WESTERN CAPE PRIMARY SCIENCE PROGRAMME

An example of a short learning programme in the

Natural Sciences and Technology

ENERGY AND CHANGE

GRADE 6
Activity 1: Different forms of Activity 6: Coal gives us energy to
energy make electricity
Activity 2: My own energy Activity 7: How much do we pay for
Activity 3: Energy chains our electricity?

Activity 4: Stored energy Activity 8: Saving electricity

Activity 5: Coal has stored energy

We welcome the wide use of these materials. Please acknowledge the PSP. ©PSP 2001
DEVELOPED BY WESTERN CAPE PSP TEAM AND TEACHERS

This learning programme will work towards the following learning

outcomes in the Natural Sciences

s LO1: Scientific Investigations

The learner will be able to act confidently on curiosity about
natural phenomena, and to investigate relationships and solve
problems in scientific, technological and environmental contexts

s LO2: Constructing Science Knowledge

The learner will know and be able to interpret and apply scientific,
technological and environmental knowledge

s LO3: Science, Society and the Environment

The learner will be able to demonstrate an understanding
of the interrelationships between science and technology,
society and the environment.

Course presented by Rose Thomas and Sandra Mahote

Booklet designed by Welma Odendaal and illustrated by Janet Ranson
and Nicci Cairns

Western Cape Primary Science Programme

Edith Stephens Wetland Park
Lansdowne Road
Philippi 7785

PO Box 529
Howard Place
7450

Tel: 021 691-9039 Fax: 021 691-6350

e-mail: info@psp.org.za
website: www.psp.org.za
Contents
• This booklet illustrates an example of a short learning programme for Grade 6.
• It develops concepts, skills, attitudes and language in a step-wise fashion.
• It includes activities and tasks for learners, teacher tasks, support materials and
assessment suggestions.

2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 1 Different forms of energy

4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 2 My own energy
6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 3 Energy chains
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 4 Stored energy
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 5 Coal has stored energy
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 6 Coal gives us energy to make electricity
22 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 7 How much do we pay for our electricity?
27 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Activity 8 Saving electricity
30 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Suggested work scheme
32 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Assessment sheets
34 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Recording sheet for task assessment
35 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Codes for recording
36 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Labels for Activity 1
37–40 . . . . . . . . . .Flashcards to photocopy for Activity 3
– Energy chains
41–42 . . . . . . . . . .Learner task cards to photocopy for
Activity 4
43 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Information sheet for Activity 5
44–45 . . . . . . . . . .Task sheets for Activity 5
46–49 . . . . . . . . . .Flashcards to photocopy for Activity 5
– How coal was formed
50–51 . . . . . . . . . .Task sheet for Activity 6
– The power station
52–53 . . . . . . . . . .How electricity works for us
54–60 . . . . . . . . . .Flashcards and captions to photocopy for Activity 6
61 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Example of an electricity bill for Activity 7
62 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Task sheet for Activity 7
63 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Preparing coal for sale
64 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Task sheet for Activity 7
65 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Task sheet for Activity 8
66-67 . . . . . . . . . . .Energy and change
68 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mindmap
 Activity 1 Different forms of energy

Key concept • Energy exists in different forms:

– heat energy
– light energy
– sound energy
– movement energy
– stored energy
– electrical energy
– nuclear energy/atomic energy (although these
activities do not deal with nuclear energy).

Teacher task 1. Explain to the learners that many pictures and advertisements in the
newspaper illustrate examples of different forms of energy, e.g. motor
cars, appliances and machines of any kind all use and produce certain
forms of energy. People, plants and animals all use and produce
certain forms of energy.
2. Give each group of learners used newspapers or magazines and labels
with different forms of energy (refer to page 36 for labels).

2
Learner tasks Placing energy labels onto pictures
GROUP 1. Find pictures and look for all the different forms of energy.
2. Put labels on all the places where you found the different forms
of energy.
3. Explain to your group why you have placed each label there and
what the energy is doing at that place.
4. Write a sentence about each form of energy that you found and
what it was doing.

Different forms of energy

A s se ss m en t
Activity 1
What we want to assess What we expect from learners

Placing energy labels onto Learners must identify the different

pictures forms of energy by putting correct
labels onto each place where they
find energy.
Writing about different forms Sentences must say:
of energy 4 what form of energy they found
4 where the energy is found
4 what the energy does
4

3
 Activity 2 My own energy

Key concepts • We need energy to do our daily activities (work).

• The energy we use comes from the food we eat.
• Food is the fuel for our bodies.

