Energy Sources Lesson Plan: Energy

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Energy Sources Lesson Plan. 

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Energy Sources, and supports the standard of describing natural energy and fuel sources, and how their use impacts the environment. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of  projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Turn the classroom light off, then back on. Ask students:”Where does this energy come from?”

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read aloud the description on the Energy Sources topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “Did You Know?” or “Discoveries and Inventions.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign Energy Sources Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about energy sources while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Create an advertisement for a specific renewable energy source. Explain why it is better than other energy sources. 
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map identifying the pros and cons of different energy sources. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a game challenging players to sort different energy sources by renewable and non-renewables. 

More to Explore

Energy Unit: Continue to build understanding around energy by exploring more BrainPOP topics. 

Sortify: Current Electricity:  ​​Challenge players to sort energy sources, energy loads, and more in this learning game.  

Storyline: Oil Production: Predict and explore trends and relationships in this data simulation. 

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Related:

    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, BrainPOP, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1