CLASS NOTE: SOURCES OF ENERGY
Subject: Basic Science & Tech
Class: Nursery Three (Ages 5–6)
Theme: Exploring Our Environment
Topic: Sources of Energy
1. COMPREHENSIVE CORE CONCEPTS
What is Energy?
Imagine you have a toy car. If you don't put a battery in it or wind it up, does it move? No, it stays very still. Just like that toy car, everything in the world needs a "superpower" to move, grow, or work. This superpower is called Energy.
Energy is the ability to do work. For children, "work" isn't just sitting at a desk; work is running on the playground, shouting "Hello!", brushing your teeth, and even growing taller while you sleep. We cannot always see energy with our eyes—it is often invisible—but we can see what it does. We see energy when a fan spins, when a light bulb glows, or when a car zooms down the road.
Where Does Energy Come From?
Energy doesn't just appear out of nowhere. It comes from different places. These places are called Sources of Energy. Just like you get water from a tap or a bottle, the world gets its power from different sources. Let’s look at the four biggest sources we use every day.
2. THE FOUR MAJOR SOURCES OF ENERGY
A. The Sun (Our Natural Power Plant)
The Sun is a giant, glowing ball of fire in the sky. It is the most important source of energy for the whole Earth. It gives us two very important things: Light and Heat.
- Light Energy: During the day, the Sun provides so much light that we don't need to turn on our bedroom lamps. This light also helps green plants make their own food. Without the Sun's light, plants would die, and we would have no vegetables or fruits to eat!
- Heat Energy: Have you ever felt the ground get hot on a sunny afternoon? That is the Sun’s heat energy. In Nigeria, we use this heat to dry our laundry on the clothesline. It is also used to dry foods like grains and cocoa beans so they stay fresh.
B. Food (The Fuel for Our Bodies)
Our bodies are like amazing machines, and machines need fuel. For humans, our fuel is Food. When we eat healthy meals like rice, beans, yams, eggs, and fruits, our stomach acts like a little factory. It breaks down the food and turns it into energy.
This energy goes to our muscles so we can jump and play. It also goes to our brain so we can learn our A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s. If we skip our meals, our "human battery" runs low, and we feel tired, cranky, or sleepy. This is why eating a good breakfast is like "charging" yourself for the school day.
C. Electricity and Batteries
Electricity is a type of energy that travels through wires. It comes into our houses through big cables and waits in the wall sockets. We use electricity to power big things like the refrigerator (to keep our drinks cold), the television, and the air conditioner.
Sometimes, we need energy for things that move around, like a remote control or a flashlight. Since we can't have a long wire following us everywhere, we use Batteries. A battery is like a small box that stores energy inside. When the battery is empty, the toy or flashlight stops working until we put in a new one.
- Safety Rule: Electricity is very strong! Never touch sockets or wires with your fingers or wet hands.
D. Fuel (Petrol, Gas, and Wood)
Fuel is something that we burn or use in an engine to make heat or movement.
- Petrol and Diesel: We put petrol into cars, school buses, and generators (popularly called 'Gen'). This fuel gives the engine the power to turn the wheels or make electricity when the main power goes out.
- Cooking Gas and Wood: In the kitchen, many families use gas from a cylinder or firewood. When we light it, it creates a flame. This heat energy is what makes the water boil and the food cook.
3. REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES (SCENARIOS)
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Scenario 1: The Wet School Uniform
Mommy washes your uniform on Sunday. It is very wet and heavy. She hangs it outside. By afternoon, the uniform is dry and light.
- What happened? The Sun used its heat energy to "pull" the water out of the clothes.
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Scenario 2: The Family Road Trip
Daddy pulls the car into a filling station. He buys petrol and puts it in the tank.
- What happened? The car was "hungry" for energy. The Fuel (Petrol) gives the car the power to drive you to Grandma’s house.
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Scenario 3: The Night-time Story
The sun has gone down, and it is dark outside. You flip a switch, and the room becomes bright.
- What happened? Electricity traveled through the wires to the bulb to give you light energy.
4. PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PBL): THE ENERGY DETECTIVE MAP
Objective: To find and identify energy sources in your own home.
Materials Needed:
- A plain sheet of paper.
- Crayons or colored markers.
- A ruler (to divide the paper).
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Prepare Your Map: Ask an adult to help you draw a big "+" on your paper so you have 4 squares.
- Label the Squares: In the top squares, write SUN and FOOD. In the bottom squares, write ELECTRICITY and FUEL.
- The Investigation: Walk around your house with a grown-up.
- Look out the window: What is the Sun doing? (Is it lighting the grass? Drying a rug?). Draw it.
- Go to the kitchen: What is the Fuel? (Is it a gas cylinder? A bag of charcoal?). Draw it.
- Look at the walls: Find an Electricity user (A fan or a TV). Draw it.
- Check the dining table: What Food will you eat today for energy? Draw it.
- Presentation: Show your map to your teacher or family and explain: "The TV uses electricity, but I use food!"
5. HOME PRACTICE ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: The Solar Ice Race
- Materials: Two small plates, two ice cubes.
- Procedure: Place one ice cube on a plate in a dark room. Place the other ice cube on a plate outside in the direct sunlight.
- Outcome: Watch which one turns into water first.
- Lesson: You will see the Sun's energy working! The Sun's heat energy is much stronger than the air inside the house.
Activity 2: The Energy Captain Challenge
- Task: Be the "Energy Captain" for your home tonight.
- Action: Every time you leave a room, check if the light or the fan is on. If no one is using it, switch it off!
- Discussion: Ask your parents why saving energy is good. (Hint: It saves money and helps the Earth).
6. LIFE SKILLS & CAREER CONNECTION
- Resource Management: By learning about energy, you learn to be a "Wise User." Turning off lights when you don't need them is a great life skill that helps protect our environment.
- Health and Nutrition: Now you know that food is your "Body Fuel." This helps you understand why eating healthy food (like carrots and beans) gives you "High-Quality Energy," while eating too much candy might make your energy crash!
- Careers in Energy:
- Electricians: These are the heroes who fix the wires so our lights work.
- Farmers: They are "Energy Producers" because they grow the food that gives us power.
- Engineers: They design cars that can run on petrol or even energy from the sun (Solar cars).
7. ASSESSMENT THROUGH APPLICATION
To see how much of an Energy Expert you have become, try these:
- The Sorting Game: Look at these items: A Banana, A Battery, A Gas Cylinder, and The Sun. Point to the one that helps a Flashlight work. Point to the one that helps You run.
- The "What If" Game:
- "What if we ran out of petrol for the generator and the big lights went out?" (Answer: We might use a battery flashlight or a candle).
- "What if we didn't eat breakfast before Inter-house Sports?" (Answer: We would feel too tired to run the race).
- Drawing Task: Draw a picture of a car. Draw what goes into the car to make it move (Petrol). Now draw a picture of yourself. Draw what goes into you to make you move (Food).
8. STUDENT REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Which source of energy do you think is the most powerful?
- What is your favorite food to eat when you want to have lots of energy to play?
- How can you help your Mommy and Daddy save electricity at home?
- Can you name one thing in your house that uses a battery?
DOXCOV ACADEMY