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Year 5

Renewable sources of energy

I can identify the advantages and disadvantages of renewable sources of energy, and form an opinion about their relative merits.

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New
New
Year 5

Renewable sources of energy

I can identify the advantages and disadvantages of renewable sources of energy, and form an opinion about their relative merits.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Renewable sources of energy include solar, wind, wave and tidal energy, biomass, hydro-electric and geothermal energy.
  2. Different forms of renewable energy have advantages and disadvantages.
  3. Renewable energy sources can contribute to reducing carbon emissions.
  4. Some countries like Iceland and Costa Rica get nearly all their energy from renewable sources.

Common misconception

Renewable energy sources are 'free'.

There are significant costs involved in setting up and maintaining renewable sources of energy.

Keywords

  • Renewable energy - Renewable energy is sources of energy that can be re-used and will not be used up or run out.

  • Carbon emissions - Carbon emissions are the release of carbon into the air and atmosphere around us.

  • Hydro-electric - Hydro-electric power generates electricity by using water.

  • Biomass - Biomass is organic (natural) material that can be used as fuel.

There may be renewable sources of energy in your local area that children could visit or investigate. It may be helpful to use OS maps for the final task.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is not a renewable source of energy?
wind
hydro
solar
Correct answer: nuclear
Q2.
In 2021, what percentage of global energy used did not come from fossil fuels?
Correct answer: 20%
50%
80%
Q3.
How do greenhouse gases cause Earth to become warmer?
1 - the Earth absorbs heat from the sun
2 - some heat escapes back into space
3 - greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap the heat so less escapes back into space
Q4.
Which gas does not contribute to global warming?
carbon dioxide
Correct answer: oxygen
methane
Q5.
Which gas is not emitted when burning fossil fuels?
carbon dioxide
Correct answer: oxygen
methane
Q6.
Which of the following would help to reduce climate change?
using more non-renewable energy sources
Correct answer: using less non-renewable energy sources
using less renewable energy sources

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which photograph shows hydro-electric power?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
What does a wind turbine do?
grinds grain
Correct answer: produces electricity from wind energy
makes the seaside more windy
Q3.
What renewable energy source is burned to create electricity?
hydro
wind
solar
biomass
Q4.
Which of the following is a con of wind power?
wind farms tend to produce more electricity in winter when demand is higher
if the wind is too light, no power is generated
can be used on land or offshore
Q5.
Which environment would be good for producing solar power?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
Which of the following is true?
all renewable energy sources reduce our carbon footprint
we can't only use renewable sources of energy
Correct answer: different forms of renewable energy have a range of advantages and disadvantages