Get a free trial until June 30, 2026!
New members get full access to our science units, hands-on activities, mini-lessons, & more!

New members get a full, free trial through June 2026!

Back > Share
How is your body similar to a car?
Energizing Everything Unit | Lesson 1 of 5

How is your body similar to a car?

Energizing Everything Unit | Lesson 1 of 5
Lesson narration:
Scroll for prep

DISCUSS:

Do you think the "energy" used by people and the "energy" used by cars is the same thing? Why or why not?

DISCUSS:

Where does this get its energy from?

toy-car

DISCUSS:

The more you stretch a rubber band, the faster an object goes. Why?

Slide Image

energy


1 of 6

the ability to do an action

motion


2 of 6

a change in the position of an object

speed


3 of 6

how fast something is moving
Slide Image

stored energy


4 of 6

energy that is not in use, but is saved inside something, such as batteries or rubber bands
Slide Image

model


5 of 6

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
Slide Image

fair test


6 of 6

an experiment where only one thing is changed, and everything else stays the same
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?
Sign up now for more great lessons!
Lesson narration:

Grade 4

Energy & Energy Transfer

Speed & Energy

4-PS3-1

Activity Prep

Print Prep
THIS LESSON WAS REVISED ON APRIL 27, 2019. Here is a link to the previous version.
In this lesson, students learn that we use the energy from food to make our bodies move just like cars use the energy from gasoline to move. In the activity, Twist-o-matic Tester, students build paper models of an amusement park ride called the Twist-o-Matic. The ride stores energy in rubber bands and spins around when the energy is released. Students compare the speed of the spins when they use a thin rubber band versus a thick rubber band.
Preview activity

Exploration

16 mins

Wrap-Up

4 mins

Grade 4

Energy & Energy Transfer

Speed & Energy

4-PS3-1

Slow internet or video problems?