Views
Downloads
Grade 1 Energy Source — Printable No-Prep Worksheet
Paste this activity's link or code into your existing LMS (Google Classroom, Canvas, Teams, Schoology, Moodle, etc.).
Students can open and work on the activity right away, with no student login required.
You'll still be able to track student progress and results from your teacher account.
This Grade 1 science worksheet provides focused practice on identifying sources of energy. Students will analyze nine different scenarios to determine whether an object's movement is caused by human power or by fuel. This foundational exercise builds a critical understanding of energy and motion, preparing learners for more complex physics concepts.
At a Glance
- Grade: 1 · Subject: Science
- Standard:
K-PS2-1— Compare the effects of pushes and pulls on object motion- Skill Focus: Identifying Energy Sources (People vs. Fuel)
- Format: 2 pages · 10 problems · Answer key included · PDF
- Best For: Independent practice or science centers
- Time: 10–15 minutes
What's Inside
This two-page PDF contains a worksheet and a full answer key. The main task asks students to circle pictures of people-powered movement and square pictures of fuel-powered movement. A final question prompts critical thinking about energy and speed. The clean layout and simple directions allow young learners to work independently.
A Zero-Prep Workflow
This resource is ready for immediate use. 1. Print: Print the two-page PDF. 2. Distribute: Hand out the worksheet for a 10-15 minute individual work session. 3. Review: Use the answer key for fast grading. It's an excellent choice for substitute plans or science centers, requiring under two minutes of prep.
Standards Alignment
This worksheet supports foundational skills for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It aligns with K-PS2-1, where students investigate the effects of pushes and pulls on motion. While this activity focuses on the energy source, it provides the conceptual groundwork for understanding that different energy inputs create motion. The standard code can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools.
How to Use It
Use this worksheet for independent practice after an energy sources lesson. Students can complete it at their desks to reinforce 'people power' vs. 'fuel.' For formative assessment, circulate as students work, asking them to explain their reasoning for a picture to check for understanding. The activity should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
Who It's For
Designed for first-graders, this worksheet's visual task supports all learners, including ELLs. For extra support, complete the first two images as a class. For a challenge, ask students to draw another example of each energy type on the back. It pairs well with a visual anchor chart defining energy sources.
This activity provides a practical application of concepts central to K-PS2-1, where students begin to analyze forces and motion. By sorting images based on the energy source—human or fuel—learners build a foundational schema for understanding energy transfer, a key principle in physical science. The worksheet's structure provides a clear "You Do" task within a gradual release framework, a method supported by research from Fisher & Frey (2014) on effective instruction. Providing students with concrete visual examples to categorize helps them move from abstract concepts of energy to tangible applications, a crucial step for mastery in early elementary science according to the `RAND AIRS 2024` report on science education. This targeted practice directly supports the development of analytical skills needed for more complex scientific inquiry in later grades.
