Energy and Its Forms

Rolling Can

Energy and Its Forms

Duration: 30 minutes

Notes / Activity

Discrepant events:
Rolling can which rolls back

  • 4-PS3-2: Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative measurements of energy.] 
  • 4-PS3-3: Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the change in the energy due to the change in speed, not on the forces, as objects interact.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include quantitative measurements of energy.]

By the end of this lesson, the student should able to:

  • State that energy is the ability to do work
  • Identify forms of energy

Lesson Plan

Lesson Introduction – Engage

Duration: 20 min

Prepare before lesson:

  • For 1 tin can - 

Coffee tin / plastic container

Drill or pinch device

2 elastic bands

Paper clip

Tape

Cotton thread / string

Small weigh (e.g. washer) 

 

Prepare the tin by doing the following:

  • Drill or punch a small hole in both ends of the tin, and thread the first elastic band through the hole at the base. Secure a paperclip to the band outside of the can to prevent the elastic from slipping through the hole. Use tape to secure completely.
  • Thread the weight or washer onto a piece of string, and use that string to tie together the two elastic bands. This should result in the string holding the weight and also joining the free end of the elastic you secured to the tin in step 1 to the second elastic band.
  • Take the other end of the second elastic band up through the hole in the lid, and use a paperclip to prevent it from slipping through the hole. Close the lid and secure the paperclip with tape.

 

Information for teacher:

Roll the tin away from you: This should “wind up” the elastic, causing the can to roll back again. This can be quite mystifying to those seeing it for the first time.The weight in the tin can hang down as the tin rolls in one direction. The kinetic energy of the rolling can will be stored as potential energy in the tightly twisted rubber band - some will be lost as heat and sound.

  • For 1 tin can - 

Coffee tin / plastic container

Drill or pinch device

2 elastic bands

Paper clip

Tape

Cotton thread / string

Small weigh (e.g. washer)

  • Welcome students to class and show students a tin can with a secret mechanism. 
  • Tell the students that you have a tin can that can roll back towards you even after you roll it away. Ask students if this is possible and get them to explain their answers. Accept all answers at this point. 
  • Place the tin can on the floor and roll it away and have students observe what happens. 
  • Get students to turn to a partner and share their observations.
  • Move around the room to listen for students to share ideas about forces and energy. 
  • Bring students back and have them share their observations with the class.
  • Allow students to try rolling the can themselves ( Prepare more cans if possible to have students try in groups)
  • Have students observe and look at the can and try to explain the phenomenon again.

Explain

Duration: 10 min
  • Explain to students that the phenomenon is created using energy. 
  • Elicit from students: 

What is energy?

       

Elicit from students:

Can you name some forms of energy? 

Is there any form of energy when the can is rolling? Why or why not?  What are they? 

  • Conclude the class by telling students that potential energy and kinetic energy can be observed in the above phenomenon. Inform students that they will explore the concepts in the next lesson.

Resources

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