Teacher task 1. Introduce this activity by asking learners the following:

(a) What activities will you do after school?
(b) What energy will you use to do that?
(c) What food gave you that energy?
2. Facilitate a discussion with the learners about the energy their bodies
use when they are not active.
e.g. What energy does your body use when you watch television ?
Many learners will be watching television after school. They will also
sleep at night.
They will think they are not using any energy because they are sitting
still or sleeping.
Explain to them that even though they are not running around:
4 their hearts will be beating
4 their blood will still circulate in their bodies
4 their muscles will be making small movements to hold their bodies
in position
4 their lungs and diaphragm will be moving as they breathe
4 their eardrums will be vibrating
4 their eyes will be moving as they are watching etc.

ER
H E T EACH
O T
NOTE T think of
the
must
Learners ies when
e rg y in their bod
en table on
e y c o m plete the
th
page 5.

4
Teacher task 3. With the learners complete this table:

The different forms of energy my body uses

What will I do after school? What energy will my body use? What food
gave me
that energy?

1. Play soccer Movement energy Bread

2. Watch TV Movement energy (my heart will Milk and cheese

beat and my eyes move)

3. Listen to the radio Movement energy (I will be Fruit

breathing and listening)

4. Sing in the choir Sound energy Mielie pap

5. Play netball Movement and sound Meat

energy

Learner task 1. Use the table above to write sentences about the energy you will use
INDIVIDUAL after school.

This afternoon I will do the ironing. I will use movement energy

that I got from the bread that I ate.
2. Write at least two sentences about why our bodies need food.
My body needs food to give me energy. I use energy all day
and night.

My own energy
A s se ss m en t
Activity 2
What we want to assess What we expect from learners

1. Completing sentences The sentence must be completed

about their own energy
2. Sentences to explain
why we need food
with:
4what the learner will do after school
4what form of energy she will use
4what food she ate to get that energy
4
4any two good reasons why our
bodies need food

5
 Activity 3 Energy chains
Where does my energy come from originally?

Key concepts •
•
Green plants take in energy from the sun to make their own food .
Green plants are the only living things that can make their own
food.
• Energy is stored inside the food that we get from plants.
• We get this energy when we eat food.
• Energy is transferred from one living thing to another in a .
sequence known as an energy chain.

Teacher task 1. Use flashcards and sentence strips to show the energy chain of the
bread. e.g. The sun gives energy to the wheat plant to grow. Bread is
made from wheat and contains the energy from the wheat. The girl
eats the bread and gets energy from it. You can photocopy the
flashcards from pages 37 to 40.

4 The sun gives heat and light energy.

4 The wheat plant gets energy from the sun to help it to grow.
4 The bread is made from wheat and it has stored energy.
4 Thembi gets energy from eating bread.
2. Give learners samples or pictures of different food (learners may take
food from their school lunch boxes) to draw and explain other energy
chains.

6
 Draw and write to explain other energy chains about foods you like.
Learner task

A s se ss m en t
Activity 3 Energy chains
What we want to assess What we expect from learners

Drawing of a food The drawings should:

energy chain 4 have a heading
4 be clear
4 show the correct food energy chain
4 be in a correct sequence starting
with the sun
4 have correct labels
4
Writing about a food The writing should:
energy chain 4 match the drawings to tell the story
of the food energy chain
4 have a correct sequence to explain
the energy chain

7
 Activity 4 Stored energy

Key concepts • Energy is stored in different substances and in different ways until
it can be used.
• Food, chemicals, stretched elastic bands, wood and other fuels
also have stored energy, eg:
(a) we get the stored energy out of food when we eat the food
(b) when we release a stretched elastic band, we can get the
stored energy out of it.

Teacher task 1. Explain the following to the learners:

4 Food (peanuts), stretched elastic bands, springs, chemicals, and
other things, have energy stored inside them
4 we call these sources of stored energy
4 we have to do something to these sources of energy if we want to
get the stored energy out of them
2. Give learners sources of stored energy and a task card about getting
stored energy out (page 41 and 42 to photocopy for learners).

8
Activity 4 Learner Task Card

Getting stored energy out

1. There is energy stored in each of these energy sources in the box.
2. Try to do something to get the energy out of each source, and
complete the table below:

I burned it Heat and light Stored energy changes

energy to heat and light energy

I burned it or I Heat and light Stored energy changes

ate it energy or movement to heat and light energy
and sound energy or stored energy
changes to movement
and sound energy

I burned it Heat and light Stored energy changes

energy to heat and light energy

I connected it to a Light energy Stored energy is

circuit with a light changed to light energy
bulb.

I released it Movement and sound Stored energy is

energy changed to movement
and sound energy

I burned it Heat and light Stored energy is

energy changed to heat and
light energy
Continues on page 10

9
 I burned it Heat and light energy Stored energy is
changed to heat and
light energy

I pushed it off the Movement and sound Stored energy is

table energy changed to
movement and sound
energy

2. Write sentences to tell what you did to get the energy out of each
thing and what different forms of energy you got out.

