Spring 1 - How can we use energy responsibly to make Wales a better place for everyone?

This term, our learning will be centred around the topic “How can we use energy responsibly to make Wales a better place for everyone?” Pupils will explore a wide range of energy sources and develop a secure understanding of how energy is used in everyday life. They will learn that energy can be measured, identified in different forms — such as kinetic, electrical, gravitational, light, sound and heat energy — and described in terms of how it affects objects. Through practical activities, children will explore how energy can be transferred, using simple examples such as kicking a ball or generating electricity.

As pupils deepen their scientific understanding, they will also develop an awareness of climate change, learning how the use of fossil fuels affects the atmosphere and contributes to global challenges. Children will explore the meaning of renewable and non-renewable energy and compare different energy sources, including fossil fuels, solar, wind, hydroelectric, wave, tidal, geothermal and biomass energy. This learning will support pupils in understanding the current energy crisis and why saving energy is important for the wellbeing of people and the planet.

Our focus text, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, will inspire pupils through its powerful message of resilience, innovation and responsibility. Linking science and literacy, children will design and create a poster with instructions, presented as a “recipe to build a better planet”, encouraging others to make informed and sustainable energy choices. Throughout the topic, pupils will be supported to reflect on how responsible use of energy can help create a fairer, healthier and more sustainable Wales for everyone.

Week commencing 05/01/25

On our first day back, we began by exploring the different types of energy. Pupils took part in an energy hunt around the classroom, identifying examples of energy in action, such as light and heat sources. They tracked their findings in a chart, helping them to recognise how energy is used in everyday environments.

We then moved on to exploring different energy sources in Wales and elsewhere, including wind and tidal energy. Pupils chose one energy source to focus on and used their prior ICT skills to collate information and present their learning using PowerPoint. These are previously learned skills that we aim to continue embedding to support long-term learning.

During the week, we focused on how energy is transferred. We learned that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it is transferred. For example, when we rub our hands together (kinetic energy), we then feel heat (thermal energy). This demonstrates how one type of energy can be transformed into another.

Once this concept was understood, we looked at energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.

We explored the inside of a turbine at sea by watching a BBC news report that showed how gigantic a turbine really is. The class really enjoyed this as it led to lots of questions about how they are built and why we would use them at sea rather than on land.

After seeing the inside, we labelled a diagram of a turbine to identify the various parts.

For our first PE session of the year, we started playing touch rugby. I felt that the best place to start was by focusing on safety, and part of this was understanding how to safely tag another player. We played a game of Duck, Duck, Goose, and the aim was not to get all the way around but to tag the other player safely. We also focused on dodging and avoiding others.