This digital book by Epic provides basic information about making energy from moving water.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The images are engaging.
You can track daily reading, student logs, assignments, and quizzes in Epic.
Additional Prerequisites
You must create a free account as an educator to access this book. Students can be added to your class using a class code.
This book does not mention that building dams to trap water for hydroelectric plants causes disruptions and damage to the river and surrounding ecosystems and causes emissions of methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas. This might be important to mention.
It also says that water "doesn't get used up." However, it might be good to remind students that fresh and clean water does get used up, particularly in arid locations or in drought-stricken areas.
The phrase "climate change" is not mentioned in this book.
Differentiation
Students can click any word to get an audio pronunciation and a definition.
There is a glossary of terms at the end of the book.
Scientist Notes
This short book targeted to 4-9 year-olds presents the concepts of water energy, waterwheels, turbines, and renewable energy. It is a quick read. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ETS1: Engineering Design
K-2-ETS1-2 Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.10 By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