How we got the stored energy out

1. There was stored energy in the wax candle. I burned the wax to
get heat and light energy from it.
2. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
3. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
4. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
5. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
6. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
7. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
8. .................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................

10
 CHER 1. From the previous table, ask learners to sort the
NOTE TO THE TEA
substances into two groups:
urces. Fuel is one
There are many energy so A) Those things that we need to burn in order to get
have to burn fuel
kind of energy source. We energy out of them
ut. When fuel
in order to get its energy o B) Those things that we do not need to burn in order
ygen in the air in
burns it combines with ox
is releases energy to get energy out of them.
a chemical reaction and th
heat and light. 2. Explain to learners that:
mostly in the form of
Digested food, such as a p
eanut is a fuel 4 the energy sources that we burn in order to get
burned slowly
for our bodies. All food is energy out of them are called fuels, – (A)
without a flame in the cell
s of our bodies. 4 the energy sources that we do not need to burn in
ical reaction with
Here it undergoes a chem order to get energy out of them are called non-
ther fuel that burns.
oxygen just like any o fuels – (B).

1. Sort the energy sources into things that we need to burn in order to
Learner task
get energy out and those that we do not need to burn in order to get
energy out.
2. Record these on the table below:

Sources of energy
A: Things that are fuels B: Things that are not fuels
Candle wax Battery
Peanut Stone
Methylated spirits Stretched elastic band
Coal
wood
3. Complete the sentences below:
Only some energy sources are fuels.

Candle wax, peanuts, methylated spirits, coal and wood are fuels
because we must burn them to get their energy out.
The stone, the stretched elastic and the battery are not fuels

because we do not burn them to get energy out.

11
 Stored energy
A s se s sm en t
Activity 4
What we want to assess What we expect from learners
Completing a table about getting stored Learners must be able to do something to get
energy out of energy sources the energy out of the energy sources.
The table must be completed with:
4 what the learners did to get the energy out
4 the forms of energy they got out
4 the energy changes that took place

Sentences to tell what was done to get Sentences should say:

stored energy out of energy sources 4 what the learners did to get the energy out
4 what different forms of energy they got out

Table to compare fuels and non-fuels
Learners should be able to classify substances
as fuels and non-fuels:
This will be evident when the table is completed
correctly with wax candle, peanut, methylated
spirit, wood and coal as fuels, and the stone,
the battery and the stretched elastic band as
non-fuels.

Sentence completion The sentence should be completed with:

The wax candle, the peanut, methylated spirit,
wood and coal as fuels, and the stone, the
battery and the stretched elastic band as
non-fuels.

12
Activity 5 Coal has stored energy

Key concepts • Coal was formed by nature over millions of years in the Earth’s
crust.
• Coal was formed from ancient plants and animals that died and
turned to rock over millions of years (they became fossilised).
It is therefore called a fossil fuel.
• Coal stores energy, which originally came from the sun.

Teacher task Where does coal come from?

Coal was formed from ancient plants and animals that died and turned to
rock over millions of years (they became fossilized). It is therefore called a
fossil fuel.
1. Give learners questions about coal to discuss in their groups.
2. After the learners have finished discussing about how coal was made
in the earth, hand out the information sheet about “How the Earth
makes coal” (photocopy from page 43).

Learner task Learner Task Card 1:

GROUP
How coal was made in the Earth

1. Discuss the following questions in your groups:

(a) What does coal look like?
(b) What do people use coal for?
(c) What do people do in order to get coal?
(d) Do you know of places where coal is found in our country?
(e) How was coal made?
(f) How long do you think it took the Earth to form coal?
2. (a) Now read paragraphs 1,2 and 3 of “How Earth made coal” for
more information.
(b) Look at the map with the heading COAL IN SOUTH AFRICA to
see places where coal is found in our country.

13
 Teacher task 1. Give learners a task card with pictures of how coal was formed
(photocopy from page 44).
2. After the learners have carefully looked at the pictures, give them
loose paragraphs about how coal was formed (page 45).
3. Ask learners to match these paragraphs with the pictures.
4. Check to see if the learners have matched the pictures with the
paragraphs correctly (see overleaf for the correct explanation about
coal formation).
5. Ask learners to paste the paragraphs next to the pictures.
6. Ask learners to read aloud the explanation of how the Earth made
coal.

Alternative Teacher Task

Help learners to build up (acquire) the language for this task:
1. Explain the pictures of how coal was formed to the learners (you can
photocopy the flashcards on pages 46–49 for demonstration).
2. Facilitate a class discussion about the story of how coal was formed.
Write new words on the board.

