4-PS3-4

SCUSD NGSS Curriculum Guide ====**4-PS3-4: Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.* ** [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices could include electric circuits that convert electrical energy into motion energy of a vehicle, light, or sound; and, a passive solar heater that converts light into heat. Examples of constraints could include the materials, cost, or time to design the device.] [//Assessment Boundary: Devices should be limited to those that convert motion energy to electric energy or use stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.//] ====

Science Background for the Teacher:
[overview of relevant science background for teacher]

Key Vocabulary:

 * energy || potential (stored) || motion || electricity ||
 * thermal energy || light || sound || convert/transform ||
 * transfer || form || chemical PE || battery ||
 * circuit || device || machine || gravitational PE ||
 * elastic PE || fuel || motor || generator ||

Possible Assessments (formative and/or summative):

 * Given two specific forms of energy and a set of materials, design a device that will transform the energy as specified.

Key Student Activity:

 * Relate energy transformations to a food chain, starting at the Sun
 * Energy transformation in electric circuits – batteries to electricity to light/sound/thermal energy; solar cells to electricity to electric motor
 * Energy transformation in bouncing ball and/or falling water
 * Rubber band cars
 * Converting food

Key Teacher Demo/Activity:

 * Handcrank generator with lights, etc.

Common Student Misconceptions:

 * Energy is a physical substance. It is “stuff”. Energy is NOT stuff; it is a measure of motion.

Things to Avoid/Correct:
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Avoid referring to generic “energy”. Refer to the specific form of energy being discussed: motion, electricity, light, sound, thermal energy, chemical potential energy, gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, magnetic potential energy, nuclear potential energy.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Avoid “heat” except as a verb (e.g., to heat your house). Thermal energy is the correct term for the random motion of electrons, atoms and molecules. Heat is a process (conduction, convection, radiation) by which thermal energy is transferred from one location to another, usually involving a change of temperature.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Energy is not “created” or “destroyed”; it is “transformed” from one form to another.

====<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Other Resources (text, video, simulations, activities, models, etc..): ====

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">K’nex kits for rubber band cars – good engineering for most efficient energy conversion