From the Massachusetts Science and Technology Engineering Framework

• Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object. [4-PS3-1] To address this standard, students participated in a virtual pendulum experiment and subsequent discussion, as well as a real life experiment in which they observed pull-back cars under various circumstances.  Students recorded their observations and came together to make a decision about their findings.
• Make observations to show that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. [4-PS3-2] Students observed Rube Goldberg machines at work and discussed how energy transfers from one object to another.  They also observed and discussed the transfer of energy in an experiment with a tuning fork and various objects including their own hands and a glass of water.  They also investigated how several resources are used to provide electricity, including how the blades of wind turbines turn to spin a generator and how the heat of the sun is absorbed into solar panels.
• Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide. [4-PS3-3] Students engaged in a discussion about what happens when two bumper cars collide.  They also observed collisions within Rube Goldberg machines, as well as in their experiments with the tuning fork.
• Apply scientific principles of energy and motion to test and refine a device that converts kinetic energy to electrical energy or uses stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound. [4-PS3-4] Students observed stored energy in Rube Goldberg machines.  They noted that the pendulum has potential energy right before they release it.  Additionally, made observations and came to conclusions about the potential energy and kinetic energy of pull-back cars in different situations.  They also learned about how to convert natural resources, including wind, coal, petroleum, and others into electricity, and compared and contrasted the various renewable and nonrenewable resources discussed.

From the English Language Arts and Literacy Massachusetts Curriculum Framework

• Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. [W.4.1] Students formed an opinion about which energy resource should be used to power Jacob Hiatt Magnet School and wrote to their principal discussing their thoughts.  They followed a clear structure, including introductory and closing sentences, as determined by a graphic organizer, and included at least three pieces of evidence in support of their chosen resource, as well as one piece of evidence about why another resource should not be chosen.