Learner task 1. Look at the pictures that show how coal was made in the Earth.
GROUP 2. Match each picture with its appropriate paragraph.
3. Let your teacher help you match the pictures with their appropriate
paragraphs if you are stuck.
4. Paste the paragraphs next to their appropriate pictures.
5. Read the full explanation of how coal was made in the Earth.

14
Learner task Learner Task Card 2
INDIVIDUAL How coal was made in the Earth
Paste the correct sequence of the story of how coal was formed onto
your task card.
N.B. Certain special conditions in some parts of the Earth’s crust and
the way it changed over millions of years, allowed coal to be formed.

Pictures that tell how coal was formed Paragraphs that tell how coal was formed

First
Millions of years ago the Earth’s climate was
wet, so many plants grew near water. When
these plants died, some fell into the water.
water They did not rot but in time layer upon layer
sand and mud of sand and mud covered them.

dead plants that

fell into water

Then
More and more layers of sand and mud fell
on top of these dead plants. The plants
slowly became squashed plant material,
layers of sand which we call peat.

squashed plant
material called
peat

Next
More and more pressure from sand and mud
pressure from the compressed and squashed this plant material
layers of sand into a harder layer. This layer is called lignite.
As the compression took place, gas and
more layers of water were squeezed out of the dead plant
sand and rock material.
lignite

Finally
Over millions of years more layers of sand
and mud covered the lignite. The lignite
many layers of
eventually became a hard black type of a
sand and rock
rock called coal.

coal

15
 Learner task Optional Learner Task:
INDIVIDUAL In your own words write a story of how coal was made in the Earth.

Teacher task Make an energy chain about coal with the learners.

Learner task Draw and write to explain the coal energy chain into your class work
book.

The energy chain of coal

The sun gives heat and light energy.
Plants use light energy from the sun to help them grow. Some of
this energy
is stored as chemical energy inside plants.
Over millions of years, dead plants become coal. The energy from
plants becomes stored inside coal.

16
A s se ss m en t
Activity 5 Where does coal come from?
What we want to assess
Matching pictures with paragraphs
about how coal is made in the Earth
Writing about how coal was made
in the Earth
Drawing the coal energy chain
Writing explanations of the coal
energy chain
What we expect from learners
The learners should be able to match the pictures with the
appropriate paragraphs of how coal was formed in the
Earth.This will be evident when learners can identify the
correct picture that matches each paragraph to make a
correct sequence of paragraphs that tell the story of how
coal was formed in the Earth.
The story must:
4 have a heading
4 have sentences that make sense
4 have a logical sequence
4 have the correct use of key words such as squashed
plant material, layers of sand, millions of years ago etc.
The drawing should:
4 have a heading
4 be clear
4 tell the energy story in the correct sequence
4 correct labels
4
Sentences should:
4 match the drawings that show the coal energy chain
4 be in a correct sequence to tell the coal energy story
4
17
 Coal gives us energy to make
electricity
Activity 6

Key concepts • Most power stations use coal to make electricity.

• The coal got its energy from plants that originally got their energy
from the sun.
• Most electrical appliances get energy from power stations.

Teacher task

NOTE TO THE TEACHER

If you are near Cape Town, you
TRAI NS
may visit the Athlone power
station with your learners,
before you begin this activity.
(Tel no. 021-694 1715 for
appointments)
COAL

FIR E

1. Make a mind map with learners on the chalkboard about the uses of
coal.
2. Ask learners to read for more uses of coal.
(paragraph 4 of “How coal is made in the Earth”
on page 43).
3. Complete the mind map with more uses of coal from the reading.

Learner task Read paragraph 4 of “How coal was made in the Earth” (page 43) to find
more uses of coal.

Teacher task 1. Make sure that learners realise that coal is used to make electricity in
most power stations (for teacher enrichment read pages 66– 67 (taken
from “Learning for Sustainable Living” of Birdlife South Africa).
2. Give learners a task card to complete about a power station (page 50)
plus ‘How energy works for’ us photocopied from pages 52–53.
3. Facilitate a class discussion in order to help the learners with more
information about a power station, after they have completed question
3 on the Learner Task Card about the power station (see page 51 for
answers).

18
 Learner Task Card

The Power Station

Why is there steam?

What happens inside

a power station?

Why is there
smoke?

What are
the towers
for?

Why are
there wires?

What do we get from the Where have you seen

power station? a power station?

The Power Station

1. In your groups discuss the picture about the power station. Use the
questions to help you.
2. Read, “How electricity works for us “ to find the answers to the
questions about the power station.
3. Participate in a class discussion so that you can share your information
about the power station.

