Lesson Plan
Lesson 5: Transforming Energy Into Electricity
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how moving air and water can turn turbines to generate electricity.
Lesson Plan
Tuning In
- As was done in Lesson 1, turn a light on inside the classroom. Ask the students if they know what is making the light illuminate. Students should be able to identify electricity as the energy source. Invite them to share their definition of electricity and to explain what it is and where it comes from.
Teacher Instruction
- Discuss how electricity is a secondary energy (another form of energy has to be transformed into electricity). Introduce the statement to be investigated in the lesson: Mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy.
- Watch the Electricity Generation video on YouTube. Afterwards, display and discuss slides 13-16 the It’s Electric! PowerPoint.
Guided/Independent Learning
- Distribute the Electricity: From Plant to Place Worksheet to the students. Read through the instructions on the worksheet as a class and check that the students understand the task.
- Monitor and support the students as they complete the activity. The worksheet can be completed independently, in pairs or in small groups.
- Once the students have finished, review the activity. Encourage the students to share their sequences for the production and transmission of electricity. Ensure they have the correct sequence of events and can provide a summary of how moving air or water can generate electricity.
Wrapping Up
- Discuss other methods used for turning turbines to generate electricity, as outlined on slide 17.
- Revist the Electricity Word Wall. Add the words ‘transformed’, ‘power plant’, ‘fossil fuel’, ‘turbine’, ‘generator’, ‘substation’, ‘nuclear power’ and ‘uranium’ to the display.
Differentiation
Extending Students
- Encourage fast finishers to conduct some independent research into how power plants generate electricity.
Supporting Students
- Allow students who are finding the worksheet challenging to work in a small group with adult support.
Assessment Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- used strategic whole class or individual questioning
- observed student participation during learning activities
- recorded student progress on a checklist
- annotated student work samples
- collected and reviewed student work samples
- facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
- encouraged student self-reflection
- administered formal assessment tasks.
Resources
NSW Curriculum alignment
- ST3-8PW-ST
Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another
- ST3-8PW-ST
Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another
Victorian Curriculum alignment
- VCSSU081
Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy
- VCSSU081
Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACSSU097
Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources
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