Energy Teaching Resources
Explore energy in your science classroom with engaging activities, printable worksheets and more teacher resources aligned with the NGSS curriculum.
This collection of teacher-created resources covers everything you need to introduce primary students to sound, light, heat, electricity and so much more! Save time on your lesson plans with easily editable resources and differentiated options that have been carefully reviewed by the science teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're ready for your classroom and your students.
Is this your first year engaging kids on the topic of energy? Or maybe you are just looking for fresh ideas? Read on for a help from our teacher team!
What Is Energy? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Ever wish you had a script handy to introduce any topic to your class for the first time? We hear you! The Teach Starter site is packed with kid-friendly definitions made just for teachers! Here's one that we use to explain what energy means to our students:
Energy is the ability to do work or cause change. It's found all around us — even when we can't see it — making things happen!
For example, energy is what makes a lightbulb glow or creates the sound we hear when we play a musical instrument.
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Light Diffraction Poster
A poster explaining the sunlight and its colors.
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Electricity Experiment
An experiment to investigate if electricity moves better through different gage wires.
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The Heat is On Worksheet
A worksheet that covers the topic of heat energy.
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Balloon Rocket - Experiment
A hands-on experiment to use when investigating how energy can make things move.
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What is Heat? Worksheet
A worksheet to help students understand heat energy.
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In Living Color Worksheet
A worksheet that explores how we see color.
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Science Experiment - True Colors
A science experiment that explores the perception of color.
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In the Shadows Worksheet
A worksheet that explores the difference between shadows.
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Heat Transference Worksheet
A worksheet to help students identify examples of heat transference.
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Science Experiment - Angles of Reflection
A science experiment that explores reflected light.
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Moving Heat Worksheet
A worksheet to help students understand how heat moves.
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Conductors and Insulators Poster
A poster highlighting conductors and insulators of heat energy.
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Refracting Light Task Cards
A set of 5 Task Cards with activities that allow students to observe the refraction of light.
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See Light Through Me Worksheet
A worksheet that explores classification of objects according to light transmission.
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Science Experiment - Lights Line Up!
A science experiment which explores light.
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Light Display Banner
A classroom display banner to use on your 'Light' display board.
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Light Display Banner Version 2
A classroom display banner to use on your 'Light' display board.
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Storm's a Comin' - Worksheet
A worksheet to use when exploring sound in science or music.
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It's Electric! - PowerPoint Presentation
Teach your students about electricity with this editable 23-slide teaching PowerPoint.
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What's in the Box? - Worksheet
A worksheet to use when exploring the concept of light.
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Science Experiment - Line Up the Light!
A science experiment which explores how light travels.
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Introduction to Electricity Worksheet
A worksheet that explores the concept of electricity.
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Circuit Diagram Symbols Poster
A poster that shows a range of symbols used for drawing circuit diagrams.
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Light Teaching Resource Pack
A comprehensive set of posters, activities and worksheets related to the concept of light.
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Heat Energy Teaching Resource Pack
A comprehensive set of posters, activities and worksheets related to the concept of heat energy.
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What is Light?
A 60 minute lesson where students will research the concept of light and generate a list of statements that can be tested.
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In the Shadows
A 60 minute lesson in which students will compare shadows from point and extended light sources.
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Light Fantastic Unit Plan
This Physical Sciences unit addresses the properties of light. It explores the phenomena of reflection, refraction, shadow and more.
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Light and Sound Unit Plan
This Physical Sciences unit addresses the concepts of light and sound and how they are sensed.
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The Heat is On Unit Plan
This science unit addresses the concept of heat energy, including heat sources, heat transfer, thermal conductors, and thermal insulators.
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Design a Musical Instrument
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of sound.
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Sound Research
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate how sound travels.