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From Polymers to Bioplastics: Looking Toward Finding Renewable Resources
Students investigate the properties of polymers. In this chemistry activity, students explain the importance of energy sources. They produce a bioplastic from the lab and evaluate its structural integrity.
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Energy in Today's Global Society
Students explain how heat is used to generate and produce electricity. In this energy lesson students complete several activities that show them about the different fuels used for heating.
Practical Action
The Wind Power Challenge
Up it goes! Groups must design and build a windmill able to lift a weight. The packet includes discussion points to use prior to the build that cover topics such as variables, fairness, and the design process.
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Heat Transfer
Young scholars examine heat transfer using energy efficient houses. In this heat transfer lesson plan students calculate the heat that is transferred between a system and its surroundings.
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Energy and Resources
Students identify renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this energy lesson, students explore the consumption issues regarding oil use and consider methods of resource management. Students research alternative resources and present...
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Natural Resources
In this natural resources worksheet, students compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable resources. This worksheet has 1 fill in the blank and 9 short answer questions.
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Will the Lights Go Out?
High schoolers diagram nuclear power plant, describe process for generating electrical power, discuss nuclear disasters in the 20th century, and draw conclusion about value of nuclear power for the future.
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Thinking about Energy
Students examine their understandings about energy concepts by completing an online survey. Students participate in a class discussion about their uses of resources and the differences between perpetual, renewable, and nonrenewable...
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Energy Is Everywhere
Students determine the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources and identify the different forms of energy. They discuss life without energy and where energy comes from before reading an article about the different...
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Chemistry: Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy
Students research on renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this chemistry lesson, students design and build solar panels. They evaluate their device and write a lab report.
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Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this activity in a 1st...
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Light Can Heat Too!
Third graders explore absorption and reflection of light energy. In this solar energy lesson, 3rd graders explore how light energy transfers to heat energy through the construction of a solar water heater. Students will discuss and...
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Biomass: Biogas Generator
It's a gas. Middle schoolers build a biogas generator following the directions in this resource. After a few days of observation, they demonstrate that the gas given off by the decomposing manure is flammable. The activity concludes as...
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Truth or Consequences
In this energy conservation worksheet, students answer questions about energy sources and energy use. The worksheet includes both true/false and multiple choice questions. There are 22 questions with answers.
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Forms of Energy
Fifth graders brainstorm what forms of energy are used in an energy bike listing them on the board with the description placed beside each form for reference. They work in pairs to diagram the energy transformations that occurred while...
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No Fossils in This Fuel!
Students explain how technology leads to a cleaner environment. They gain hands-on experience with ethanol as a fuel alternative.
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Investigating and Using Biomass Gases
Students examine the definitions of biomas gasification and generate their own biomass gas. In this renewable energy lesson students collect gases and roast a marshmallow.
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Windmill activity
Students explore how to build an efficient windmill design by taking into account how the lift and drag caused by the movement of wind can be used to make the blades of the turbine move. Through their readings, hypothesis and by trail...
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The Formation of Fossil Fuels
Middle schoolers participate in an activity in which they explain the difference between renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy. They discover why the supply of fossil fuels is limited and practice using new vocabulary.
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Renewing Our Position
Pupils engage in a lesson plan in order to analyze the energy needs of the United States and cover the possible future needs depending on the growth of technology. They cover the alternative energy sources and make presentations of the...
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Solar Matters
Learners design an energy resource wheel and demonstrate how to use it to access information about renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.
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Fossil Fuel and the Ticking Clock
Students study energy sources to learn about fossil fuels and environmental concerns. In this energy sources instructional activity, students watch demonstrations for various energy examples. Students find hidden pennies, make a bar...
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Prospects for a Sustainable Energy Future
Students review the definition to the word "sustainability" from two sources. After reading excerpts of the World Commission on Environment and Development, they identify the recommendations of Johansson and Goldemberg. They discuss...
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Environmental Agents of Mathematics: Mathematics for Change
High schoolers analyze environmental science data using Math. They do research about renewable energy, gather data, create graphs and interpret their findings. Then the group presents their arguments persuasively using their findings to...