Energy

I want to address the following indicators: Recognize and explain that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; rather it changes form or is transferred through the action of forces. Describe and cite evidence that heat can be transferred by conduction, convection and radiation.
 * Objectives**
 * 1) Observe and describe the relationship between the distance an object is moved by a force and the change in its potential energy or kinetic energy, such as in a slingshot, in mechanical toys, the position of an object and its potential energy.
 * 2) Identify the relationship between the amount of energy transferred work to the product of the applied force and the distance moved in the direction of that force.
 * 3) Identify and describe that simple machines (levers and inclined planes) may reduce the amount of effort required to do work.
 * Calculate input and output work using force and distance
 * Demonstrate that input work is always greater than output work
 * Objectives**
 * 1) Based on observable phenomena, identify and describe examples of heat being transferred through conduction and through convection.
 * 2) Based on observable phenomena, identify examples to illustrate that radiation does not require matter to transfer heat energy.
 * 3) Research and identify the types of insulators that best reduce heat loss through conduction, convection , or radiation.
 * Identify and explain that heat energy is a product of the conversion of one form of energy to another.
 * Objectives**
 * 1) Identify and describe the various forms of energy that are transformed in order for systems (living and non-living) to operate.
 * Chemical - Flashlight battery- Light
 * Mechanical - Pulleys- Motion
 * Solar/Radiant - Solar calculator
 * Chemical - Plant cells
 * 1) Explain that some heat energy is always lost from a system during energy transformations.

I would LOVE to use the Jason project's "Infinite Potential". They have a discussion board on there where I could connect with another class and we could share our findings, ideas, etc. It covers my indicators and review some from previous grades to help review for MSA. The problem is that it has A LOT of material that isn't in middle school science. As you know, Ginny, there isn't ANY extra time in 8th grade. I can't take pieces out because the whole idea is that they use the different parts to solve an overarching problem. Do you have any suggestions? Wow! This seems like a HUGE topic. To teach all of these types of energy using the online data and collaborative projects, etc. that we've been learning about seems like a big undertaking. Since we are creating one lesson as our final project, why don't you select //one// of the types of energy that you want to focus on. Since it doesn’t seem feasible to pick apart the JASON project, maybe you could try another collaborative project (or your students could develop their own blog about the data they collect instead). A website I found for you with lots of energy ideas is [] And I particularly liked To Go Solar or Not to Go Solar…  [] But there are projects related to lots of different types of energy here. I don't know if I've helped at all, but I do feel that time is your biggest enemy and the only way to work with it is to just focus on one type of energy.

Today I found a few more sites you might like. The first is the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center website that could be used to incorporate real time data on space weather into the students' assignments dealing with the energy of the sun.  [] and the other is the website for the NOAA center for Tsunami Research for the lessons on waves http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov​

Thank you so much for the websites ladies! I will definitely look into these. I like the idea of having the students blog the information.

I found some wiki information we both might be able to use. This teacher uses a wiki as a collaborative online student notebook… [] and this one is collaborative to allow students to finish lab reports…. [] Might be something you could do for your energy project. And they are both 8th grade science classes. If our technology at school was more reliable (and we had more computers), we could do away with lab books all together. I would love not grading those bulky things ever again!........ Ginny