Energy and machines

Young children should use a variety of energy devices to make things move, use simple mechanisms to transfer motion and recognise that a source of energy is required to make things work. They might do this through the study of toys which can be classified in terms of the energy needed to make them move: battery, muscle power, solar cells, elastic, spring, wind and so on. ¹ Later in the primary school the children should have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of different energy sources in their designs to make devices such as simple model windmills, boats and land yachts.