This activity is about energy and renewable resources. It builds awareness of different energy solutions which will be necessary in the future and is aimed at learners aged 10 years and up.

Activity components

Energy resources worksheet - pelmanism cards
Download energy resources worksheet  300k pdf

Preparation

• Photocopy of the energy resources worksheet, one per pupil
• Scissors.

Procedure

• Slowly draw the outline of one of the four natural elements, the sun, water, earth and wind. The images from the worksheet can help you with this. 
• Ask the children to guess what it is as you draw. Give them five guesses. If they can't find the answer, tell them what it is and hold up a flashcard image from the worksheet. Repeat the process for each of the four elements.
• Hand out the energy resources worksheet. Ask the pupils to cut out the images and text as indicated. Ask them to match the energy resource image with the natural element flashcards introduced.
  e.g. Wind farm = wind
  Solar panels = sun
  Hydroelectric station = water
  Geothermal pipes = earth

Note: The pupils may match the fuel energies with the natural elements, and you can let them, then review it later.

• Categorise. In pairs, ask the pupils to put the energy images in two categories: renewable and non renewable energy. Before they start, explain the difference. Draw a time line; mark a point for the present time and a date for in 50 years time. Explain that some fuels will run out in the next 50 years. Illustrate this by drawing a fossil fuel and put a big cross over it. Tell the class that gas, oil and coal are fossil fuels and they are the ones which will run out.
• Match. In pairs the pupils match the diagram to the text using all the clues in the diagrams to get meaning from the text. Go round the class checking and helping. Reassure them that they don't need to understand all the words in the text and that a global understanding is enough.
• Pelmanism. In groups of four, the children turn all their cards face down, taking turns to turn over two cards in order to get a text/diagram pair, e. g wind farm image and the wind energy text. The pupil who gets the most pairs is the winner.

Extension
Pupils use library or internet resources to find out what their local energy resources are.
http://globalresponse.org/kidsactions.php

Written by Claudia Richardson

The worksheet is downloadable and in pdf format. If you have difficulty downloading the materials see the download section of the Help page.

Copyright - please read
All the materials on these pages are free for you to download and copy for educational use only. You may not redistribute, sell or place these materials on any other web site without written permission from the BBC and British Council. If you have any questions about the use of these materials please email us at: teachingenglish@britishcouncil.org

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