Summary
Humans have come up with all kinds of ways to harness energy from nature. One of the earliest sources was burning biomass, a method that’s still widely used today. But we’ve also learned how to convert energy into electricity, a much more flexible form of energy. Producing electricity usually involves turning a turbine attached to a device called a generator. Right now, fossil fuels are most commonly used to generate electricity, but we can’t rely on them forever. Fossil fuels are non-renewable, so we’ll run out one day. Plus, they pollute the environment. That’s why renewable sources like hydro, wind, geothermal, and solar are becoming more popular—they produce little to no pollution! Nuclear energy has potential as a clean and safe energy source, too, even though it gets a bad reputation sometimes. And finally, there are fuel cells, which directly generate electricity. Press “play” to learn all about these different energy sources!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Energy Sources:
- What is one new thing you learned about energy sources?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining energy sources.
- Draw or give one example of your own.