TPACK Template

Content

Subject Science
Grade Level 6th
Learning Objective 6.4 The student will investigate and understand that there are
basic sources of energy
and that energy can be transformed. Key ideas include
a) the sun is important in the formation of most energy sources
on Earth;
b) Earth’s energy budget relates to living systems and Earth’s
processes;
c) radiation, conduction, and convection distribute energy; and
d) energy transformations are important in energy usage.
(What is bolded will be my focus for this activity.)
Pedagogy

Online Activity This activity will supplement and enhance students’ knowledge
of the content of this SOL. The simulation creates a real-life
situation that will allow the students to have first-hand
experience with energy and how its basic forms change.

Four days before this activity is assigned (it will be a Friday

activity as it will count as a lab), students will have learned the
subject matter through online instruction and warm-up
activities.

This activity has two sections: introduction and systems. In the

introduction, the students are introduced to experiencing
thermal energy change by heating or cooling different types of
materials. In the systems simulation, students are given options
to mix and match sources of energy with energy transfer
systems. It also gives the option to interchange what is using the
energy being transferred. The two of these simulators help
students to picture real-life logical ways of producing the most
energy in the most efficient way.

1. Host an online meeting through zoom (assuming

students have already had multiple zoom meetings
throughout the year).
2. Have live screencast recording for demonstration and
for anyone who may have missed the meeting.
3. Direct the students to click the link on their online
classroom site to the simulator; then click chemistry;
then click energy forms and changes simulator; then
click introduction.
4. Guide students with a live demonstration of the
simulator to get them started; then free them to explore
 both simulations.
5. As the students explore and experiment, remind them
of what they have learned about the basic sources of
energy and how that relates to the simulations. Remind
them to have fun.

For assessment after the activity (with live screencast still on),
an online discussion will be held for the students to discuss the
systems of energy they used. This will be opportunity for them
to ask questions to clarify content, or questions that come to
their mind out of their own interest.
gyTechnolo

Technology PHET Interactive Simulations: Chemistry: Energy Forms and

Changes
https://phet.colorado.edu/