By Unit/Lessons: Secondary School Example
Year 8 Semester 2: Energy Types
Essential Question: What is Energy?
Curriculum Planning
Time Allocation: 4 weeks (12 x 48 minute sessions)
Level 8 Science Achievement Standard: By the end of Level 8, students investigate different forms of energy and explain how energy transfers and transformations cause
change in simple systems. They use the particle model to predict, compare and explain the physical and chemical properties and behaviours of substances. They describe
and apply techniques to separate pure substances from mixtures. They provide evidence for observed chemical changes in terms of colour change, heat change, gas
production and precipitate formation. They use equations to describe simple chemical reactions. They analyse the relationship between structure and function at cell,
organ and body system levels. They use dichotomous keys to identify and classify living things. They explain how living organisms can be classified into major taxonomic
groups based on observable similarities and differences. They predict the effect of environmental changes on feeding relationships. They distinguish between different
types of simple machines and predict, represent and analyse the effects of unbalanced forces, including Earth’s gravity, on motion. They compare processes of rock
formation, including the time scales involved, and analyse how the sustainable use of resources depends on the way they are formed and cycle through Earth systems.
They model how the relative positions of Earth, sun and moon affect phenomena on Earth. Students explain how evidence has led to an improved understanding of a
scientific idea. They discuss how science knowledge can be applied to generate solutions to contemporary problems and explain how these solutions may impact on
society.
Students identify and construct questions and problems that they can investigate scientifically. They plan experiments, identifying variables to be changed, measured and
controlled. They consider accuracy and ethics when planning investigations, including designing field or experimental methods. Students summarise data from different
sources and construct representations of their data to reveal and analyse patterns and trends, and use these when justifying their conclusions. They explain how
modifications to methods could improve the quality of their data and apply their own scientific knowledge and investigation findings to evaluate claims made by others.
They use appropriate scientific language and representations to communicate science ideas, methods and findings in a range of text types.
Content Descriptions:
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ACSSU155: Energy appears in different forms including movement (kinetic energy), heat and potential energy and causes change within systems
ACSHE120: Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and
involve ethical considerations
ACSIS144: Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships, including using digital
technologies as appropriate
ACSIS148: Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate
ACSIS139: Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge
ACSIS140: Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines
are followed
ACSIS141: In fair tests, measure and control variables, and select equipment to collect data with accuracy appropriate to the task
ACSIS145: Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions
ACSIS146: Reflect on the method used to investigate a question or solve a problem, including evaluating the quality of the data collected, and identify improvements
to the method
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By Unit/Lessons: Secondary School Example
Curriculum Planning
Lesson sequence: Energy Types
Session
(48 mins)
Focus
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1
Understanding
energy and
identifying energy
types
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What will students know
and be able to do?
Define energy: ‘the ability to do
work’ or ‘the ability to make
things happen’
Identify active energy types
(kinetic, thermal, sound, light and
electrical)
Identify stored energy types
(chemical, nuclear, gravitational
potential and elastic potential
energy)
Identify sources of different
energy types
Measurements for energy: joules
(J), kilojoules (kJ) and mega joules
(MJ)
What are the main learning
activities?
Brainstorm students’ pre-existing
ideas about energy. What is energy?
What does it do? Where does it come
from? How do we use it? What types
of energy are used around the home
e.g. food labels, gas and energy bills?
What are the
assessment tasks?
Demonstration:
 Make a spinning snake – see
attached
Use worksheet to match energy types
to their description – see attached
Complete Energy worksheet – see
attached
Identify different energy sources
including looking at energy efficiency
labels
Observation of different types of
energy used in the school
Energy
Transformations
2
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Provides context and inspiration
for sessions 3 to 6 and outlines
the Energy Transformations
project
Student watch the Honda Accord
energy transformations advertisement
Students use the Cat-traption website
and complete questions
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By Unit/Lessons: Secondary School Example
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3 and 4
Energy Transfer
Understand that energy can be
transferred from one object to
another without changing
type/form
Heat transfer through conduction,
convection and radiation
Curriculum Planning
Experiment: Student design: Which
drink container is most effective at
retaining its heat? Measure and graph
the rate of cooling of a hot liquid in
different drink containers
Report on design activity to
demonstrate understanding energy
transfer
and /or
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5–8
Conservation of
Energy
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Experiment: Design and make a
coffee cup that will retain its heat.
Test it and write a report
Demonstrations:
 Daniell cell and a lemon battery
 Turing on a torch
 Glow stick
Understand the Law of
Conservation of Energy – that
energy can never be created
or destroyed, it can only be
converted from one form to
another
Students use skate park energy
Identify energy transformations in interactive to understand kinetic
a range of situations
energy, gravity and friction
Represent energy
transformations with words,
arrows and graphs
Make predictions about energy
use in various situations
Students prepare and give a brief
presentation using graphs to
represent the energy content of
different substances and arrows to
demonstrate energy transformations
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By Unit/Lessons: Secondary School Example
Curriculum Planning
Students are shown energy
transformations animations and
answer questions
Students submit responses to the
energy transformation questions
5–8
(cont.)
Students watch the Circus Physics
material on the Russian Barre routine
and answer questions on kinetic and
potential energy
Students submit responses to the
questions related to kinetic and
potential energy
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By Unit/Lessons: Secondary School Example
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9 -11
Energy
Transformations
and Efficiency
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Understand that energy
converters produce energy of
unwanted forms
Appreciate the inefficiency of an
electric incandescent light bulb
and the quest to develop a globe
with higher efficiency
Calculate the percentage energy
efficiency of energy converters
given input and output energies
Work collaboratively to identify
questions and problems in
relation to energy, and conduct
investigations and report results
Curriculum Planning
Students draw Sankey diagrams to
show wasted energy forms, including
those of an incandescent light bulb
Project: Energy Transformations Rube
Goldberg Challenge
Students look at energy efficient
housing design and complete
calculations for energy types, energy
efficiency and energy conversions
Experiment: Students design an
experiment investigating a feature of
an energy efficient house e.g. thermal
conductivity of building materials
Conduct a web search on one aspect
of energy efficient housing e.g.
relationship between height of
window, latitude and width of eaves
that will provide summer shade and
passive solar heating in winter
Students work in teams to design and
demonstrate a working machine,
completing a task in the home with
more energy efficiency:
 demonstrating different forms of
energy and explaining how energy
transfers and transformations
cause change in simple systems
 using appropriate language and
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By Unit/Lessons: Secondary School Example
Curriculum Planning
Percentage Energy Efficiency
Worksheets: calculations of
percentage energy efficiency.
Differentiated levels of difficulty
involving easier calculations, visual
cues and more accessible language
12
Plenary
representations to communicate
science ideas, methods and
findings
 identifying and constructing
questions and problems that they
can investigate scientifically
 plan experiments, identifying
variables to be changed,
measured and controlled
A written report outlining the
development process is also
submitted
Class discussion / Revision
 Types, forms and measurements
of energy
 Explaining and describing
different energy forms and their
uses
 Analysing why different design
choices make homes more or less
energy efficient
 Energy rating label system
benefits and deficits
 Reflecting on what was learnt
from the Rube Goldberg
Challenge
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By Unit/Lesson: Example Worksheet Energy Types
Curriculum Planning
Example worksheet: Energy Types
Instruction: Match the image with the energy type and suggest a possible use.
Types of energy: Chemical potential, sound, heat, kinetic, light, electric
Image
Type
Possible use
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By Unit/Lesson: Example Worksheet Energy Types
Curriculum Planning
Making a spinning snake
Activity taken from: Pearson Science 8, Pearson Australia 2011, p177
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