Teacher task 1. Lead a discussion about a power station in order to make sure that:
4 Learners understand that coal is used to heat water in a power
station.
4 It is the steam from this heated water that turns the turbines.
4 The turbines turn the generator that makes electricity.

2. Give learners pictures of the electricity energy chain and ask them to
put them in sequence (page 54-60 to photocopy. Also use the picture
of the sun on page 37).

19
 Learner task Learner Task Card
The energy chain of electricity
1. In your group look at the power station again and sequence the
pictures to show the energy chain about how electricity reaches our
homes.
2. Draw to show the energy chain of electricity.

3. Write a paragraph to explain the energy chain of electricity.

The electricity energy chain
First the sun gave its heat and light energy to plants so that plants can
grow.
After the plants died they turned to coal over millions of years. The
coal stored the energy of the plants.
Next the coal was mined out of the Earth and taken to a power station.
At the power station the coal was burned to get the energy from it.
Then the energy from the burning coal boiled the water in the power
station. The steam from the boiling water turned a turbine and
generator to make electricity.
After that the electricity came in power lines to our homes.
Finally we used the electrical energy to make light in our homes.

Teacher task 1. Make flash cards of any electrical appliance to tell the learners the
energy story of that electrical appliance (refer to the bed-side lamp
example above).
2. Now switch on an electric kettle and help learners to complete its
energy chain in groups.
3. Supply learners with pictures of other electrical appliances to
sequence and let them write more energy chain stories of the electrical
appliances they have chosen (pictures of electrical appliances can be
obtained from newspapers and magazines).

20
 Learner task 1. In your groups look at the electric kettle boiling water and write an
energy chain to tell where the kettle gets its electrical energy from
originally.
2. Draw and write more energy chains of your own, about the electrical
appliances in the pictures your teacher gave you.

A s se ss m en t
Activity 6 Using coal to make electricity
What we want to assess What we expect from learners

Drawing the energy chain The drawing should:

of electricity 4 have a heading
4 be clear
4 tell the electricity energy chain
4 show the correct sequence of the energy chain
4 have correct labels
4

Writing about the electricity Sentences should:

energy chain 4 match the drawings that show the electricity energy chain
4 be in a correct sequence to tell the electricity energy chain
4

Drawing energy chains of The drawing should:

different electrical appliances
Writing about an energy chain
of an electrical appliance
4 have a heading
4 be clear
4 drawings that tell the electricity energy chain
4 show the correct sequence of the energy chain
4 have correct labels
4
Sentences should:
4 match the drawing that show the energy chain of that
particular electrical appliance
4 be in a correct sequence to tell the energy chain of that
electrical appliance
4

21
 Activity 7 How much do we pay for electricity?

Key concepts • We can measure how much electricity we have used in units
called Watts (W).
• We pay for the bringing of electricity to our homes.
• We also pay for how much electricity we use and how long we
use the electricity ( kW.h).
• The more electricity we use, the more money we pay and the
more coal is used.

Teacher task 1. Introduce the following to the learners:

(a) Electricity is measured in units called Watts (W) or kilo Watts (kW)
e.g. a stove uses 8 000 W = 8 kW.
(b) Different appliances use different amounts of electrical energy.
2. Give learners a table that shows how much electricity each appliance
uses (page 62).

Learner task
1. Look at the table
that shows how
much electricity
each appliance uses
and answer the
following questions
in your workbook.
(a) Which electrical
appliance uses
the most
electricity?
(b) How much
electricity does it
use? (write your
answer in Watts
(W) and in kilo
Watts (kW).
(c) Which electrical
appliance uses
the least
electricity?
(d) How much
electricity does it
use? (write your
answer in Watts).

22
Teacher task 1. Remind learners that power stations use coal to make electricity and it
costs money to mine coal and to transport it to the power station.

2. In the light of the above, facilitate a discussion about why we must

pay for our electricity (you may refer to page 63 “Preparing Coal for
sale” to help your discussion).
3. Introduce the following to the learners:
4 We pay more money when we use electricity for a long time.
4 The electricity supplier (Eskom) makes us pay for how much
electrical energy we use (kilo Watts) and how long we use
electricity for (hours).
4 They send a person (a meter reader) to come and record the
reading that shows how much electricity we have used that month
on our meter boxes.
4 They then send us an account based on these calculations charged
at the cost of electricity where we live.
4. Give learners a task card (“We pay for our electricity”) to complete
(page 64 to photocopy for learners).

