Do It Yourself: Energy Flow Lesson Plan
 This lesson builds upon the energy transfer lesson and prepares the students for the matter and energy interaction lesson (with a transportation twist). It is in lesson plan format.
Objective:
Illustrate potential and kinetic energy, tools to measure the gain or loss of energy, conductors, convection, radiation, and conduction heat transfer, and limited supply of energy sources
Materials:
Energy Dominoes, A bowling ball, an anenometer, a thermometer
For each student: 1 lemon, 3-inch piece of 8 gauge copper wire, paper clip
For each group: AAA Battery, AA Battery, C Battery, D Battery, and 2 light bulb holders and light bulbs
Introduction:
 Before activity make energy dominoes:
Energy dominoes are very similar to traditional dominoes with one exception: instead of varying amounts of dots on each side of the block different words and definitions should be used. Students will be matching definitions to words when playing the game. Words that need to be included: Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy, Radiant Energy, Serial Circuits, Parallel Circuits, Batteries, and Renewable Energy. These terms should be listed on the left and a definition not matching that word should be on the right.
KWL with students to determine their knowledge of types of energy, energy sources, and how energy can be measured.
Have students get into groups of 3-6.
Procedures:
Lets play Energy Dominoes!
Each group should be given 5 dominoes with different energy terms. Students should work together to match the definition of the block to a term on another block. All the dominoes should end up connected one end to the other. List the terms and definitions on the board once all groups have finished the game.
 Demonstrate how the anemometer works.
What do you think this is?
What is happening to the anemometer? Is it measuring something?
Explain that an anemometer is a tool which measures wind speed or energy produced by wind.
Hold up a thermometer.
Does anyone know what this is? What does it do?
Explain that a thermometer measures heat... a type of energy.
How does it work? What type of energy does it measure?
Using the bowling ball demonstrate kinetic and potential energy.
When does the bowling ball have kinetic and potential energy?
 Using light bulbs and batteries, have students experiment with the setup of a simple circuit.
How are we demonstrating the flow of electricity in a system?
Is there more that one way to hook up a circuit?
Discuss series and parallel circuits.
Allow students to create examples of each and discuss which is brighter.
What are we using to light up the bulbs?
How do those batteries work?
Distribute lemons wire and paperclip to each student.
We are now going to see if we can make our own batteries.
 Have students stick the ends of both the paperclip and the wire halfway into the lemon, close enough to each other to touch their tongue to.
Touch the lemon battery to your tongue, making sure you touch both wires.
Is anyone feeling a funny sensation?
What is happening?
Explain to students that the acid is transferring electrons between the two wires, and the saliva on their tongue is completing the circuit. Also that the same thing happens in a battery.
Evaluation:
Have students create a journal diagramming circuits, both series and parallel, and the flow of electrons in a battery.
Students should define terms used in the Game and give examples of each.
Students can draw a picture of the different experiments and label the parts to each.
Lesson Plan Menu:
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