LEARN NC

Car board game.

CareerStart lessons: Grade six

3.9 Energy: Concepts and careers

By April Galloway and Christine Scott

Provided by CareerStart

Learning outcomes

  • Students will analyze the law of conservation of energy
  • Students will evaluate data for qualitative and quantitative relationships associated with energy transfer and/or transformation.

Teacher planning

Materials needed

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor (Note: If the Occupational Outlook Handbook is not available at your school media center or guidance office, please refer to the electronic version on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. This website is also a great tool for readers who would struggle with a handbook of this size.)
  • One sheet of white paper for each student
  • For each student, one copy of each of the student handouts:
    • “Skateboard Scenario”
    • “A Bright Idea: Energy Conservation”
    • “Energy Job Information Sheet”
  • Light bulb (optional)
  • Overhead projector
  • Transparency of the student handout “A Bright Idea: Energy Conservation”
  • One copy of teacher reference pages
  • Pencils
Time required for lesson

140 minutes

Procedure

  1. Instruct the students to make a foldable with the white paper. First, fold the paper hotdog style, then fold in half, and fold in half one last time.
  2. Have students label the top of the boxes with the following vocabulary words: energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, mechanical energy, thermal energy, conversion, friction, law of conservation of energy.
  3. Use the examples from the vocabulary teacher reference page to give the students notes on energy.
  4. Instruct students to record their vocabulary definitions and examples on their foldable.
  5. Show the class a light bulb and ask what career would relate to the light bulb and energy. (Electrician)
  6. Put the transparency of “A Bright Idea: Energy Conservation” on the overhead.
  7. Lead the class in a discussion on energy conservation.
  8. As you discuss energy conservation, instruct students to fill in key words on the student handout “A Bright Idea: Energy Conservation.”
  9. Have students look at the “Skateboard Scenario” student handout, and read the scenario to the class.
  10. Put the students in groups of four or five.
  11. Have students discuss the answer within their groups, and then check for understanding.
  12. Assign one of the following careers to each student: automotive systems technician/race car performance, power plant operator, mechanical engineer, nuclear engineer, petroleum engineer, biomedical engineer, or hairdresser.
  13. Instruct students to complete the “Energy Job Information Sheet” according to their assigned careers.

Critical vocabulary

Energy
The ability to do work
Potential energy
The energy an object has because of its position
Kinetic energy
The energy of motion
Energy conversion
Change from one form of energy to another
Friction
The force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are touching each other
Law of conservation of energy
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another.
Mechanical energy
Total energy of motion and position of an object
Thermal energy
Internal kinetic energy due to the random motion of particles that make up an object

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 6

  • Goal 6: The learner will conduct investigations and examine models and devices to build an understanding of the characteristics of energy transfer and/or transformation.
    • Objective 6.04: Evaluate data for qualitative and quantitative relationships associated with energy transfer and/or transformation.
    • Objective 6.07: Analyze the Law of Conservation of Energy:
      • Conclude that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another.
      • Conclude that the amount of energy stays the same, although within the process some energy is always converted to heat.
      • Some systems transform energy with less loss of heat than others.