energy to light energy). The arrows will appear as you click, so that you can discuss it before showing where each item can get its energy from.
If you have a Newton’s Cradle then this would be a good time to use it to demonstrate potential to kinetic energy. If not there is a video link on the next slide to demonstrate.

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Energy is transferred from one form to another.

Engage (10 minutes):

Begin by asking students to brainstorm different forms of energy they encounter in their daily lives. Write their responses on the board. The images won’t show up until you click to move on. Brainstorm first before showing the images, then click through the images.
Introduce the concept of energy transfer by explaining that energy can move from one form (or energy store) to another. Provide examples to illustrate this concept (e.g., a light bulb converting electrical energy to light energy). The arrows will appear as you click, so that you can discuss it before showing where each item can get its energy from.
If you have a Newton’s Cradle then this would be a good time to use it to demonstrate potential to kinetic energy. If not there is a video link on this slide to demonstrate.

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Explore Energy Stores

Explore Energy Stores (10 minutes):

Show students various objects representing different energy stores (e.g., toy car, battery, light bulb).
Ask students to identify the type of energy associated with each object and its corresponding energy store. Discuss as a class.

Materials:

Colored paper or plain white paper
Colored pencils/markers
scissors

Instructions:

Create a foldable with an example for each of the listed energy forms above. This will be used as a study tool and reference for class discussions later in the lesson. They can Google these or come up with their own and work with partners if you choose.
Have each group or pair report quickly out one example they used until you’ve discussed all 9. Make sure you connect with how each one fits into the potential and kinetic energy category.

Here is an image of what I think would be a way to set up the foldable. You could do this online, but I was trying to keep the time it took to complete this short. I couldn’t get the images in speaker notes, so it is to the side of the slide.

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Station Work: Energy Transfer Mechanisms

Objective: Students will explore and observe different energy transfer mechanisms through hands-on experiments at various stations.

Introduction (5 minutes): What are some ways energy can be transferred? Talk with your group, and then report out.
Stations (10 min at each station): There are 5 stations set up around the classroom. Directions are at each station. Please read and in your notebook write down your observations.
Answer questions about each station.

Class Discussion:

What do you observe in each station?
What are some real-world applications that you could see in our lives each day?

Explain Energy Transfer Mechanisms (55 minutes total):

Present an overview of energy transfer mechanisms, including conduction, convection, radiation, mechanical work, and electromagnetic induction.
Provide brief examples of each mechanism and its application in everyday life and STEM fields.

In order to explain energy transfer mechanisms students will work through stations. This may extend to another class period. If you prefer, you can do this as a demo for each class. Station Work Instructions

Materials Needed:

Station cards (each labeled with a different energy transfer mechanism: conduction, convection, radiation, mechanical work, electromagnetic induction. They are attached below. Cut on line.)
Everyday materials for each station

Conduction - Metal spoon, hot water, thermometer
Convection - Clear plastic container, water, food coloring, heat source (e.g., lamp)
Radiation - Heat lamp or sunlight, thermometer, various objects (e.g., metal, fabric, paper)
Mechanical Work - Rubber band, small object (e.g., toy car), ruler or meterstick
Electromagnetic Induction - Copper wire coil, magnet, galvanometer (optional)

Safety goggles
Thermometer (optional - a digital one might be the best bet)
Stopwatch (optional - use their phone)

Discussion (10 minutes):

Gather students together for a class discussion on their observations and findings at each station.
Encourage students to compare and contrast the different energy transfer mechanisms they explored.
Facilitate a discussion on the real-world applications of each mechanism and its significance in various contexts.

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Elaborate

What is the importance of understanding energy transfer in STEM fields?
Let’s think about how energy transfer can help us solve some of the declining availability of oil in our world?
How important is it that we find a new energy source that is safe to use for both us and our environment?
Do you think the field of energy in relation to careers in the future will be important, especially because all of the technology we use today?

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Day 2

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Driving Question:

How can we use what we know about energy transfer to solve real world problems?

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Agenda

Day 2: Case Studies (45 minutes)

Renewable Energy Case Study (25 minutes):

Introduce a case study on a renewable energy technology.
Provide students with information sheets, images, and videos about the technology and its energy transfer processes. PBS Learning Media

STEM Case Study - GIZMO (25 minutes):

.Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway - This make take more than 25 min.
Students work through a simulation that tests their engineering solutions to solve a real world scenario. It addresses several energy and heat transfer objectives from Arizona Standards.

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Renewable Energy Case Study

Take out your computers.
Go to this link to sign into PBS Learning Media
Follow the directions, and work through DECIDING YOUR CITY’S ENERGY FUTURE.

Renewable Energy Case Study (25 minutes):

Introduce a case study on a renewable energy technology.
Provide students with information sheets, images, and videos about the technology and its energy transfer processes. PBS Learning Media

PBS Learning Media - each student or pairs of students will need a computer and earbuds.

This sheet explains the information you need to know to set up this lesson. LINKED HERE. You should spend some time getting to know how this site works. It is really cool though!
You will need to set up student accounts. You can send out a link for them to sign up instead of you copying student names. If your district is is tough on student sign-in, then you can assign each child a code/number/animal and they won’t have to enter personal information. However, I believe it will be worth your time due to other lessons PBS has to offer that you can use in the future.
I would group any student who has reading/writing difficulties with another student to complete this activity. By the end they are completing a CER. It is also Google Classroom friendly. You could possibly do this as a class, but I would copy and paste the reading materials into a document, so students can refer back to it for the writing portions.
On the link above to set up the lesson it does provide extensions and assessment ideas.
At the end of the lesson students write a CER, it suggests they print it, but I would have them save as a pdf and turn it in through Canvas or Google Classroom.

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STEM Case- Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway

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Assessment

The first case study requires the student to write a CER. You can use that for assessment.
The STEM case study on permafrost has built in formative assessments along the way and a student reflection. You could choose to have them write down how they solve protecting the permafrost on paper instead of doing that on the program.
Here is another option for assessment, if you do not like the two above.

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Differentiation

Students can complete in small teacher led groups other Gizmos on heat transfer.
Watch the following videos and discuss with teacher in small group -

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students can conduct further research on renewable energy technologies and their applications, exploring additional case studies and presenting their findings to the class.
Have them complete the DESIGN CHALLENGE at the bottom of the STEM case slide for Gizmo.