Where the Energy Comes From
A 55-minute Grade 4 lesson on obtaining and combining information about where energy and fuels come from and how their use affects the environment.
Where the Energy Comes From is a free 55-minute Grade 4 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 4-ESS3-1 — explain where energy and fuels come from and what using them does. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 4
- Length:
- 55 minutes
- Standard:
- 4-ESS3-1
Grade 4 · Earth and Space Science
4-ESS3-1
Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment.
Objective
Students will be able to trace an energy source to its natural resource and name an environmental effect.
Students are successful when they can
- Names the natural resource behind an energy source.
- Names one environmental effect of using it.
- Says whether the resource is renewed.
What you need
- Short texts and data on coal, gas, wind, solar, hydro and wood
- A three-column table: source, resource, effect
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up
5 min- Ask where the electricity in the classroom light comes from.
- Keep asking 'and before that?' until the class reaches a natural resource.
Teach — trace it back, then forward
14 min- Trace coal: dug from the ground, burnt, releases carbon dioxide and smoke.
- Trace wind: air movement, renewed constantly, needs land and is intermittent.
- Trace solar: sunlight, free at use, but panels must be manufactured.
- Say the honest rule: every source has an effect, including the renewable ones.
- Ask what 'renewable' means and what it does not mean.
- Fill one row of the table together from two sources of information.
“Where did it come from, and what does using it do?”
Investigate — fill the table
19 min- Groups take three energy sources each.
- They use two information sources for each row.
- They complete resource, effect and whether it is renewed.
- Groups pool their rows into a class table and look for patterns.
Independent practice
14 min- Students complete the 'Where the Energy Comes From' page.
- Check effects are named for renewable sources too.
Close
3 min- Ask which source the class would choose for the school, and what it would cost.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks renewable means no environmental effect.
Why: Renewable sounds harmless.
Fix: A dam floods a valley. Renewable is about being renewed, not about being free of effects.
Stops at the plug.
Why: Electricity comes from the socket.
Fix: Keep asking where it came from before that.
Uses one source of information.
Why: It answered the question.
Fix: Combine two. The standard says obtain AND combine.
If they are not there yet
- Two energy sources with the resource named.
- A table with the first row completed.
If they finish early
- Compare two sources on effect per unit of energy.
- Say which source suits this region and why.
- Find an effect that only appears when a source is manufactured.
Exit ticket
Trace electricity from a wind turbine back to its natural resource, and name one environmental effect.
What to look for: Moving air, renewed constantly, with effects such as land use or intermittency. Claiming no effect means the honest-rule point needs another run.
Printable practice for 4-ESS3-1
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Where the Energy Comes FromDraw a line from each source to what it involves.
Questions about Where the Energy Comes From
How long does the Where the Energy Comes From lesson take?
55 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 14 min, investigate 19 min, independent practice 14 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Where the Energy Comes From teach?
4-ESS3-1 — 4-ESS3-1, Earth and Space Science for Grade 4: “Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment.” In plain terms, explain where energy and fuels come from and what using them does.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Short texts and data on coal, gas, wind, solar, hydro and wood, a three-column table: source, resource, effect and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks renewable means no environmental effect; stops at the plug and uses one source of information. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Trace electricity from a wind turbine back to its natural resource, and name one environmental effect.” Moving air, renewed constantly, with effects such as land use or intermittency. Claiming no effect means the honest-rule point needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Where the Energy Comes From?
Yes — 1 printable 4-ESS3-1 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Where the Energy Comes From free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 4-ESS3-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.