Can you imagine life without electricity for a day? No way! This was one of the students’ reactions when the teacher asked this question. In their minds, no electricity means no light, no video games, no devices. It will be a terrible day! It is a question intended to pique students’ interest and curiosity about the unit. Then, we begin to unpack our unit by playing puzzle games using a website called Puzzle Maker. Students cannot hide their excitement to play the game and immediately get their devices. There are about 70 puzzle pieces to solve. I still remember the wave of enthusiasm that swept through the room as students enthusiastically embraced the challenge of digital puzzles, their eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and delight. After having fun with the puzzle activity, we continue to unpack essential elements in this unit such as the key concepts, learner profile attributes, and the connection with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The unpacking activity is important to get students’ prior knowledge and overview of what they will be learning in this unit.
The next step is to have students share their thoughts about the word “energy” using the see, think, and hear template. This helps students recognize that sometimes energy can be seen or heard, and energy is not something abstract at all. The answers they give to this question vary from the electricity they use every day to the superpowers they see in movies. As students share their current knowledge of energy, they display their interest in finding out the correct definition by using credible sources. A simple summary is that students understand that energy is the ability to do work.
Furthermore, students observe different types of energy in their daily lives to support the first-line of inquiry about the sources and forms of energy. Students use the M.E.L.T.S (Mechanical, Electrical, Light, Thermal, Sound) energy template, which is effective in helping students identify different forms and sources of energy. It is also interesting to note that students can give specific examples of different forms of energy as well.
We continue our fascinating learning experiment by conducting science demonstrations in the classroom using simple tools such as a rubber band, small fan, iron, and a piece of fabric. There is a wide range of positive emotions that appear among students during this activity, such as curiosity, uncertainty, surprise, intellectual joy of understanding, and amusement. The fifth graders continue their learning adventure by investigating the principles of physics through hands-on exploration with the rotation table station mode. As the fifth graders experimented with five simple experiments about energy storage and transformation at different stations, radiant smiles adorned their faces.
Students’ learning journey will not be complete if they do not conduct their own experiment in this unit. Our students accept the challenge from the teacher to do their own experiment to explore energy storage and energy transformation. Taking part in this task will enhance students’ ability to conduct research, manage themselves, and communicate with their teammates.
In the next activity, students explored alternative energy and how human actions contribute to energy conservation. Our students and their families took part in a 7-day Energy- Saving challenge. The involvement of students and their families in this action will increase family awareness to save energy and spread the good action between families so we can inspire our school community. Some activities that can be implemented in daily life in order to save energy are turning the tap off when brushing teeth, switching the lights off when no one is in the room, and so on.
Moving on to the third line inquiry, we further explored renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Students compare and contrast energy resources to examine critically the advantages and disadvantages of both. Then, students get wider exposure by watching an informative video about the third-largest floating solar farm in the world which is located in West Java, Indonesia. Through this video, our students are introduced to Indonesia’s commitment to develop green energy in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates.
Our students rose to the challenge with creativity and innovation, devising alternative energy products and prototypes that not only met expectations but surpassed them. From solar ovens to windmill farms, their diverse array of ideas showcased their dedication to sustainability and environmental consciousness. What’s even more commendable is their initiative to incorporate recycled materials into their projects, further emphasizing their commitment to reducing waste and preserving our planet. Their presentations during the Celebration of Learning were a testament to their hard work and ingenuity, leaving a lasting impact on the school community. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and look forward to witnessing their continued growth as responsible global citizens.
