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Year 5

Identifying renewable and non-renewable energy sources

I can identify renewable and non-renewable energy sources and understand the difference between them.

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New
New
Year 5

Identifying renewable and non-renewable energy sources

I can identify renewable and non-renewable energy sources and understand the difference between them.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The sun, directly or indirectly, is the source of all energy on Earth: plants use energy to grow the food we eat.
  2. Non-renewable energy sources are fossil fuels: coal, oil, natural gas, and the elements uranium and plutonium.
  3. Renewable energy sources include solar power, wind, wave and tidal energy, hydro-electric, biomass and geothermal.
  4. Non-renewable sources are unsustainable, polluting and a cause of rapid climate change.

Common misconception

Fossil fuels (coal, gas and natural oil) are infinite.

Fossil fuels are finite - if used at the current rate, they will run out and are not sustainable.

Keywords

  • Finite - Finite resources have a limit, or an end and will run out.

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

  • Geothermal - Geothermal energy comes from heat contained within the Earth's crust.

  • Unsustainable - An unsustainable resource is one that is being used more or faster than it can be replaced or regrown.

It might help to identify everything in your classroom that uses energy.
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.
When something is renewable, that means it will not be used up or ...
Correct answer: run out.
run away.
run dry.
Q2.
Which of these are renewable resources?
Correct answer: sun
gold
Correct answer: waves
coal
Q3.
Match these resources to the type of natural resources they are.
Correct Answer:meat,food

food

Correct Answer:coal,fuel

fuel

Correct Answer:sand,mineral

mineral

Correct Answer:iron,metal

metal

Q4.
Which of these resources are metals?
Correct answer: aluminium
diamonds
oil
Correct answer: copper
Q5.
Resource means how resources are spread out across a geographic area.
Correct Answer: distribution
Q6.
What type of energy does the sun provide as well as heat energy? Unscramble the letters to help you find the correct answer.
1 - L
2 - I
3 - G
4 - H
5 - T
Q2 image 4 Coal" by oatsy40 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
All energy on Earth comes or indirectly from the Sun.
Correct Answer: directly
Q2.
Where does all energy on Earth come from?
Correct answer: the Sun
electricity
coal and oil
Q3.
Coal has energy from the Sun. Put these sentences in order to explain how.
1 - The Sun gives out heat and light energy
2 - Millions of years ago, plants used the Sun’s energy to create food
3 - When these plants and leaves died, they got buried under rocks and soil
4 - Over millions of years, heat and pressure hardened the dead vegetation into coal
Q4.
Match these resources to the types of renewable or non-renewable (finite) resources they are.
Correct Answer:hydroelectric ,renewable - it produces power from water

renewable - it produces power from water

Correct Answer:coal ,non-renewable - it is a solid fossil fuel

non-renewable - it is a solid fossil fuel

Correct Answer:tidal,renewable - it produces power from sea tides

renewable - it produces power from sea tides

Correct Answer:natural gas,non-renewable - it is a fossil fuel

non-renewable - it is a fossil fuel

Q5.
Which of these are fossil fuels?
Correct answer: oil
electricity
Correct answer: natural gas
solar power
Q6.
Biomass is a natural material that can be used as fuel. What kind of material is it? Unscramble the letters to help you answer the question.
1 - O
2 - R
3 - G
4 - A
5 - N
6 - I
7 - C