Unit 5 — Transfer of Energy
Description
Fourth-grade students develop an understanding that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electrical currents. Students also obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, energy and matter, and the interdependence of science, engineering, and technology, and influence of science, engineering, and technology on society and the natural world are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas.
Essential Questions
- Where do we get the energy we need for modern life?
- How does energy move?
- From what natural resources are energy and fuels derived?
- In what ways does the human use of natural resources affect the environment?
Learning Objectives
- Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents
- Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment
- Identify cause-and-effect relationships in order to explain change
- Identify and test cause-and-effect relationships in order to explain change
Supplemental Resources
- Thermometers for measuring heat transfer
- Basic circuit materials for investigating energy transfer
- Printed word lists for energy types and vocabulary
- Graphic organizers for comparing renewable and nonrenewable resources
- Chart paper for recording energy transfer observations
Earth and Space Sciences
Physical Sciences
Students read informational texts and conduct short research projects to gather evidence supporting science explanations across all units. They write informative and opinion pieces, take notes from print and digital sources, draw evidence from texts, and use audio recordings and visual displays in presentations to communicate understanding of science concepts including weathering, erosion, earth processes, structures and functions, energy transfer, force and motion, and waves.
Students apply mathematical reasoning and measurement skills across science units. They use measurement units to collect and analyze quantitative data, model with mathematics when drawing diagrams of light and waves, solve multistep word problems involving distances and quantities related to energy and earth processes, interpret multiplication equations as comparisons when analyzing environmental data, and apply geometric concepts such as points, lines, angles, and lines of symmetry when studying wave properties and organism structures.
Formative Assessments
- Students make observations to produce data that can serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon
- Students make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents
- Students identify cause-and-effect relationships in order to explain change
- Students obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment
Summative Assessment
Develop an electrical warning system to alert astronauts on a spaceship of potential asteroid collisions
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a teacher-led oral interview where they describe observations of energy transfer using provided images or physical models instead of written explanations. Response frames and labeled diagrams may be provided to support student communication of cause-and-effect relationships between energy sources and their effects.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
During observations and investigations involving sound, light, heat, and electrical currents, provide graphic organizers or structured recording sheets that reduce the written demand while keeping the scientific thinking intact. Allow students to demonstrate understanding of energy transfer and cause-and-effect relationships through oral explanations, labeled diagrams, or dictated responses rather than extended writing. Vocabulary support such as a personal word bank with visual definitions for key terms like conduction, current, and natural resources will help students access and retain content. For the summative design task, breaking the challenge into smaller sequential steps with check-ins at each stage will support planning and completion.
Section 504
Ensure students have access to preferential seating during demonstrations and hands-on investigations involving energy transfer so they can observe clearly without distraction. Provide extended time for observation recording tasks and the summative design challenge, and supply printed copies of any directions or diagrams displayed on the board. Reducing visual clutter on worksheets and data collection tools will help students maintain focus throughout multi-step investigations.
ELL / MLL
Introduce and preview key unit vocabulary—such as energy, transfer, fuel, natural resources, sound, light, and heat—with visual supports like labeled diagrams, photographs, and real objects before instruction begins. Use demonstrations and hands-on investigations as the primary vehicle for building understanding, since these allow students to observe scientific concepts directly rather than relying solely on text. Provide simplified written directions paired with visual step indicators during activities, and encourage students to use their home language when recording initial observations before translating ideas into English.
At Risk (RTI)
Connect energy transfer concepts to familiar, everyday experiences—such as feeling warmth from sunlight or hearing sound travel—to build on prior knowledge before introducing more abstract content. Offer entry points into the summative design challenge by providing partially completed planning templates or a simplified version of the design criteria that still engages students with the core concept of using electrical currents to communicate a warning. Frequent brief check-ins during investigations will help students stay on track and build confidence as they gather and interpret evidence of energy transfer.
Gifted & Talented
Invite students to investigate the environmental trade-offs of different natural energy sources in greater depth, researching how the choice of fuel type creates cascading effects on ecosystems and communities beyond what the unit's core content addresses. For the summative design challenge, encourage students to add complexity by considering constraints such as limited power sources, weight, or redundancy, and to evaluate their design against multiple engineering criteria rather than a single solution. Students may also explore the interdependence of energy technology and societal decision-making by examining real-world examples of how scientific discoveries about energy transfer have shaped engineering innovations throughout history.