This paper begins with a brief outline of two aspects of LISP (Energy) - a 3 year research project funded by the N.Z. Department of Education and being conducted in this unit (1985 - 1988). These aspects are the detailed interviews (described below) and the analysis of curriculum materials distributed by the N.Z. Department of Education for guidance in the teaching and learning of the concept, energy (Phase I). The paper then reports in more detail on the intensive classroom observations of teaching an energy topic (Phase 2), referring to the interviews and the curriculum material in this report.