Energy Unit

This Energy Unit was created by myself and a colleague of mine to meet the NGSS standards 4-PS3- 1,2,3 and 4. The students began by building tissue paper hot air balloons to fly on a field trip to Rancho San Rafael Park. Then we had the students analyze various sources relating back to our essential question. Each source was on a different piece of paper and students worked in pairs or small groups to answer the questions.

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4th Grade Energy Unit

Essential Question: What changes in energy occur when particles collide? For example: heat energy

Source A: The Textbook: Harcourt Science pg. E42 paragraph 1

Convection

            Unlike particles in solids, particles in liquids and gases move from one place to another. A large group of hot particles can move and transfer thermal energy. This type of energy transfer in a liquid or a gas is called convection.

Source A Questions for Consideration

1.      What is a particle?

2.      Why do you think particles in liquids and gases can move from one place to another?

3.      How do you think this movement could cause heat?

4.      Why do you think heat is a type of energy?

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Source B: Primary Source: Tissue Balloon Experiment

Source B Questions for Consideration:

1.      What do you think will make your balloon successful or not successful?

2.      Why do you think the design of a balloon allows it to float?

3.      How do you think the hot air in the balloon makes it float? Draw a diagram of what you think happens.

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Source C: Secondary Source – Pictorial of a Hot Air Balloon. Parts of a Hot Air Balloon by, Creative Teaching Press

Source C Questions for Consideration

Draw the pictorial below as I draw it. Label the parts and then explain their purpose.

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Source D: Primary Source- Scholastic News: Beautiful Balloon Vol. 71 No. 7 (April 2015) Edition 2

Source D: Questions for Consideration

1.      When the balloon is ascending, what do you think the air particles are doing?

2.      If the pilot wants to descend, what does he/she need to do? Why do you think that would work?

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Source E: Images:

Energy Webquest: hot stove picture http://questgarden.com/141/09/6/120323062133/process.htm
NASA Quest: Balloons on Mars: hot air balloon picture http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/planetary/atmospheric/balloon.html

Images are on the right. *

1.      Explain what is happening to the water particles in the pot when they are heated?

2.      Explain what is happening with the air particles in the photo of the hot air balloon?

3.      What is similar in these two situations?

4.      What is different in these two situations?

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Student Writing Task:

This is an informational writing task based on 4th grade NGSS and Language Arts standards: W.4.2, W4.4, W.4.6, W.4.8, W.4.9, 4-PS-1, 2, 3, and 4. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the texts as well as the ways in which the textbook was enlarged, complicated, and vivified.

Action Steps:

1.      Reread Source A – The Textbook. With a partner, refer back to each source and find details/evidence that is important to add to your response. Write each piece of evidence down on a strip of paper and include the source letter in parentheses. (You must have at least six pieces of evidence to add to the textbook version.)

2.      Make sure you use at least four of the vocabulary words in the box below in your writing and that you include context clues that demonstrate your understanding of the word.

3.      With a partner, move your strips of evidence around to put them in an order that makes sense. Group similar ideas together.

Vocabulary Words**

particles density               ascending              descending            energy thermal        transferred heat                    convection            increased               decreased source

4.      Write a draft of your response. Have another student(s) check your draft to make sure your ideas flow and are corrected. They should check to make sure you are using linking words (if, then, next, and finally), phrases and precise vocabulary from the box above.

5.      Title your paper. Draw a picture that shows some of your details. Label your picture with a caption.

This is a picture of my students building their tissue paper hot air balloon. This is Source B.

This picture and the one below are of my students flying their balloons at the park.

This is the picture of the hot stove used in Source E.

This is the picture of the hot air balloon used in Source E.