23
 Activity 7 Learner Task Card
We pay for our electricity
1. Look at the electrical appliances in the table below and pretend that
these are the electrical appliances used in your home.
2. Fill in the missing information in the table (N.B. You may use your
calculator to do the calculations).
3. How much electrical energy did your family use altogether this month?
899,85 kW.h
4. How much must your family pay this month?
R 197.96

Electrical How much How much How long we How much How much we must
appliance electricity electricity used it for electrical pay @22c per unit
it uses it uses in this month energy we
price
in Watts kW used in kW.h.

15W

150 W

= R11,22

720 W

3W
= R59,40

2W
= R13,20

Teacher task 1. Explain to learners that some people have prepaid electricity boxes;
they pay for their electricity in advance by buying a card.
(page 62 to E.g. If you buy a card for R50, when you have used R50 worth of kW.h,
photocopy for your electricity will be disconnected until you buy more.
learners) 2. Give learners a task card about an electricity account to complete.

24
Activity 7 Learner Task Card

Learner task An electricity account

TICE ply by-law:

IMPORTANT NO the eledctricity sup
of section 17 (1) of ty supply being
• Notice in ter ms
in yo ur ele ctr ici
e date shall result ur deposit
Failure to pay by du be charged and yo
ect ed . A fee for disconnection shall ply aft er pa ym ent
disconn ction op sup
Immediate reconne
may be increased.
cannot be assured.

1. Look at Mrs Khumalo’s electricity account and answer the following questions:
(a) How many kW.h of electricity did the Khumalo family use?
(b) For what period was this amount of electricity used?
(c) How much must Mrs Khumalo pay?
(d) By when is Mrs Khumalo expected to pay this amount of money?
(e) According to this account what would be the result of not paying on time?
2. Think about how electricity is produced and how it reaches our homes. In the light
of that, write to tell why people need to pay for electricity.

25
 Learner task 2

You may begin like this:

Why we must pay for our electricity
People who use electricity must pay for it. The reason is:

Power stations use coal to make electricity. We have to employ people

to dig coal out of the mines, prepare it for selling and transport the
coal to power stations.
Another reason is:

We have to pay people who work in the power stations to produce

electricity and to bring it to our homes.
Another reason is:

We have to pay meter readers who come to read our electricity boxes
and people who make our prepaid electricity boxes.

A s se ss m en t
Activity 7 The cost of electricity

What we want to assess What we expect from learners

Reading and interpreting a table Learners should be able to read and interpret the table that
(table to show how much shows how much electricity each electrical appliance uses:
electrical energy each appliance This will be evident when:
uses) Learners can give correct answers to questions a, b ,c and d

Table completion Table must be completed with:

4 the number of Watts, which the appliance uses
4 correct calculations of how much electricity the family
used per month
4 the correct calculation of how much the family must pay
4

Reading a table Learners should be able to read an electricity account:

(Electricity account)
Writing about why people
should pay for electricity
This will be evident when:
Learners can give correct answers to questions a, b, c, d and e
Sentences should:
4 Reveal that the learner realises the costs involved in
getting electricity into our homes

26
Activity 8 Saving electricity

Key concepts • If we use less electricity, we save coal, which is a valuable natural
resource that will eventually be used up.
• If we are less wasteful with electricity, we will save our money
too.

Teacher task 1. Remind learners about the fact that we use coal to make electricity.
2. Give learners a reading about coal eventually running out (see below).
3. Facilitate a discussion with learners about the implications of coal
running out. Use the following questions to help you:
(a) What is the main source of energy used to make electricity in a
power station?
(b) What will happen when there is no more coal?
N.B.In the discussion make sure that the learners understand the
following:
The more electricity we use the more coal is used.
4. Give learners a task card to complete (photocopy from p 65).

Coal as a Non-renewable Energy Source

Coal is one of the natural sources of energy found in the Earth’s
crust. It is sometimes called a fossil fuel because it was formed
naturally over millions of years from dead plants and animals.
No one knows how much coal exists in the crust of the Earth. We
are using up the fossil fuels very quickly. So mining companies are
searching all the time to find new supplies of these natural fuels.
They even have to search in difficult places, for example, under the
sea.
Scientists think that one day soon, we will have discovered and
used up all the Earth’s supplies of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and
oil. We say that fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy.
This means that when they are all used up we can’t get new supplies
from anywhere else (because it would take millions of years for
Nature to make more).
Scientists estimate that if we continue using fossil fuels as fast as
we are at present, then all the coal will be finished in 2085.

27
 Use as little electricity as you possibly can

Learner task
GROUP
1. In your groups look at the picture of Mrs Mabhena using electricity in
her kitchen.
2. Mark the places where electricity is being wasted.
3. Discuss ways in which Mrs Mabhena could save electricity.
4. Let one person write your suggestions to Mrs Mabhena about how
she can use less electricity and motivate why she should consider your
suggestions.
Write your suggestions here:
For example:
1. Put the right amount of water in the kettle for the number of cups
of tea you want to make.
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28
Teacher task 5. Choose one person to tell the rest of the class about your suggestions
to Mrs Mabhena.
Allow learners to give a report back about their suggestions to
Mrs Mabhena.

