Making sense of energy

Communication skills: Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers; Organize and depict information logically

In this activity you will work individually to research uses of the word ’energy’, and then work collaboratively to organize your findings according to different applications of energy as a concept.

You will need:

  • A device with an internet connection

  • Large poster paper

  • Marker pens

1 Taster: to get a quick overview of the concept of energy, watch these videos: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-guide-to-theenergy-of-the-earth-joshua-m-sneideman http://energy.gov/eere/educationldownloads/ energy-literacy-videos

2 In the middle of your poster paper, write the word ENERGY. Choose an icon (image) to represent what you understand by the concept and draw it in the centre.

3 Brainstorm in pairs all the phrases you know containing the word 'energy'. Tell each other what the phrases are and discuss what you think they mean. Write the ideas down around the middle of the paper. If you think that some of them might be connected or belong together, then write them next to each other in a cluster.

4 Read the energy categories below. Define what you think these categories mean. If you need clarification, search online for definitions.

  • energy types

  • energy forms

  • energy sources

  • energy laws

  • energy impacts

5 Choose an icon to represent each of the different categories. Along the edges of your poster, draw your icons and then write down

short sentences that summarize what you understand by the categories.

6 Classify and organize the energy phrases into groups by drawing your icons next to them on the energy word cluster you have created.