Suggested Activity: Assign student partners to complete the bell ringer, data set, and the Transportation Trade-Offs Hands-On activity.
Alberta – Science 20-4 Quick-Start Guide
Summary
The Switch Classroom Alberta Science 20-4 quick-start guide connects free lessons to Unit B, Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems, in the Knowledge and Employability Program of Studies. This is the unit’s core territory: where our energy comes from, how it converts into the forms we use, and why efficiency matters for both costs and the environment.
Students explore oil, natural gas, and coal through short videos, quizzes, and data sets, including a data analysis on CO2 emissions from coal that builds interpretation skills step by step. Hands-on work like the Transportation Trade-Offs activity connects energy choices to daily life, and a life cycle assessment video traces the environmental footprint of products students use every day. A media literacy mini-unit supports students researching energy topics.
Every lesson is free, low-prep, and built for a range of readers and learners, with videos carrying the content load and activities that work in pairs or small groups. Nothing to buy, nothing to photocopy in bulk, and nothing that assumes prior background.
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Unit B Overview:Understanding Common Energy Conversion Systems (Science and Technology Emphasis): “Students investigate a variety of important energy conversions occurring in biological, chemical, physical and technological systems. Although energy appears in many forms and is essentially conserved, in each energy transformation the availability of useful energy decreases. Students learn that the technologies for extracting, processing and using fossil fuels involve converting energy into more useful forms for our use.”
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Focusing Question: How efficient are various energy converters at converting energy to useful forms?
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Outcome (STS and Knowledge): Examine the impact of fossil fuel-based technologies and their importance in meeting human needs
Resources
Introduction to Natural Gas
Suggested Activity: Assign the video, quiz, and data set to learn how natural gas is a key energy resource with environmental challenges.
Modern Oil Drilling and Unconventional Sources – Video
Suggested Activity: Watch the video to see modern oil drilling technology.
Science of Coal
Suggested Activity: Practice Data Analysis as students explore CO2 emissions from coal.
Introduction to Efficiency – Video
Suggested Activity: Watch the video and explain the importance of energy efficiency and the effect of energy choices on the environment.
Life Cycle Assessment with Garvin Heath – Video
Suggested Activity: Watch the video and discuss different energy sources, products, and technology’s environmental impact.
Developing Media Literacy - Mini-Unit
Suggested Activity: Introduce students to the fundamentals of media literacy through the lens of researching energy topics.
Introduction to Wind - Build a Windmill Hands-On - Teacher
Suggested Activity: Challenge students to build a windmill from repurposed items. The Program of Studies names constructing a windmill as an example of designing and evaluating a device that transforms energy from one form to another.