Energy+Work+with+Mrs+Maple

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 * With Mrs Maple! ** Mrs Maple is spending the week to teach children in Tarawera Pod about Energy! Mrs Maple has been to see other pods and now it is our turn. Mrs Maple teaches one class at a time and she has very cool activities and toys to help us learn all about energy.

In T1, we have learnt about 'Potential Energy' (energy that is stored and is waiting to do something!) and 'Kinetic Energy' (energy that is moving). media type="custom" key="20833926" align="center"

** *What is Potential and Kinetic Energy? ** We began our lessons about Potential and Kinetic Energy by using a ball to demonstrate the difference. ** *Using Potential Energy with Balloons ** We then looked at No Energy, Stored Potential Energy and then Kinetic Energy using two balloons. **Experiment #1 - Balloons** media type="custom" key="20833864" align="center"

*When the balloons are flat and not moving, they have **'No Energy'**. *When it is being filled with air, you are giving it **'Potential Energy'**, and it (the air) is being stored inside the balloon. *When you let the balloon go, the balloon has to use up all the potential energy and it makes the balloon move - this is the **'Kinetic Energy'.** Mrs Maple is teaching us about **'No Energy', 'Potential Energy'** and **'Kinetic Energy'** using balloons in this video. media type="custom" key="20792712" align="center"

Mrs Maple then showed us how useful energy can be using these Balloon Cars. Mrs Maple first introduced the balloon car and asked the children what they could see  and referred back to 'No Energy' because there is no Potential energy stored yet. ** Experiment #2 - Balloon Cars ** media type="custom" key="20833874" align="center"

Everyone then discussed how Potential energy could be useful for the balloon car. What could the Potential energy do to the car? ** *Using Potential Energy With Rubber Bands ** media type="custom" key="20833906" align="center"

** Experiment #3 - What a rubber band can do? **  *When the rubber band is not doing anything and is flat, it has **'No Energy'**. *When you stretch the rubber band, using two hands and pulling it  apart, you are giving it **'Potential Energy'** and it is   **being stored** in the rubber band. *When you release the rubber band, it moves and uses up all the  stored energy and then it becames **'Kinetic Energy'**. ** Experiment #4 - Rubber Band Tractors ** media type="custom" key="20982690" align="center"

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** *Using Potential Energy with Springs and Coils ** On Wednesday, we learnt about **Springs and Coils**. We learnt about how Potential energy and Kinetic Energy is  stored differently in these items and then used differently. media type="custom" key="20834062" align="center"

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** *Using Potential Energy with Coils - Mechanical Energy ** On Thursday, we revisited springs and coils and then looked at coils in particular. We talked about how we can store potential energy in coil by winding it up tightly and then slowly releasing this energy. Mrs Maple used a clock to demonstrate - the insides of the clock had been removed and a special transparent cover was then placed around it so our children could see how the coil made all the smaller parts of the clock move.

**Experiment #5 - Coil inside a Mechanical Spider** media type="custom" key="20854724" align="center"

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Today, our class was learning about **Circuits** and helping '**Electrical energy'** follow a circuit to make something go. Mrs Maple had introduced circuits yesterday. We learnt a little bit about making energy follow a circuit and how energy can't get to all parts of a circuit if there are gaps but some gaps are used on purpose - a switch. ** Experiment #6 - Brain Box and Circuit Boards ** media type="custom" key="20834172" align="center" media type="custom" key="20854802" align="center"