Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students will complete some short readings and a series of comprehension questions to check their understanding and retention of key facts. They will also apply these facts to the electrical operation of some appliances found in the home and how they utilise electrical energy to produce heat.

Activity developed in partnership with  tasmania_hydro_200x84_300pxl

Hydro Tasmania has been at the forefront of clean energy innovation for one hundred years. It is Australia’s largest producer of clean energy – generating hydro and wind power – and the largest water manager. Hydro Tasmania has 55 major dams, operates 30 hydropower stations and has built some of Australia’s largest wind farms.

Hydro Tasmania also sells energy in the National Electricity Market through its retail business Momentum Energy, and sells its expertise internationally through its consulting business Entura. Visit the Hydro Tasmania website to learn how the business is working towards Australia’s clean energy future.

Learning goals:

  • This lesson features informative texts that require students to find facts, interpret meaning and apply newly acquired knowledge in order to answer comprehension questions.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Literacy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 3 Science

  • Heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another (ACSSU049).
  • Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple reports (ACSIS060).

Year 4 Science

  • Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS066)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST2-4WS, ST2-6PW.

Topic: Hydro Tasmania, Energy.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity.

Resources required: Double-sided copies of the Electricity at home – student worksheet (students can work independently or in pairs to complete the worksheet).

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for homework and extension.

Keywords: Appliances, energy, electricity, heat, Hydro Tasmania. 

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goal: Students completing this activity will read informative texts that require finding facts, interpreting meaning and applying newly acquired knowledge in order to answer comprehension questions.

Teacher background information: Energy is the lifeblood of our modern life. It gives us light and keeps our food fresh. It powers our industry, fuels our cars, and charges our iPhones. Our energy is produced by burning fossil fuels and this has a range of environmental, social and economic impacts. One of the most significant is the emission of greenhouse gases. A solution is the transition to clean energy sources. The brilliant thing is that we have huge amounts of free, renewable and clean supplies of natural energies. These include sunlight, wind, running water, oceans and underground hot rocks.

According to the Clean Energy Australia Report 2013:

  • 14.76% of Australia's electricity came from renewable sources in 2013: enough to power the equ
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