ENERGY & ENERGY

SYSTEMS
• Energy is defined as the capacity to do
work. However work can take on a
number of forms, such as moving a
physical object, or a chemical reaction,
or lighting up a flashlight. All these
examples need energy for them occur.
(Farrow 2006)
• Energy is present in every activity that
we do, and is not created or destroyed.
It is transferred into different forms as it
is used , and it can be stored in many
forms, such as batteries, petrol or food.
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
Assignment 2
 ENERGY & ENERGY
SYSTEMS
• Because of the simple definition of energy,
and the limitless ways in which it does work,
and also because of the energy
conservation concept, it is important to give
students a number of experiences so that
they can reach an understanding of energy
that they can relate to.
• Energy also has so many meanings in the
modern world that there can be a difference
between what children understand energy
to be, and the scientific definition.
• For both these reasons it is important to
first gain a picture or students’ prior
knowledge of energy.
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
Assignment 2
 Student’s Prior Knowledge
• Prior knowledge is what students already
know about a science topic, from their own
observations or experiences.
• However students’ prior knowledge may
often be incorrect or different to the
scientific way of thinking about a topic.
• Therefore we need to understand their
prior knowledge to help us plan further
investigations into a topic so that what
students learn about science can have a
meaningful link to what they already know.
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
Assignment 2
(Faire & Cosgrove 1993; Fleer, Jane & Hardy 2007)
 Energy-Class Brainstorm
to determine prior knowledge
Have a class discussion about energy,
recording
all student’s ideas on a concept map
• Prompt students
thinking with
questions.
• What is energy?
• Where does energy
come from?
• What kinds of
energy are there?
• How do we use • Concept map gives a
energy? simple overall view of
what
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030- the class knows
• What happens to Assignment 2
 Energy-Toy Investigation
to determine prior knowledge
• On a table have an arrangement of items
that use energy in some way. Include items
that use a variety of forms of energy, such
as battery toys, solar powered devices,
spring loaded toys, human powered items
and plants.
• DO NOT tell students that the items all use
energy.
• Ask the students to work in pairs to write
down all the items that use energy, and to
then list them according to the type of
energy used.
• Shows what types of energy the students
already understand. eg, many may
recognise batteryBrad or solar
Hoare-EDUC 2030-devices as using

energy, but perhaps not plants or a hand

Assignment 2
 WHEELS DAY-ENERGY
• Wheels Day gives students an ideal
opportunity to observe energy.
• Beforehand, ask them to think about
what kinds of energy are present
when they are riding their bikes or
scooters. Remind them while they
are out
• What is riding.
providing the
energy for them to move,
and to stop?
• Where does it come from
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
and where does it go?
Assignment 2
 WHEELS DAY-ENERGY
• Back in class, ask
the students to
draw a bicycle or
scooter and label all
the different forms
of energy used to
ride it.
• Ask them to label
where energy exists • Display all the drawings
and where the as a record of the
energy transfers student’s prior
through the bike or knowledge about
scooter Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
energy?
Assignment 2
 WHEELS DAY-ENERGY
Assessing Prior Knowledge
• Do students see themselves as a source of
energy for their bike or scooter?
• Can students trace the energy through the
system? eg. their leg pushes their body and
their other leg and arms push the scooter.
• How far back can they follow the energy? eg.
we get our energy from food which is grown
with energy from the sun.
• Can students see what happens to energy
By when
answering these
they use theirquestions we get
brakes? Friction andaheat?
picture
of our class’s prior knowledge about energy,
and also what understanding the students need
to develop. Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
Assignment 2
WHEELS DAY-ENERGY
Developing the topic
• Students should be now encouraged to
come up with their own questions about
energy, and what they want to find out
about energy.
• Students own questions have more
relevance, and allow them to
participate in the planning process.
• Teachers need to assist students, by
clarifying and defining questions, and
sometimes subtly guiding the students
towards questions that may provide for
better learning experiences, keeping
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
Assignment 2
 SACSA relevance
BAND-Middle years STRAND-Energy
systems

Key Idea- Students analyse and chart

sequences of energy transfer
through items such as toys, home
appliances and personal transport,
in relation to
Outcome 2.4- Identifies, observes
and describes energy transfer, such
as light, sound, heat or movement,
through common objects.
Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-
Assignment 2
(DECS 2004)
References

Faire, J & Cosgrove, M 1993, Teaching primary

science, Waikato Education Centre, Hamilton,
New Zealand.
Farrow, S 2006, The really useful science book:
a framework of knowledge for primary teachers,
3rd edn, Routledge, New York.
Fleer, M, Jane, B & Hardy, T 2007, Science for
children: developing a personal approach to
teaching, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs
Forest, NSW.
The State of South Australia, Department of
Education and Children’s Services, 2004, R–10
Science Teaching Resource, DECS Publishing,
Hindmarsh, SA.

Brad Hoare-EDUC 2030-

Assignment 2