Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Sign up now for tons of free lessons like this one!

Back > Share
What's the best way to light up a city?
Electricity, Light, & Heat Unit | Lesson 1 of 3

What's the best way to light up a city?

Electricity, Light, & Heat Unit | Lesson 1 of 3
Lesson narration:
Scroll for prep
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image
DISCUSS:
Why do you think this power plant might have a huge fire inside it?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
DISCUSS:
What do you see coming from this fire?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
DISCUSS: Compare these two machines.
What’s similar about them? What’s different?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image
DISCUSS:
How do you think cities decide what source of energy to use for electricity?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image
DISCUSS: If you were deciding between wind, solar, and water power for a real town, what else would you want to think about before you made your decision?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

energy


1 of 15

the ability to do an action
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

electricity (electrical energy)


2 of 15

a form of energy, such as what usually powers light bulbs
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

coal


3 of 15

a dark rock that can be burned and used for energy
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

heat energy (thermal energy)


4 of 15

energy in the form of heat, such as what usually comes from a fire
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

natural gas


5 of 15

a type of gas that can be used as a source of energy
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

pollution


6 of 15

something harmful in the environment
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

water energy (water power)


7 of 15

energy of moving water, a renewable resource
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

water turbine


8 of 15

a machine that can turn the movement of water into electricity
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

wind energy (wind power)


9 of 15

energy of moving air, a renewable resource
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

wind turbine (windmill)


10 of 15

a machine that can turn the movement of air into electricity
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

solar energy (solar power)


11 of 15

energy from the Sun, a renewable resource
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

solar panel


12 of 15

a machine that can turn sunlight into electricity
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

renewable resource


13 of 15

a natural resource that exists in a limitless amount, such as wind
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

engineer


14 of 15

a person who uses science to come up with solutions to problems
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

graph


15 of 15

an image that helps you understand the number or amount of something
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?
Sign up now for more great lessons!
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Lesson narration:

Grade 4

Electricity, Light, & Heat

Renewable Energy & Natural Resources

4-ESS3-1

8 reviews

Activity Prep

Print Prep

This lesson was revised on May 31, 2024. Here is a link to the previous version.
In this lesson, students explore how a city's electricity is derived from natural resources such as coal, sunlight, wind, and water. They investigate how using these different energy sources affects the environment. In the activity, Power this Town, students obtain and combine information about different types of renewable energy, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each energy source.

Preview activity

Exploration

15 mins

Wrap-Up

5 mins

Grade 4

Electricity, Light, & Heat

Renewable Energy & Natural Resources

4-ESS3-1

8 reviews
Slow internet or video problems?