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Elementary Energy Explorations Kit

KEEP’s Elementary Energy Explorations is a series of lessons that challenge students to explain the phenomenon of how flipping a light switch leads to filling a room with light. Students explore what energy and electricity are; where electricity comes from; the impact getting our energy has on the environment; how electricity gets to our homes and buildings; and how circuits and switches work. 

This kit contains all the non-consumable materials needed to run the nine lessons in the Elementary Energy Explorations series.  The lessons are written in 5E format at a 4th grade level, however are appropriate to use with a range of students from 3rd grade up through middle school – especially if this is one of the first times students are participating in energy-related lessons and activities. While it is still possible to use each of the lessons independent of the Elementary Energy Explorations series, KEEP recommends completing them together to help increase the energy literacy of your students.  All lessons feature a Google slideshow presentation, educator resource/guide and student sheet.

Educators need to provide their own consumable materials for some of the lessons. Please see the Educator Resource Guide for each lesson to determine what consumables are needed.

This kit Includes:

  • 10 flashlights (with rechargeable batteries; if the batteries die, please use one of the chargers to charge the batteries)
  • 2 battery chargers
  • 24 AA rechargeable batteries (not including the batteries in the flashlights)

  • Flashlights (2, one for station 1 and one for station 8)
  • Bouncy balls (5)
  • Wind-up toys (3)
  • (2) Wooden instruments
    Bag of various sized rubber bands
  • Timer (strawberry)
  • Sleigh bells (2)
  • Solar powered toy

*Note: Handwarmers for station 10 not provided in kit; please use your own or do not use this station.

  • Solar power toys (6)
  • Disassembled solar power toy (1)
  • 3 Flashlights (different from those in the “General Kit Supplies”)

*Note: Each group will also need 1 flashlight from the “General Kit Supplies.”

  • Pinwheel
  • Sample Turbine
  • Laminated photographs of waterwheels, windmills, and turbines
  • Anemometer
  • Fan

*Note: Educators must supply consumable materials for creating turbines (see educator guide/student sheet)

  • 6 bags with the following: (1 coal sample, 2 wood samples, 4 magnifiers)
  • How Coal is Formed samples

*Note: Educators must supply consumable materials for the digging for coal activity (see educator guide/student sheet)

  • Energy Resource Examples:
    • Non renewables: Coal, “mock” uranium pellet, petroleum (no natural gas/ methane example)
    • Renewables: Solar, wind (use anemometer/ pinwheel from lesson 3), no hydro or geothermal
  • 6 Bags of Poker Chips that Include:
    • 88 multi-colored poker chips (not green) [Challenges 1 & 2; remove 17 for challenges 3 & 4)
    • 12 green poker chips [challenges 1 & 2; add 17 more green for challenges 3 &4)
  • 6 bags of 17 additional green poker chips [challenges 3 & 4)

*Note: Educators need to provide their own timer.

  • Tops (7); 6 for student groups/ 1 for educator
  • Station Break Stations
    • Telephone: string and cup telephone and station card
    • Fly Away: electric fan, hand-held fan to wave, small pieces of paper, and station card (place this station near an outlet)
    • Puddles: station card (educator must provide own materials for this station)
    • Power Up: string of lights, hair dryer, and station card
  • Radiometer: radiometer, flashlight, hairdryer, hand-held fan to wave, and station card (place this station near an outlet)

*Note: Educators need to provide their own materials for the Puddles Station.

  • 6 Watt Meters

  • Lamp with 60/75/100-watt incandescent light bulb
  • Lamp with ~10-watt LED light bulb
  • 2 sets of relay materials including:
    • (1) 16 oz container with 1 hole covering ~1/3 of the bottom
    • (1) 16 oz container with 1 hole in the bottom
    • (5) small plastic cups with 1 hole in the bottom
    • (1) small plastic cup with no hole in the bottom

*Note: Educators must supply 1 gallon bucket of water for each relay and their own timer/stopwatch

  • (10) 1-gallon bags with the following:
    • 2 bulb holders
    • 4 alligator clips (1 of each color)
    • 2 switches
    • 1 battery holder (for 2AA batteries)
  • 20 identical bulbs (+2 extra)
  • Energy ball

*Note: Each group will also need 2AA batteries from the “general kit supplies.”

  • *Note: group will also need 1 flashlight from the “general kit supplies.”

Other resources for this kit:

Lessons:

Heather Phelps

WCEE Resource Specialist

Contact Heather with any kit-related questions.