Energy, Machines, and Motion
Part One: Energy
Lesson 3: Rechargeable Batteries
Students recharge batteries that have been discharged of all of their energy. Students then connect their freshly recharged batteries to a motor and light circuit. By doing this students should notice that energy can be transformed into light, heat and mechanical energy.
Focus Question: What evidence do we have that energy is stored in a battery? How can we change the amount of energy stored in a battery?
3. Lesson Set-up and Management
EALR 2: Inquiry
Core Content: Questioning and Investigating
6-8 INQC Collecting, analyzing, and displaying data are essential aspects of all investigations.
EALR 4: Physical Science
Core Content: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
6-8 PSA Energy exists in many forms: heat, light, chemical, electrical, motion of objects, and sound. Energy can be transformed from one form to another and transferred from one place to another.
6-8 PS3E Energy from a variety of sources can be transformed into electrical energy, and then to almost any other form of energy. Electricity can also be distributed quickly to distant locations.
- Students explore that energy can be stored in a battery.
- Students observe that energy can be transformed from one form to a different form.
- Students identify the energy changes (transformations) that occur when batteries are connected to different sources.
3. Lesson Set-Up and Management
Materials:
- You will need to completely discharge your rechargeable batteries prior to the beginning of this lesson. Rotate the batteries in a flashlight for several days and make sure the light is switched to the on position.
- You may want to position the battery chargers in different locations around the room so students can quickly get to the chargers. You will also want to model how to place the batteries in the charger correctly.
- Always hold the motor on the metal casing. Stress with your
students to not hold the motors by the wires, the wires can easily
separate from the motor. Notice how the motor on the left has a
missing wire. If the wires come off the leads they can be soldered
back together.
Student Management:
- Students work together in a group of four. You may want to have one student in charge of the timer, one in charge of the battery charger, one in charge of the light bulb circuit and one who is responsible for the motor.
- Focus student attention to what is happening with energy in this lesson. Students should start making connections regarding energy transformations. This can get lost if you are worried about the management of the materials.
Writing Support:
- Consider having your students make a data table to organize their thinking.
Observations of Charged Batteries
|
Light |
Motor |
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|
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- Reflection questions should be answered in the student notebook.
Reading Support:
- Students read Different Batteries for Different Needs. One highlight of the selection that reinforces the meaning of the lesson is in the second paragraph it states, “Each (battery) is a container of stored chemical energy that is available and ready to be turned into electrical energy.” The online document, Different Batteries for Different Needs, could be used with students.
Math Support:
- NA