Grades 3-5
44 activities—289 pages

Energy Exploration is a series of investigations designed to help students in grades 3-5 learn about three kinds of energy—sound, light, and heat.

Experiences in the sound energy section reinforce the fact that sounds are produced by vibrations. Students will make musical instruments, play tunes on bottles and plastic tubes, make chickens that crow out of plastic cups, and hear the sounds produced by stroking Slinkys®. They will explore how sounds travel through solids, liquids, and gases and look at the frequency and pitches of sounds.

In the light energy section, students will learn that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object. They will study light absorption and transmission and learn about transparent, translucent, and opaque objects. They will use mirrors to explore reflection and look at how prisms, water, and lenses refract light.

The study of heat energy includes exploring the relationships between heat and color and seeing how heat is produced by friction. Students will investigate heat conduction by warming “snakes” on hot “rocks” and see which materials work best to insulate jars of hot water. They will set up a convection current in water and relate this to wind and weather.
Many concepts in Energy Exploration are reinforced through rubber band books—small, easily assembled student books that present information in a kid-friendly way. Children can keep and refer to these later as well as take them home to discuss and share with their parents.

Teachers will appreciate the clear instructions and readily available materials used within the investigations. Students will love the activities and learning experiences as their understanding of energy soars.