What is Energy?

Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not. 

How is risk determined? Through the use of a reading passage, individuals or groups learn about bird interactions with man made structures along with wind turbines. Pupils use information from the second reading passage to conduct an...

Introduce physical science learners to the forms of energy using this PowerPoint. The concluding slides present scenarios for discussing the transfer of energy from one form to another. Informative text is crisp and attractive, but the...

In the eyes of a physicist, the purpose of life is to continue the mission of the sun. An engaging lesson discusses the increasing entropy levels of energy that originates at the sun. As life forms use that energy, entropy rises until it...

The first lesson in the five-part What is Life? series addresses the definition of life. It discusses characteristics, why the concept of carbon-based life is important, and the macro-molecules of life on Earth. 

Kids sure do seem to have a lot of energy, but what exactly is energy? A video explains many different types of energy, starting with potential and kinetic. It highlights the most common forms of potential energy, including nuclear,...

What is energy, anyway? Use this featurette as an introduction to your middle school energy unit. It successfully touches each of Earth's physical systems, the sun as our main source of energy, and the flow of energy through the food...

What is energy, and why do we need so much of it? Scholars explore the definition of energy as it relates to both conversion and consumption with a video and discussion questions. Part of an energy unit from NOVA, the resource provides a...

Don't let the energy of your classroom falter! Explore the scientific definition of energy through play. A hands-on lesson focuses on the change of energy from one form to another.

When asked to list everyday objects that require energy, most people list technology that use batteries or electricity. Through hands-on exploration, young scientists discover energy is much more than just circuitry. They play with...