CURRICULUM RESOURCES

Every day we use energy to make changes to our surroundings. We heat rooms, freeze food and communicate using light, sound and electricity. Power stations and local solutions such as batteries provide us with electrical energy that machines transform into the useful energies that we require. However, we cannot create energy; we can only transform energy already present in our environment. So where does this electrical energy come from? There are many different ways that we use the Earth’s resources to generate the energies we desire.

The Essential energy unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom. It provides opportunities for students to explore how energy is used to make changes in their world, including energy from the Sun, water and wind. Students’ understanding of how to improve the efficiency of a waterwheel is developed through hands-on activities and student-planned investigations. Students also investigate variables that affect the output of a simple battery made from household items.

Unit at a glance (PDF)
Equipment lists (PDF)
Alignment with the Australian Curriculum: Science (PDF)
Alignment with the Australian Curriculum: English and Maths (PDF)