Lesson Plan

Inside the Engine Room - Hercules STEAM Unit Lesson 6

Black and white photo of steamship towing a sailing ship.

Hercules at sea (ca. 1910) towing W.J. PIERRIE (built 1883; schooner, 5m).

SAFR 21374

Grade Level:
Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
Subject:
Science
Lesson Duration:
60 Minutes
Common Core Standards:
4.SL.1
State Standards:
CA 4-PS3-2: Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.
CA 4-PS3-3: Ask questions and predict outcomes about changes in energy that occur when objects collide.
Thinking Skills:
Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.

Essential Question

What is the transfer of energy in the engine room? How does steam generate motion?

Objective

Students will be able to infer how energy is transferred in the engine room.

Background

Steam from the boiler room travels to the engine room. The valves move down, allowing steam into the cylinder. Inside the cylinder, there is high pressure and low volume. The high pressure of the steam pushes the pistons down. The volume increases when the pistons are pushed down. When pistons push down, the crankshaft rotates, thus spinning the propeller. The propeller powers the tugboat. 

Note: the in-class experiment involves the use of open flame and steam. Please use all necessary precautions or consider showing this video demonstrating air pressure: Build a Balloon Car | STEM Activity. 

Steam pressure is more effective than air pressure because it carries more latent energy through the heat needed to convert water to steam. 

Preparation

  1. Print worksheets.
  2. Set up experiment
  3. Download TimeLooper XPlore app (if not already downloaded) and test. 

Materials

Instructions, materials, and safety notices for balloon rocket demonstration.

Download Balloon Rocket Demonstration

Slides for classroom discussion and demonstration

Download Day 6 Classroom Slides

Worksheets & graphic organizers for observations and inferences.

Download Day 6 Materials

Lesson Hook/Preview

Hercules' boiler converts water to steam using oil and heat, but how does steam make the ship move? 

Procedure

  1. Revisit Engine Room in San Francisco Maritime Time Looper Xplore App: replay video. 
  2. Classroom Share: what did you observe? What questions do you still have? 
  3. Show picture of engine system and link to balloon experiment. 
  4. Demonstrate for students. See demonstration worksheet for instructions. Students take notes and draw observations. 
  5. Classroom Share: What did you observe? What do you think is happening? 
  6. Connect balloon experiment to Hercules' engine. Introduce the concept of pressure and show students the pHet simulation at ‪Energy Forms and Changes‬. Use the kettle and propeller for the most similar comparison to Hercules' engine system.  Have students take notes and draw observations. Use slides to closely observe and guide students to determine how the engine functions. 
  7. Compare and contrast: Ask students to closely observe what happens in the engine and explair how aire moves it. How is this similar to the balloon experiment? How is it different?
  8. Knowledge check: Have students demonstrate the transfer of mechanic energy by drawing arrows to show the cause and effect relationships in the engine room. Allow them to fill out Cause & Effect graphic organizer. Review responses as a class. 
  9. Exit ticket: What is the transfer of energy in the engine room? 

Vocabulary

  • Pressure: a force on an object
  • Energy: what makes things change and move. It can be stored in things. It's all around us! 
  • Chemical energy: energy that is stored in chemicals and is involved in reactions
  • Heat (thermal) energy: energy in the form of heat
  • Mechanical (motion) energy: energy in the form of movement

Assessment Materials

Exit Ticket

Students will fill out this exit ticket as a class to demonstrate their understanding of the Hercules engine system

Hercules Day 6 Exit Ticket

Download Assessment

Supports for Struggling Learners

  • Review vocabulary beforehand (included in powerpoint).
  • Strategically partner students so that they are provided with additional supports. 
  • Sentences frames (included in powerpoint). 

Enrichment Activities

Students write their own diary entry from the perspective of someone who worked in the engine room. 

Related Lessons or Education Materials

This is lesson 6 of the Hercules STEAM unit. 

Contact Information

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Tags: maritime maritime heritage maritime history steam education steam engine

Last updated: August 15, 2025