The Sun's Energy Activities for 5th Grade Science

The Kesler Science 5th Grade The Sun’s Energy Complete 5E Lesson offers all the materials you need to teach a comprehensive, student-centered physical science unit on how the Sun’s energy powers life on Earth. With minimal prep required, this engaging, multi-day lesson follows the well-researched 5E Model: Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. Students will explore how energy from the Sun is stored in the food that animals eat and how it is used for growth, motion, and body repair, all while developing their writing and scientific reasoning skills.

This lesson includes differentiated materials to support diverse learning needs, making it ideal for students at various levels. The hands-on, student-led activities, such as the Sun’s Energy Station Lab and writing activities, provide multimodal ways for students to demonstrate their understanding. Through stations like "Explore It!" and "Read It!", students engage in hands-on experiments, read short passages, and watch videos, reinforcing their learning in multiple formats. There are also opportunities for students to apply their knowledge creatively through the student-choice projects and extension activities.

Additionally, the lesson is fully adaptable for both in-person and virtual learning environments. Teachers will find flexibility with editable PowerPoints, digital interactive notebooks, and a variety of student assessments. With resources available in both English and Spanish, this lesson ensures accessibility for all learners, helping students connect with the content and build a deeper understanding of the Sun’s essential role in Earth’s energy systems.

The Kesler Science The Sun's Energy Station Lab is a student-led, modular activity designed to teach 5th grade students about the Sun’s energy and its impact on the food chain. These comprehensive, easy-to-implement materials will save you prep time while allowing students to take charge of their learning, making the lesson engaging and hands-on.

In this station lab, students explore the concept that energy from food in animals is derived from the Sun’s energy. The nine differentiated stations—each equipped with resources, signage, and task cards—offer multimodal learning experiences that allow students to work independently or in small groups.

The stations include interactive activities such as hands-on demonstrations, readings, and videos, as well as opportunities for students to organize, illustrate, and write about the Sun's energy. The stations are designed for both in-person and virtual learning, ensuring flexibility and maximizing engagement.

The Kesler Science The Sun’s Energy Student Choice Projects offer 5th grade students a variety of project options, allowing them to choose a format that best suits their learning style. With six pre-designed projects and the option to "design your own," students can demonstrate their understanding in creative ways. A flexible grading rubric enables assessment by teachers, peers, or students themselves.

These projects cater to diverse learning needs, with differentiated options for remediation and advanced learners. Teachers can modify the rubric to meet specific grading requirements, while students can engage with multimodal, personalized tasks.

The resources include nine project options and a teacher direction page for support, with editable rubrics assessing vocabulary, concepts, and presentation. Many projects require only standard classroom supplies, while digital versions and crafting supplies offer further flexibility.

The Kesler Science Physical Science Interactive Notebook bundle engages elementary students in 13 essential physical science topics with both print and digital formats. This versatile resource supports traditional classrooms, 1:1 environments, and distance learning, ensuring all students can actively participate.  

The digital version includes an interactive PowerPoint that can be uploaded to Google Slides and various LMS platforms, with reflection pages, note-taking spaces, teacher answer keys, and a modified version for accommodations. The paper version provides blank and pre-filled templates, along with color photos for guidance.  

Topics range from properties of matter and energy use to gravitational force and circuits. Whether used for interactive learning, differentiation, or student reflection, this notebook bundle makes science more engaging and accessible.