Energy Resources
- Earth & Space
- Ages 8–11 · Grades 3–5
What you’ll find out
- Coal, oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuels formed over millions of years.
- Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air and releases carbon dioxide.
- Sunlight, wind and flowing water are renewable resources, each with its own drawbacks.
No sign-up and no real names. In the lesson you check your understanding as you read, and practise until it sticks.
Where our energy comes from
We use energy every day to light our homes, cook food, and power cars and factories. Much of that energy comes from coal, oil and natural gas, which are called fossil fuels because they formed from the remains of plants and tiny sea creatures that died millions of years ago. Burning them releases energy. But fossil fuels take so long to form that once we use them up, they are gone, and burning them pollutes the air.
Energy that does not run out
Some energy resources will never run out. Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity, wind turbines use the moving air to spin generators, and dams use flowing water to do the same. These are called renewable resources, because they are naturally replaced. They also make far less pollution than fossil fuels. They have drawbacks, though: solar panels make no power at night, and turbines stop when the wind drops.
Curriculum links: NGSS 4-ESS3-1 · Cambridge Primary Stages 4–6: Earth and space · NCERT Environmental Studies, Classes 3–5