Virginia SOL 5.9

5.9 is a Standards of Learning science standard. These are the key ideas and practices under it.

• 5.9.a

  some sources of energy are considered renewable and others are not

• 5.9.b

  individuals and communities have means of conserving both energy and matter

• 5.9.c

  advances in technology improve the ability to transfer and transform energy.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students classify common energy sources as renewable or nonrenewable and explain why. They identify choices that conserve energy and matter at home, school, and in the community. They describe how technologies transfer or transform energy.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student correctly classifies sunlight, wind, moving water, coal, oil, and natural gas. The student explains how reducing use, reusing materials, and recycling conserve resources. The student traces energy changes in a device and identifies wasted energy.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think renewable sources never run out or cause no environmental effects. They may call electricity renewable without identifying how it was generated. They may say a device creates energy, rather than transferring or transforming energy.

04

How to Assess It

On an exit ticket, have students classify solar, coal, wind, and natural gas. Then ask them to explain one conservation action and one energy transformation in an LED bulb.

1. 01

   Give groups 20 beans as a coal reserve, remove one per energy turn, and compare them with reusable paper sun tokens.

2. 02

   Ask students to write: Which school energy-saving change would help most, and what evidence supports your choice?

3. 03

   Play Renewable or Not bingo using source cards for sunlight, wind, coal, oil, natural gas, biomass, and moving water.

4. 04

   Audit one classroom for lights, devices, paper, and trash, then propose two changes that conserve energy and matter.

• PS.5

  The student will investigate and understand that energy is conserved. Key ideas include

• 1.8

  The student will investigate and understand that natural resources can be used responsibly. Key ideas include

• K.11

  The student will investigate and understand that humans use resources. Key ideas include

• 6.4

  The student will investigate and understand that there are basic sources of energy and that energy can be transformed. Key ideas include