Yeast and sugar go beyond the pantry and into a fuel experiment. Use these common baking ingredients to assist your class in creating ethanol, a natural fuel. Pupils observe the process and gather information to elaborate on the...

Use this slick video to introduce your environmental scientists to the wonders of biodiesel. They will learn about problems caused by our waste oil, how it can be recycled, and other benefits of using biofuels. Use the video, assessment...

Biotechnology pros produce their own biofuel using waste oil and fresh vegetable oil. They test the quality of their product using titration techniques and pH analysis. They write their observations and report their findings. Be aware...

Biotech engineers discover that changes in the DNA code for cell wall formation can help create crops better suited for biofuel production. They extract DNA from wheat germ. They decode paper strips with codes and relate the activity to...

This clever video has an old fashioned feel but presents a very modern technology. The formation of ethanol fuel from plant material is explained using simple computer animations and a salesman-sounding narrator. The advantages of using...

Biofuel is a possible form of clean and renewable energy. Engineering explorers observe the fermentation process, and then alter the temperature to discover the effect on fermentation. The plan is complete with materials, procedures, and...

Alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly important. Learners have the opportunity to explore alternative energy sources using a differentiated instruction unit. They group together based on ability levels, assign roles to...

One-third of all carbon emissions comes from transportation in the United States. The third lesson in a 13-part series on Exploring Energy offers ideas on how to reduce emissions from cars, airplanes, large trucks, and more. 

Need a lesson plan to fuel young minds? A variety of hands-on activities is sure to get your class fired up! Beginning with an introductory slideshow and culminating with group presentations, the week-long unit has something for...

Sometimes it's okay to eat your science experiment. A hands-on activity has pupils create models for algae to learn about its cellular structure. The best part of the experiment? The resulting juice-filled gels are edible—yum!

My, what big energy potential you have! Scholars learn about the energy potential of using algae as a biofuel. A PowerPoint presentation first describes the structure of algae and then how researchers use algae as biofuel to produce energy.

Can corn power the world? Young scientists learn about how corn and other plants can provide renewable biofuels in the second of nine lessons. They set up an experiment to investigate how different variables affect plant growth. All of...

Waste not, want not! Science scholars explore manure as an alternative energy source through reading and experimentation. Groups construct their own biofuel digesters and observe the process of methane production. The teacher's guide...

Explore the cycle of carbon used as a biofuel. The video narrator describes the need for biofuels to maintain the amount of carbon dioxide in our air. Scholars learn different sources of these biofuels such as organic matter, crops, and...

Analyze the socioeconomic advantages and disadvantages of biofuels. Although generating fuel from living organisms seems to be a good idea, there are many implications to consider. A thorough video lesson helps learners examine these...

My biofuel is better than your biofuel. Small groups research a specific biofuel and think about the impact of its production and use on the environment, the economy, and on society, and report their findings to the class. Individuals...

Have you ever considered that your poop might be the key to saving the planet? The video discusses how human and animal waste is an issue. Then the scientist explains how researchers are using one problem to solve another. Maybe poop...

A single slide introduces each of the following renewable energy sources: hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, solar, tidal, and biomass. This provides a succinct overview that you can use as a visual aid when you first introduce alternative...

On a bold, computer-generated animation of a landscape appears a city, power plants, wind turbines, and smaller, decentralized combined heat and power (CHP) plants. The intent is to show how CHP plants can be incorporated into the energy...

Here is a five-day module in which high school chemists determine what other materials can serve as catalysts for producing ethanol. Another objective of the lessons is to introduce reaction rate and activation energy. Learners also use...

Throughout this five-day lesson, emerging environmentalists explore the use of ethanol as an alternative renewable energy source. On days two and three, they actually hydrolyze cornstarch and make colorimetric analyses. Be aware that...

Technology tutees read a description about coconuts and how they are used to make biodiesel fuel. Note that the link to the article does not work, and the article does not appear to be available online. There are, if you look for one,...

Students research about the processing of biodiesel fuels. In this energy lesson, students produce their own biodiesel using used and new vegetable oil. They discuss the environmental and economic benefits of using biodiesel.

Junior chemists manufacture biodiesel in the lab. In this exercise, they check the purity of the biodiesel using thin layer chromatography. They also calculate its density and heat of combustion. They are sure to rise to the challenge...