Curated OER
Creating Biodiesel and Mitigating Waste
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...
Curated OER
Cell Wall Recipe: A Lesson on Biofuels
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...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Renewable Fuels
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...
Curated OER
US Energy Geography
The maps display the statistics for energy consumption and power production, state by state. They are tremendous visual aids for your natural resources unit. Consider having your class compare energy consumption versus production, or...
Curated OER
Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Explore ethanol and how it is produced. Young scientists investigate photosynthesis and fermentation to the concept of conservation of energy and mass. They discuss the environmental and economical benefits of ethanol as a fuel additive.
Curated OER
The Biofuel Project: Creating Biodiesel
Young scholars 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.
Curated OER
Trash to Gas
Middle schoolers experiment with biomass materials as alternative energy sources. In this biomass material activity, students participate in an experiment with cow manure to determine how it can be used as an energy source. They record...
Curated OER
The Math of Renewable Energy
Students research additional information about questions on their worksheet. In this energy activity, students develop visual aids of their proposed solution to the problem. They present their work in class.
Curated OER
Dynamics of Ecosystems
A set of guided notes walks your biology or environmental studies learners through the dynamics of ecosystems. They write short answers to questions about the energy budget, food webs, trophic levels, and biogeochemical cycles. One way...
Curated OER
Science Jeopardy
Wow! Review an entire semester of biology curriculum playing this Science Jeopardy game! The variety of topics is extremely broad, so you will need to review each question to find if they all apply to your course. As you find material...
Curated OER
it's Lonely At The Top
Students explore the differnences between food producers in food webs and food consumers in food chains. Behavioral choices of primary and secondary consumers such as herbivores, vegetarians, carnivors, and omnivors are analyzed.
Curated OER
Grass as Biomass
Students explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass activity, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the energy cycle....
Curated OER
Should Soil Be Sterile?
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
Curated OER
Down in the Dumps
After an introduction to municipal sludge, middle school ecologists consider the pros and cons of dumping in the Hudson River Canyon. The class is split into two groups: one to debate in favor or dumping and one to debate against the...
Curated OER
Searching for Tomorrow's Energy
Fifth graders investigate energy. In this biology lesson plan, 5th graders will learn about energy, fossil fuels, and renewable and nonrenewable resources. Students will be participating in three lab activities which are described in...
Curated OER
Zoo Poo
Students use Internet research to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit energy for biomass and coal. In this alternative energy instructional activity, students research to find out how much energy and carbon dioxide...
Curated OER
Biomass: The Energy of the Future
Sixth graders examine information about a variety of renewable fuels. They read key vocabulary terms, read and discuss a story handout, and conduct research on renewable fuels. Students then complete a comparison chart, and write an...
Curated OER
Greenewables
Learners form expert engineering teams working for the (fictional) alternative energy consulting firm, Greenewables, Inc. Each team specializes in a form of renewable energy used to generate electrical power: passive solar, solar...
Curated OER
Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Young scholars examine a variety of environmental and industrial roles of bacteria. explore where bacteria can be found and distinguish bacteria from other organisms.
Curated OER
Jeopardy 8th Grade (Science)
There are so many topics touched upon in this Jeopardy-style science game, that it is difficult to classify! The categories include electricity, matter, ecology, earth and space, and scientific investigation. This would best be used at...
Curated OER
Creating a Basal Area Measuring Tape
Young scholars use formulas to design and create a table. In this calculations lesson students create basal measuring tapes that will be used to measure woodlot stocking levels.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis and Biomass Growth
Sixth graders examine renewable energy sources such as ethanol. In this photosynthesis and biomes lesson students complete a project on farming techniques.
Curated OER
Kernel Power" Ethanol Fuel from Corn
Students study why corn is a biodegradable, renewable resource. In this ethanol lesson students build models and observe a chemical reaction.
Curated OER
A Pre-Treatment Model for Ethanol Production Using a Colorimetric Analysis of Starch Solutions
Students recognize the benefits of ethanol and study photosynthesis. In this ethanol instructional activity students complete an experiment that shows the procedure that starch can be hydrolyzed by salivary amylase.