SC.5.P.10.4

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Investigate and explain that electrical energy can be transformed into heat, light, and sound energy, as well as the energy of motion.
General Information
Subject Area: Science
Grade: 5
Body of Knowledge: Physical Science
Idea: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning
Big Idea: Forms of Energy -

A. Energy is involved in all physical processes and is a unifying concept in many areas of science.

B. Energy exists in many forms and has the ability to do work or cause a change.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/08
Content Complexity Rating: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 05/08
Status: State Board Approved
Assessed: Yes
Test Item Specifications
  • Item Type(s): This benchmark may be assessed using: MC item(s)
    • Also Assesses
    SC.3.E.6.1     Demonstrate that radiant energy from the Sun can heat objects and when the Sun is not present, heat may be lost.

    SC.4.P.11.1 Recognize that heat flows from a hot object to a cold object and that heat flow may cause materials to change temperature.

    SC.4.P.11.2 Identify common materials that conduct heat well or poorly.

    SC.5.P.10.3 Investigate and explain that an electrically-charged object can attract an uncharged object and can either attract or repel another charged object without any contact between the objects.

    SC.5.P.11.1 Investigate and illustrate the fact that the flow of electricity requires a closed circuit (a complete loop).

    SC.5.P.11.2 Identify and classify materials that conduct electricity and materials that do not.
  • Clarification :
    Students will explain that electrical energy can be transformed into heat, light, and/or sound energy, as well as the energy of motion.

    Students will explain that energy from the Sun can be used to heat objects, and that when sunlight is not present, heat may be lost.

    Students will identify the flow of heat between hot and cold objects and/or that heat may cause objects to change temperature.

    Students will identify common materials that conduct heat well or poorly.

    Students will explain that an electrically charged object can attract an uncharged object and/or either attract or repel another charged object without any contact between the objects.

    Students will determine that the flow of electricity requires a closed circuit.

    Students will identify and/or classify materials that conduct electricity and materials that do not.
  • Content Limits :
    Items will not assess parallel and series circuits.

    Items assessing electricity will not refer to electrons or the movement of electrons in producing electrical charge.

    Items that refer to positive and negative charges in attraction and repulsion properties must be in the context of static electricity.

    Items will not use more than two energy conversions.
  • Stimulus Attributes :
    Scenarios are limited to abiotic systems.

    Scenarios referring to energy from the Sun will not use the term radiant.
  • Response Attributes :
    None specified
  • Prior Knowledge :
    Items may require the student to apply science knowledge described in the NGSSS from lower grades. This benchmark requires prerequisite knowledge from SC.2.P.10.1.
Sample Test Items (1)
  • Test Item #: Sample Item 1
  • Question: Electric circuits must be properly connected or electricity will not flow. Which of the following shows a properly connected circuit that would allow electricity to flow and light the bulb?
  • Difficulty: N/A
  • Type: MC: Multiple Choice

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5020060: Science - Grade Five (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022 (current), 2022 and beyond)
7720060: Access Science Grade 5 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 and beyond (current))
5020120: STEM Lab Grade 5 (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022 (current), 2022 and beyond)

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
SC.5.P.10.In.4: Demonstrate that electricity can produce heat, light, and sound.
SC.5.P.10.Su.4: Recognize examples of electricity as a producer of heat, light, and sound.
SC.5.P.10.Pa.4: Identify one source of sound, heat, or light that uses electricity.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Electricity--Energy Lighting the Way!:

Students will investigate and illustrate complete circuits using a battery, wires, light bulb and various conductors and insulators. They will understand that electricity is a form of energy that can be converted into other forms of energy such as heat and light.

