Fifth-Grade Energy Project Ideas
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 92 percent of the resources for energy used in the United States last year were nonrenewable, naturally occurring sources, which cannot be replaced, such as petroleum oil and coal. Cooking, heating and transportation are dependent on these irreplaceable sources, making the importance of finding alternatives a priority. Renewable resources, however, can be restocked easily, as is the case with energy from the sun and wind. When it comes to ways to conserve energy, the answer may be as close as your backyard.
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Sunlight Cooking
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Solar ovens are powerful enough to cook and bake food, pasteurize water and sanitize materials. Based on the design, heat is contained more than it's discharged, which allows for more thoroughly cooked entrees and minimal water usage. To design a solar oven, place a box within a box. Line the inner box, which serves as the oven, with aluminum foil. Create a lid from the flaps of the boxes and seal a weighty plastic bag to the hood. Some good foods to test first are rice or sweet potatoes.
Water Weight
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One result of earth's natural process of recycling water, the water cycle, is the formation of kinetic energy. Hydropower -- the byproduct of water cycle movement -- can be used to provide energy to businesses and manufacturers. You can create a water wheel with an aluminum pie plate. Suspend the wheel over a mop bucket with a faucet as a water source to move it. Track the rate at which the wheel moves along with the length of the water flow to replicate how energy is achieved.
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Lights Out
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Energy conservation is important in the preservation and reduction of the use of fossil fuels, which contributes greatly to pollution. The energy you use at home not only costs money, but also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Track the amount of electricity used by your family. Make changes in energy, such as unplugging unused appliances, turning lights off in unoccupied rooms and changing to approved products from Energy Star, which is a combined effort of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to promote effective energy habits and devices. Record the changes in electricity costs after three months.
Burning Energy
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Biomass, the naturally contained energy source from the sun found in plants and animals, is being researched as an alternative to fossil fuels. Burning wood is the most commonly known biomass fuel, but other organic resources are being considered like corn, garbage and compost. The heat produced as a result of burning these sources can be used for electricity. You can grow three to four types of grass. Conclude the amount of biomass produced by measurement of plant size and rate of growth to determine which type is most beneficial for extracting energy.
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