Energy Teaching Resources
Explore energy in your science classroom with engaging activities, printable worksheets and more teacher resources aligned with the Australian science curriculum.
This collection of teacher-created resources covers everything you need to introduce primary students to sound, light, heat, electricity and so much more! Save time on your lesson plans with easily editable resources and differentiated options that have been carefully reviewed by the science teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're ready for your classroom and your students!
Is this your first year engaging kids on the topic of energy? Or maybe you are just looking for fresh ideas? Read on for a help from our teacher team!
What Is Energy? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Ever wish you had a script handy to introduce any topic to your class for the first time? We hear you! The Teach Starter site is packed with kid-friendly definitions made just for teachers! Here's one that we use to explain what energy means to our students:
Energy is the ability to do work or cause change. It's found all around us — even when we can't see it — making things happen!
For example, energy is what makes a lightbulb glow or creates the sound we hear when we play a musical instrument.
- Plus Plan
Sensational Senses
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the five senses and the information they provide.
- Plus Plan
Electricity Explained
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of energy transfer and transformation when generating electricity.
- Plus Plan
Is It Sustainable? Evaluating Sources of Electricity
A 60 minute lesson in which students will consider whether energy sources are sustainable.
- Plus Plan
Solar Electricity
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate the use of solar panels and determine if they are a viable source of electricity.
- Plus Plan
Design a Musical Instrument
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of sound.
- Plus Plan
Sounds of Change
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate if the pitch and volume of sounds can be changed.
- Plus Plan
Make a Sound
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate if similar sounds can be made in different ways.
- Plus Plan
Shine Bright, Electric Light!
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how changes to electrical circuits affect their components.
- Plus Plan
Light and Shadow - Design an Experiment
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of light and fair testing.
- Plus Plan
In the Shadows
A 60 minute lesson in which students will compare shadows from point and extended light sources.
- Plus Plan
See Light Through Me
A 60 minute lesson in which students will classify objects based on how much light is transmitted through them.
- Plus Plan
Handy Heating
A 60-minute lesson designed to explain how certain materials change when they are heated.
- Plus Plan
It's Electric! Unit Plan
This Physical Sciences unit addresses the principles of electricity. It explores what electricity is, how it is transferred and how energy is transformed to create it.
- Plus Plan
Light Fantastic Unit Plan
This Physical Sciences unit addresses the properties of light. It explores the phenomena of reflection, refraction, shadow and more.
- Plus Plan
The Heat is On Unit Plan
This Physical Sciences unit addresses the concept of heat energy, including heat sources, heat transfer, thermal conductors and thermal insulators.
- Plus Plan
Light and Sound Unit Plan
This Physical Sciences unit addresses the concepts of light and sound and how they are sensed.
- Plus Plan
Sound Research
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how sound travels.
- Plus Plan
C'mon, Feel the Noise
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore sound and how it is made.
- Plus Plan
True Colours
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how the colour of an object depends on the properties of the object and the colour of the light source.
- Plus Plan
In Living Colour
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how the colour of an object depends on the properties of the object.
- Plus Plan
Refracting Light
A 60 minute lesson in which students will observe the refraction of light at the surfaces of different transparent materials.
- Plus Plan
Reflecting Light
A 60 minute lesson in which students will use mirrors to investigate some of the properties of reflected light.