Lesson Overview

Students will read and then perform a play to enact how energy is transferred from the Sun to electricity and heat.

Target Grades: 3-5

Set Up Time: 15 minutes

Class Time: 2 hours

Lesson Resources

Objectives

  1. Explain how energy from the Sun is transformed into electricity from coal and wind. 
  2. Read and act out the “Energy Stories” script. 

Guiding question: Why does the wind blow?

Educational Standards

ALASKA CULTURAL STANDARDS: B3, B4

ALASKA ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS: 3/4/5 RSIT.3, 3/4/4 FSF.1, 3/4 SL.CC.1-3, 5 SL.CC.1-2

ALASKA SKILLS FOR A HEALTHY LIFE: D1, D2

ENERGY LITERACY CONCEPTS: 2.3, 3.1

NGSS: 4-ESS3-1

Lesson prepration:
  • Optional: Do the “Energy from the Sun” lesson first
  • Read the Background section below.
  • Find an alaskan video or story to introduce the lesson – either using an example in the Additional Resources or one local to your community.
  • If you don’t know already, find out how electricity and heat are generated in your community.
Gather Materials:
  • One copy of Energy Stories Script for each student (downloaded from “Lesson Resources” dropdown above)
  • One copy of Energy Stories student worksheet for each student
  • Optional: highlighters
  • Various props: those mentioned in the script are blankets or coats, sign for each Act, and sign for “Power Plant.” Other props are encouraged but not required
  • Role signs/name tags:
    • One name tag sticker per student OR
    • One blank paper per student and one piece of string or twine per student

Stories are an important way that people learn, and it is especially important throughout many Alaska Native cultures. Good stories are interesting and teach a lesson about life. Energy and climate change education has also shown to be most effective when told as stories, not through facts and figures. Consider a story of someone you know, or maybe your own, who has been impacted by the changing climate. That is probably easier to remember than the exact concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere or how many tons of carbon are released from driving a car for a year.

Additionally, participating in the story is a great way to engage all audiences, but especially younger learners who have a lot of energy of their own to burn. In this lesson, students act out the “stories” of coal, wind, and firewood. They are encouraged to be creative with the props and acting to make the story their own. 

We use energy for heating, electricity, transportation, and food, but how we generate that energy varies from community to community. For example, in Kongiganak in Southwestern Alaska, they use diesel and wind to produce electricity and mostly fuel oil for their heating. Their fuel oil is quite expensive, as in many rural communities, so the village worked together to install electric thermal stoves which are much more efficient than electric resistant heating and much less expensive to use than fuel oil. When there is more electrical generation than what the community needs, a portion of the excess power is sent to heat bricks inside the stoves. They then release that heat over time. So, not only are the wind turbines reducing fossil fuel use, they are saving the residents on heating too. Learn more about the system in the links in Additional Resources. 

Almost all of this energy we use (except geothermal and nuclear) comes from the Sun. However, how this energy is transformed for human use and how humans choose to use the energy will vary. The AK EnergySmart lesson “Energy from the Sun” describes many of the transformations. As you read through this activity, consider a story of your own you can share, and if you have suggestions for improvement on the script, send it our way! 

 

Coal – A fossil fuel formed from dead organisms (mainly ancient plants) that were buried underground under heat and pressure for millions of years. 

Electricity – A form of energy which is comprised of moving negatively-charged electrons. Electricity occurs naturally as lightning, but it can be generated through friction (static electricity) or with magnets (in a generator). 

Fossil Fuel – An energy resource derived from organisms that lived hundreds of millions of years ago; fossil fuels include coal, crude oil, and natural gas. 

Generate – To produce or bring into existence. 

Generator – A machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. A diesel generator first must convert the chemical energy in diesel fuel into mechanical energy so it can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. 

Photosynthesis – The process by which green plants use sunlight to make food (mostly sugars) from carbon dioxide and water. 

Script – The written text of a play. 

Sun – The star in the center of our solar system. Except for nuclear and geothermal energy, all of the energy on Earth originated from the Sun. 

Transform – To change from one thing into another. 

Wind Turbine – A device that converts motion energy from the wind into mechanical energy; this mechanical energy can then be converted by a generator into electrical energy. 

Gear Up:
  • If time allows, complete the AK EnergySmart lesson “Energy from the Sun” where students explore different ways that we use energy and how it originally came from the Sun. “Raven Stealing the Light” story is another related story example which is linked in that lesson.
  • If possible, invite an Elder to tell a traditional story related to the sun or wind. You can also watch one of the videos about Kongiganak wind in Additional Resources. 
Activity
  • Hand out the Energy Stories Script and Energy Stories Questions to each student. 
  • Divide the class into three groups (5-7 students per group) and assign each group one of the three acts from the Energy Stories Script. 
  • Either read the script first as a class, or if the students are advanced enough, have them read through in their group. Students should answer the questions on the Energy Stories Questions sheet as they read through.
  • Either assign the roles within the group or allow the group to decide roles. 
  • Each student should use a blank piece of paper to write their role on (i.e. Sun, Wind, etc). The role of “Plants” in Act 2 can have “Plants” on one side and “Coal” on the other. Students can hold these signs during the performance or put them on a string to tie around their neck. Alternatively, students could write on a name tag sticker to wear during the performance. 
  • Instruct students to practice their act together and be creative with props. Tell them when the class performance will be. 
  • Have each group perform their act in front of the rest of the class. Consider doing it outside if the weather allows. 
  • Wrap Up
    • Discuss the answers to the questions on the worksheet and how electricity and heat are generated in your community.
Extension
  • Break the students into smaller groups and have them brainstorm other stories about energy from the sun such as for a meal, fuel for a 4-wheeler, or electricity for a computer. Ask the students to share with the class. 
  • Have students create their own skits following the same model as the Energy Stories. 
Evaluation
  • Use the Energy Stories Questions to check for understanding of the text. 
  • Ask students to explain in their own words each Act.