Write the following conclusion on the board with the learners:

Coal is a precious resource. When we use electricity we are also using up

8
coal that was used to produce electricity. When we save electricity we are
A s se ss m en t also saving coal for the future.

Saving electricity
Activity

What we want to assess What we expect from learners

Identifying places where
electricity is wasted
Learners should be able to identify
places where electricity is wasted:
This will be evident when learners can
mark places on the pictures where
electricity is wasted.

Writing suggestions of 4 Suggestions should motivate why

saving electricity people should try to use less
electricity
4

29
 SUGGESTED WORK SCHEME
ENERGY & CHANGE GRADE 6 LEARNING PROGRAMME
PERIOD 1 PERIOD 2 PERIOD 3 PERIOD 4 PERIOD 5
ACTIVITY 1 ACTIVITY 2 ACTIVITY 3 ACTIVITY 4
Placing energy Table completion Teacher introducing Introducing Sorting substances
labels, talking and with the learners food energy stories substances with and introducing fuels
writing sentences ± 15 min potential energy
Learners writing and Table completion
about different forms
Writing sentences drawing own food Getting stored ± 50 min
of energy
about the energy in energy stories energy out of
± 50 min
the body ± 50 min substances and
± 35 min writing sentences
± 50 min

PERIOD 6 PERIOD 7 PERIOD 8 PERIOD 9 PERIOD 10

ACTIVITY 5 ACTIVITY 6
Discussing and Reading the whole Making a mind map Learners sequence In groups learners
reading for more story of coal about uses of coal pictures that tell the write an electric
information about formation ( 20 min and reading for more Power Station energy kettle energy story
coal ( 30 min information about story
Making the coal Each learner writes
coal uses and
Matching paragraphs energy story with the Learners draw and an energy story of an
completing the mind
with pictures learners write the Power electrical appliance
map
showing how coal Station energy story of their own
Learners drawing ± 20 min
was formed ± 30 min ± 50min
and writing the coal
± 20 min Learners discussing
energy story Making an energy
questions about a
( 30 min story of an electrical
power station and
appliance with the
reading and
learners
discussing to get
± 20 min
more about the
power station
± 30 min
PERIOD 11 PERIOD 12 PERIOD 12 PERIOD 13
ACTIVITY 7 ACTIVITY 8
Introduction about Learners complete a Reading about coal Writing suggestions
measuring electricity task card about eventually running of how to use less
costing electricity out and discussion electricity
Reading and inter-
± 40 min about implications
preting a table with Report back and
± 30 min
electrical appliances Discussion about the sentence completion
± 20 min pre-paid boxes Identifying places about conservation
±20 min where electricity is of natural resources.
Discussion about
wasted
why we must pay for Learners read and Writing a conclusion
± 20 min
electricity and interpret an about using less
introducing how the electricity bill electricity and
cost is calculated conserving coal.
Learners write to say
± 30 min
why we must pay for
the electricity we use

Estimated time to finish the activities in this learning programme = 13 periods @ 50 minutes
per period = 10,8 hours. This is almost three weeks’ work.
(Recommended time per week for the Natural Sciences and Technology = 4 hours)

30
32
Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy

Movement energy Sound energy Light energy Heat energy Stored energy Electrical energy
To photocopy for
Activity 3

33
 To photocopy for
Activity 3

34
To photocopy for
Activity 3

35
 To photocopy for
Activity 3

36
Learner Task Card To photocopy for
Activity 4
Getting stored energy out
1. There is energy stored in each of these energy sources in the boxes below.
2. Try to do something to get the energy out of each source, and complete the
table below:

37
 To photocopy for
Activity 4
Learner Task Card

Coal

A stone on the
edge of the
table

38
Information sheet for
Activity 5
How coal is made in the Earth
Coal is a hard, black rock. For hundreds of years people have burned coal to keep
themselves warm. It takes millions of years to make coal.
Millions of years ago there was a lot of water and many trees covered the Earth.
Sometimes when trees died they fell into the water. Over many years, layers of soil
covered the trees and turned the wood into peat, which is soft and can be burned for fuel.
More and more layers of heavy soil on top caused more pressure so that gas and water
were squeezed out of the peat. This made the peat change into a thin layer of hard coal or
into oil. The Earth takes millions of years to make the coal. This coal is formed very deep
under the ground and so people have to dig mines to get it out. There are many coal
mines in South Africa

Using coal
Most of South Africa’s coal is used in Power Stations to make electricity. There is a big
factory in Sasolburg that makes coal into petrol. A special form of coal called coke helps
us to make iron into steel. Tar, plastic and fertilizers also come from coal. People use coal
in their homes to cook food or keep themselves warm. If we continue to use coal, the
world will soon run out of it. This is a great worry and many people are looking for
different types of fuel in order to save coal. The Earth’s oil will be used up by the year
2030 and coal by 2085.

