Energy Transformations in Systems Complete Science Lesson - New TEKS 6.8B

This complete unit equips middle school teachers with everything needed to teach how energy is conserved through transfers and transformations in systems such as electrical circuits, food webs, amusement park rides, and photosynthesis. Students explore real-world applications of energy conservation through hands-on activities, digital resources, and collaborative learning. The lesson includes editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, a differentiated station lab, and assessments. Designed for multiday instruction with minimal prep, it emphasizes student-led, differentiated learning to give teachers more time to support mastery.

Essential Question for Students

• How is energy conserved during transfers and transformations?

Standards Alignment: Meets 2021 TEKS standard 6.8B.

Key Features

• Differentiated materials to support students at all levels

• Multimodal learning strategies to keep middle school learners engaged

• Flexible implementation—resources available in both printable and digital formats

• Editable PowerPoints for easy customization

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, a station lab reading passage, and interactive notebook pages

Instructional Framework: The 5E Model

This lesson follows the 5E instructional model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—providing a structured balance of inquiry, guided learning, and assessment.

Engage

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher file with discussion prompts, class activities, and notes on common misconceptions

Explore

• A nine-station, student-led lab that introduces energy transfers and transformations in systems

Input Stations:

• Explore It! – Hands-on demonstration or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension questions

• Research It! – Web-based activity with structured student tasks

• Watch It! – Short video with guided responses

Output Stations:

• Organize It! – Categorization and card sort activities (printable and digital)

• Write It! – Open-ended writing responses

• Illustrate It! – Drawing/sketching activities to support concept retention

• Assess It! – Vocabulary-in-context and mastery questions

Bonus Station:

• Challenge It! – Puzzles, games, and mini-projects for early finishers or enrichment

Explain

• Editable PowerPoints in both standard and interactive versions

• Interactive Notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Guided note-taking templates

Elaborate

• Student-choice projects on energy conservation through transfers and transformations

Evaluate

• Assessments updated for STAAR 2.0, available in standard and modified versions

• Review worksheets and discussion questions for practice, homework, or test prep

Flexible Learning Options

This resource is designed for both in-person and virtual classrooms. The digital station lab and interactive notebook templates are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making them simple to integrate into blended or online instruction.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.