Forms of Energy Teaching Resources

Explore forms of energy in your science classes with experiments, activities and more resources for teachers!

From lesson plans on electricity to worksheets about thermal energy, this collection is packed with NGSS curriculum-aligned printables and digital resources created by teachers for teachers like you. You'll save time on your lesson plans with easily editable resources, plus you'll be able to meet your students' needs with differentiated options.

Best of all? Every single resource has been carefully reviewed by the science teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure it's ready for your classroom and your students!

Is this your first year covering the different forms of energy in your classroom? Or maybe you are just looking for fresh ideas? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at the two main types that these forms can fall into.

What Are the 2 Types of Energy?

Energy can take a variety of forms — from the mechanical energy involved in stretching a rubberband to the motion energy in a gust of wind — but every form of energy can be classified into just two main types. Before we dive into the long list of forms of energy that exist in the universe, it might help to take a look at these types:

Potential Energy
Kinetic Energy

Read on to learn how we explain these types to our students!

What Is Potential Energy? A Kid-Friendly Definition and Example

Potential energy is the energy that an object has because of its position or condition.

Let's say you take out a rubberband and stretch it way, way, way out with your hands. Because it is stretched out, the rubberband is full of potential energy that will help it fly farther when it is finally released!

What Is Kinetic Energy?

Kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion. This type of energy depends on the object's mass and speed.

Let's look at that rubberband example again! It may have potential energy when held in a stretched-out position, but once it is released, the rubberband now has kinetic energy as it flies through the air!

What Are Forms of Energy? Examples for Kids

Now that we've covered the two types of energy let's look at the different forms of energy that fall under each type. We've developed these explanations to help you as you work with students to gain a deeper understanding of how energy affects people and the environment around us!

4 Forms of Potential Energy

Elastic Energy — This is the energy that can be found when an object is stretched or compressed. Elastic energy can be found in a coiled spring or a stretched rubber band.
Nuclear Energy — Nuclear energy is a form of energy that originates from the nucleus, or the core, of an atom. This kind of energy is commonly used to generate electricity, but it requires the process of releasing it from the atom.
Gravitational Energy — Gravitational energy is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field. For example, if you hold a book high in the air, its height creates the potential for the book to fall. This is its gravitational energy and its potential energy!
Chemical Energy — This type of energy is stored in atoms and molecules.

5 Forms of Kinetic Energy

Mechanical Energy — Mechanical energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion or position.
Electrical Energy — This is the energy produced by the flow of electric charges or electrons. The electricity that we use to power our computers and our lights is a form of electrical energy!
Light Energy — Light energy is the energy that we see as visible light. We can get this energy from natural sources like the sun or human-made sources like the lightbulb.
Thermal Energy — Also called heat energy, thermal energy is a form that most students have experienced in their lives. It's energy that comes from the heat of an object or system, such as the energy of the sun.
Sound Energy — This form is the energy produced by vibrations that create sound waves. It's the type of energy involved when we speak or sing, and it's also the energy involved in all the noises produced around us.