Coal in South Africa

South Africa has a lot of coal. Look at the map to see where we mine it.
We use most of our coal, but we sell some to Japan.

Areas where
coal is found

39
 Learner Task for
Activity 5

Paste the story of how coal was formed in correct sequence on to your task card.

Pictures that tell how coal was formed Paragraphs that tell how coal was formed

First

water
sand and mud

dead plants that

fell into water

Then

layers of sand

squashed plant
material called
peat

Next
pressure from the
layers of sand

more layers of
sand and rock
lignite

Finally

many layers of
sand and rock

coal

40
More and more pressure from sand and
mud compressed and squashed this plant
material into a harder layer. This layer is
called lignite. As the compression took
place gas and water were squeezed out of
the dead plant material.
More and more layers of sand and mud fell
on top of these dead plants. They slowly
became squashed plant material, which we
call peat.
Over millions of years more layers of sand
and mud covered the lignite. The lignite
eventually became a hard black type of a
rock called coal.
Millions of years ago the Earth’s climate
was wet, so many plants grew near water.
When these plants died, some fell into the
water. They did not rot but in time layer
upon layer of sand and mud covered them.
41
Task card for
Activity 5

42
Task card for
Activity 5

43
Task card for
Activity 5

Lignite

44
Task card for
Activity 5

45
46
THE POWER STATION
4 What do we get from the 4 Where have you seen a
power station? power station?
Activity 6

Why is there steam?

Task card for

What happens inside

a power station?

Why is there smoke?

Why are there wires? What are the

towers for?
Teacher’s copy

47
How electricity works for us

48
49
Task card for
Activity 6

50
Task card for
Activity 6

51
Task card for
Activity 6

52
Task card for
Activity 6

53
 Task card for
Activity 6

54
Task card for
Activity 6

55
 Captions for
Activity 6

The energy chain of electricity

The sun gives heat and light energy.

The plants use the light energy from the sun to grow.
Some of this energy is stored as chemical energy
inside the plants.

Over millions of years, dead plants became coal. The

energy from the plants becomes stored inside the
coal.

The energy in the coal is used in the Power Station. It

is changed to electrical energy.

The coal is used to heat water. The steam from the

water turns the turbine. The turbine turns a generator
which makes electricity.

The electrical energy is carried in wires supported by

high pylons. Electrical energy is carried in wires to
our homes.

We use electrical energy in our homes to get heat

and light energy.

56
Task card for
An electricity account
Activity 7

IMPORTANT NOTICE
• Notice in terms of section 17 (1) of the eledctricity supply by-law:
Failure to pay by due date shall result in your electricity supply being
disconnected. A fee for disconnection shall be charged and your deposit may be
increased. Immediate reconnection op supply after payment cannot be assured.

1. Look at Mrs Khumalo’s electricity account and answer the following questions:
(a) How many kW.h of electricity did the Khumalo family use?
(b) For what period was this amount of electricity used?
(c) How much must Mrs Khumalo pay?
(d) By when is Mrs Khumalo expected to pay this amount of money?
(e) According to this account what would be the result of not paying on time?
2. Think about how electricity is produced and how it reaches our homes. In the
light of that, write to tell why people need to pay for electricity.

57
 Task sheet for
Activity 7

How much electricity do appliances use?

58
Task card for

Preparing coal
Activity 7

After the coal comes from the mines, people have

to prepare it to be sold.

1. Cutting 2. Conveying 3. Washing

4. Loading 5. Crushing 6. Sorting

7. Grading 8. Transporting 9. Exporting

kool
een rste
t
Ee aad
S

Gr

10. Selling

59
 Task sheet for

We pay for electricity

Activity 7
1. Look at the electrical appliances in the table below and pretend that these
are the electrical appliances used in your home.
2. Fill in the missing information in the table – A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
(N.B. You may use your calculator to do the calculations).

Electrical How much How much How long How much How much we
appliance electricity electricity we used it electrical must pay @22c
it uses it uses in for this energy we per unit price
in Watts kW month used in kW.h.

=
F

D
=G

E
=H

3. How much electrical energy did your family use altogether this month?
4. How much must your family pay this month?

60
Task sheet for
Activity 8

Use as little electricity as you

possibly can

61
 ACTIVITY
energy
Investigating Energy Resources

62
63