Type: Lesson Plan

Inventions and Innovations MEA:

Inventive minds have persisted throughout history. Inventors have improved our lives with inventions created out of a desire to solve a problem or make the quality of peoples' lives better. Our president is concerned that we are not keeping up with other countries in the area of engineering and inventive thinking. Why is this? As students explore famous inventions from around the world throughout history, they will decide what the best inventions of all time are and support their opinion with strong reasons.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Shocking Truth About Circuits - An Engineering Design Challenge:

This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of electrical energy, circuits, insulators and conductors in standards SC.5.P.10.4, SC.5.P.11.1, SC.5.P.11.1, SC.5.P.11.2 by constructing circuits. It may also be used as introductory instruction of the content.

Type: Lesson Plan

Transformation of Electrical Energy:

This lesson helps students learn that electrical energy can be transformed into: sound, heat, and light energy. In this lesson, students will participate in a hands-on lab to explore what forms of energy electrical energy will be transformed into. This lesson can be completed in one 60 minute science block.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sammy's Solar Fountains:

In this MEA students are presented with start-up business that needs to buy solar batteries for their business. Students will form engineering teams to review battery choices. Students will understand that solar energy is transferred into electrical energy.

Type: Lesson Plan

Solar Energy QR Hunt:

This lesson allows students to read and internalize information about solar power from the article "Solar-Powered Plane" from Time For Kids (1080L Lexile Level). After reading the article independently, discussing and answering the questions in pairs, the students get to go for a hunt around the classroom with a smartphone or scanner capable device to find the answers that are in the forms of QR Codes! This lesson can be completed in one 50 minute science block.

Type: Lesson Plan

Enlightening Explorations, Part I:

This lesson contains three student experiments: How Light Travels, Comparing Light Sources, and Reflective Surfaces.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Energy Transformations:

Investigate electrical energy and how it can be transformed into different forms including heat, light, sound, and motion energy in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Electrical To Thermal Energy:

Learn how electrical energy is produced from earth's natural resources. In this interactive tutorial, explore the process to power buildings and other electronic devices.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Idea

Design Squad - Feel the Heat:

A project challenge that uses an engineering approach to build a solar water heater out of common materials.

Type: Teaching Idea

Unit/Lesson Sequence

Electricity and Energy:

Students will learn about light energy including light waves with which the students will study shadows they make. They will also learn to relate certain forms of energy to real life scenarios by using illustrations. The students will learn how static electricity works and will even create some of their own in an experiment. They will also realize how light and heat energy are often involved in the same situations.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Virtual Manipulative

Static Electricity:

This online manipulative models and simulates common static electricity concepts such as transfer of charge.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Inventions and Innovations MEA:

Inventive minds have persisted throughout history. Inventors have improved our lives with inventions created out of a desire to solve a problem or make the quality of peoples' lives better. Our president is concerned that we are not keeping up with other countries in the area of engineering and inventive thinking. Why is this? As students explore famous inventions from around the world throughout history, they will decide what the best inventions of all time are and support their opinion with strong reasons.

Sammy's Solar Fountains:

In this MEA students are presented with start-up business that needs to buy solar batteries for their business. Students will form engineering teams to review battery choices. Students will understand that solar energy is transferred into electrical energy.

Original Student Tutorials Science - Grades K-8

Electrical To Thermal Energy:

Learn how electrical energy is produced from earth's natural resources. In this interactive tutorial, explore the process to power buildings and other electronic devices.

Energy Transformations:

Investigate electrical energy and how it can be transformed into different forms including heat, light, sound, and motion energy in this interactive tutorial.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Energy Transformations:

Investigate electrical energy and how it can be transformed into different forms including heat, light, sound, and motion energy in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Electrical To Thermal Energy:

Learn how electrical energy is produced from earth's natural resources. In this interactive tutorial, explore the process to power buildings and other electronic devices.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Virtual Manipulative

Static Electricity:

This online manipulative models and simulates common static electricity concepts such as transfer of charge.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Teaching Idea

Design Squad - Feel the Heat:

A project challenge that uses an engineering approach to build a solar water heater out of common materials.

Type: Teaching Idea

Virtual Manipulative

Static Electricity:

This online manipulative models and simulates common static electricity concepts such as transfer of charge.

Type: Virtual Manipulative