TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: High Altitude Wind Energy From Kites!
In this brief talk, Saul Griffith unveils the invention his new company Makani Power has been working on: giant kite turbines that create surprising amounts of clean, renewable energy. [5:22]
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Activities: Build a Wind Turbine
Step-by-step instructions, with photos, of how to construct and test a wind turbine that produces energy. This experiment does require preparation as it uses PVC pipes, a small motor, and a multimeter, for example.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Solar House
Students in teams of architects are challenged to build a solar house, containing both active and passive solar components. They design the house, build a model, and test it to determine its ability to use solar energy efficiently.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuels 101
Multi-lesson activity in which students conduct a life cycle assessment of energy and carbon dioxide used and produced in ethanol production.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Solar Speedway
Solar power is hot these days. Gleaming, black solar panels soak up rays on more and more rooftops of homes and businesses providing a clean, alternative source of heat and electricity. You might guess that different times of the day...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Biodiesels: Converting Oil Into Clean Fuel
Experiment making biodiesel from different types of oil and determine which oils give the best result. This science fair project from Science Buddies, although in an abbreviated format compared to other Science Buddies experiments, gives...
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
The National Academies: Emerging Technologies: Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are in use today but pose challenges to widespread distribution. One of the challenges is to develop a battery that can hold enough energy for longer trips. Various solutions are being tried but mass marketing of this...
Energy4Me
Energy4me: Biofuels
Learn the history of the use of biofuels, and find out how this works to convert the energy stored in biological materials into electrical power.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Economics of Installing Solar Pv Panels: Is It Worth It to the Individual?
Help determine the financial calculations involved in an actual solar photovoltaic system installed Denver, Colorado in 2013.
Other
Terc: Catching Sunshine
A hands-on challenge to build a solar collector to investigate how much the air temperature inside the collector goes up. Site includes information for teachers and students. Teachers page include time requirement, materials needed, the...
Other
Terc: Chocolate Melt
A design challenge to build a solar cooker that will melt a chocolate chip quickly. Site includes both teacher and student links to help with the challenge. Information for teachers includes timeline, materials, link to standards,...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Researching, Constructing, and Testing (Student Made) Solar Ovens
For this science investigation, students will research models of solar ovens, choose one design, and create it. Once built, they will test it outside and record the internal temperature at intervals. Next, they are to change on variable...
Other
Engineering Your Future Ohio: Della Steam Plant Case Study
This lesson gives a real world example of challenges and choices engineers face in their careers. The Della Steam Plant Case Study allows students to analyze and present finding about a problem found in the power plant's turbine system....
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Activities: Solar Oven
Step-by-step instructions, with photos, of how to construct a solar oven using everyday materials.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Nuclear Power Plants Work?
M.V. Ramana and Sajan Saini detail the challenges of nuclear power.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Wind Power
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How wind can be used to generate power, and its consequences.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Methods of Generating Electricity
Provides brief descriptions of the different methods used to generate electricity.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
The National Academies: Emerging Technologies: Biofuels
Biofuels are made from organic materials such as corn and algae, as well as sugars and starches from plant cellulose. They have advantages such as sustainability and lowered greenhouse gas production, but they can impact on the...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Working With Wind Energy
After studying wind energy, student teams design and test a windmill that has to meet specific criteria. Afterwards, they evaluate the success of their design and how they could improve it.
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: Diesel Smells Sweet!
Fess up. Faced with the morning craving for caffeine, do you, with trembling hand, pour that first delicious, nutritious cuppa joe, and then just trasho the soggy coffee grounds?
National Geographic
National Geographic: Stakeholder Debate: Wind Energy
Using a case study of the Cape Wind Project in Nantucket Sound, students examine the various points of view of stakeholders, and hold a debate to argue about the pros and cons of this wind energy project. Includes handouts for...
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Rethinking Fossil Fuels
Find out how fossil fuels impact the environment and cause climate change.
Other
Kid Wind Project: Wind Turbine Blade Design
Learn how blade design affects the power output of a wind turbine. This is a short description but links to extensive information, a PowerPoint, and a lesson on designing your own turbine blades.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Corn for Fuel?!
In this activity, students examine how to grow plants the most efficiently. They imagine that they are designing a biofuels production facility and need to know how to efficiently grow plants to use in this facility. As a means of...