Energy Card Game

The National Solar Observatory

In this card game, participants trace back the source of energy for a variety of items to find that they ultimately derive from the Sun. This is a simple activity that lets students move around and discover an aspect of their everyday lives that may not have been apparent to them already.

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Notes from our reviewers

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It would be good to allow students the time to read the science background sheet before starting the game and answer questions related to the reading as a warm-up. Depending on grade level, the science background could be read independently or as a class. Read discussion questions beforehand, and brainstorm a few answers/examples of your own so that you can provide them if students are having a hard time. The only assessment provided is the discussion questions. Teachers may want to consider other evaluation strategies. The activity has a thorough scientific background section and gives additional information in the activity discussion points which may help an instructor situate the activity in their lesson plan.
This is a card game that discusses sources of energy on Earth (mainly the Sun, though it does address nuclear and geothermal somewhat) and energy transformations. Students form "links" to show energy transforming from one form to another (e.g. sunlight to corn to cereal to human) which is a good way to help younger students make the connections. This activity is pulled directly from a NASA source: Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the NightSky Network, which is a part of nasa.gov. Data for the activity is all provided on printed cards for students. Data are up-to-date, though if the dominant source of electricity globally shifts from fossil fuel to renewable, the information sheet will need to be updated. Some types of energy, such as tidal energy or geothermal energy, are not discussed or discussed in enough detail, however, the activity does not utilize these forms of energy. If the teacher does not mention nuclear, geothermal, etc. then the students may assume all energy on earth comes from the Sun. The idea that fossil fuels are actually solar energy might become a source of confusion as well, so the instructor might need to state clearly that solar energy means taking energy directly from the Sun to avoid the misconception. Original source of the game is clearly referenced, as is a link to a YouTube video showing the game being played. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
The lesson is a game where students get the opportunity to walk around the room. Students engage in discussion through the follow-up questions that are provided, which serve somewhat as an assessment and allow students to reference their real-life experiences. Suggestions on how to further learn about the topic via video and other sites are provided. There are 4 learning outcomes, the first two are lower-level Bloom's verbs about understanding basic concepts. The other two outcomes are higher-level objectives that rely on critical thinking and discussing topics that are not directly addressed in the activity. The first two outcomes seem very age-appropriate. The second two outcomes seem achievable for an instructor comfortable with the materials or for older students. Hands-on group or whole-class activity. Although the cards have images on them, information is mostly presented as text. If students are not confident readers or if they are unfamiliar with words like "thermal" and "phytoplankton" this activity may be difficult for them. Activity is very well-organized with teacher instructions that provide examples of how to introduce the activity to students and how to motivate them. Example connections are made in the instructions, which might help an instructor demonstrate the activity to students. Ways to play the game with fewer students are also provided. The teaching sequence for the activity itself is very detailed and organized: starting off the class with a short discussion about different types of energy, handing out cards/explaining the game, allowing students to play the game, and coming back together as a class to answer some follow-up questions to help students understand that most of the energy on earth comes from the Sun.