IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Correlation to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills:
Integrated Physics and Chemistry
(6) Science concepts. The student knows the impact of
energy transformations in everyday life. The student is
expected to:
(D) investigate and compare economic and environmental
impacts of using various energy sources such as
rechargeable or disposable batteries and solar cells;
(1) Scientific processes. The student, for at least 40% of
instructional time, conducts field and laboratory investigations
using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices.
The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory
investigations; and
(B) make wise choices in the use and conservation of
resources and the disposal or recycling of materials.
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods
during field and laboratory investigations. The student is
expected to:
(C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and
predict trends from data, and
(D) communicate valid conclusions.
Purpose: The
purpose of this station
is to reinforce students’
understanding of the
impact that energy
transformations have
on economic and
environmental aspects
of everyday life.
Note: Text with a line
through it indicates this
part of the TEKS is not
being addressed in this
activity. Some TEKS
statements printed here
end with a ; or and and
nothing thereafter — this
indicates that further
TEKS statements follow
but are not included here.
Teacher Notes About the TEKS
In grade 6, students are expected to identify energy transformations, compare methods used to
transform energy, and identify energy types as renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible. In
grade 7, students explore how radiant energy from the sun is transferred into chemical energy in
plants through the process of photosynthesis. Grade 8 shifts the focus from energy
transformations to interactions between matter and energy, using solar, weather, and ocean
systems as examples.
Integrated Physics and Chemistry returns to the concept of energy transformations through
investigations of the economic and environmental effects of using various energy sources.
Background Information for the Teacher
Energy resources can be divided into two major groups: nonrenewable and renewable. Most
of the energy we use daily comes from nonrenewable sources, like coal. Such fuels are reliable
and often inexpensive sources of high-quality energy. But there are two big problems with
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
nonrenewable energy. First, these nonrenewable energy sources will eventually run out. Second,
until then, they are contributing heavily to the production of greenhouse gases.
Renewable resources, like solar or wind energy, are initially more expensive to generate than
nonrenewable energy sources, but they do not contribute to greenhouse gases and they are
continually replaced. One of the major advantages of renewable resources is that after the initial
costs of constructing the devices to process the energy (for example, solar panels or wind
turbines), there are no additional costs for finding the resources (for example, sunlight or wind).
A common disadvantage of renewable energy sources is that they frequently require large areas
of land, and, in many cases, are only available under certain weather conditions. For instance, it
must be sunny or windy for solar or wind power generators to work.
Resources
“Energy sources.” U.S. Department of Energy. www.energy.gov/energysources. (Date retrieved:
January 31, 2007.)
“Battery recycling.” Earth 911. www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=electronics/
bat_index.asp. (Date retrieved: April 26, 2007.) Copyright 1996–2007.
Materials
All these items except the question card are included in the blackline masters for this station:
Station information sheet
Economic impact cards
Environmental impact cards
Sources of energy cards
Student pages
Question card (see Advance Preparation)
Advance Preparation
1. Copy, cut, and laminate the economic impact cards, environmental impact cards, and
sources of energy cards.
2. Make a copy of the student pages and station information sheet for each student. For the
station table, make a copy of the station information sheet.
3. Make a question card using question 10 from the Released TAKS Exit Level Retest for
Science, Fall 2005. This released test can be found at
www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/release/taks.
Station Setup
1. Place the economic impact cards, environmental impact cards, and sources of energy cards
at the station table.
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
2. Tape a copy of the station information sheet to the table. Students will use this sheet to
confirm the station is set up correctly.
Procedures
1. When students arrive at the station, they should check the station setup against the station
information sheet at the table. If anything is missing or out of place, the students should
notify the teacher.
2. Students should read the procedures in the student pages and answer the questions.
Guide to Student Responses
Focus Question: Explain why recycling is beneficial to both the economy and the
environment.
Recycling reduces the amount of material that goes to landfills, reduces the rate at which
resources are used, and helps keep soil and water from being contaminated.
1. Which energy sources on the sources of energy cards are considered renewable resources?
Wind energy (processed through wind turbines)
Hydroelectric energy (processed through dams)
Solar energy (processed through solar cells)
2. Which energy sources on the sources of energy cards are considered nonrenewable
resources?
Fossil fuel energy
Nuclear energy
Rechargeable batteries (Students may think that because these batteries are rechargeable,
they are renewable. It may be helpful to point out that although these batteries can be
recharged, there is a point where the batteries can no longer take a charge; therefore, they
are ultimately nonrenewable.)
Disposable batteries
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Key
Economic Impact
• expensive source of
energy
• produces high amounts
of energy
• inexpensive source of
energy
• produces high amounts
of energy
Source of Energy
Nuclear energy
Fossil fuel energy
• expensive source of
energy
• produces low amounts of
energy per cell
• expensive source of
energy
• produces high amounts
of stored energy
• expensive source of
energy
• produces high amounts
of stored energy
• expensive source of
energy
• produces high amounts
of energy
• produces radioactive
pollution
• does not produce
greenhouse gases
• produces greenhouse
gases
• requires mining or drilling
• inexpensive source of
energy
• produces moderate
amounts of energy per
turbine
Environmental Impact
• produces noise pollution
Wind energy
Solar energy
Disposable batteries
• kills birds
• requires large areas in
which to place machinery
• does not produce
greenhouse gases
• requires large amounts of
land
• improper disposal may
contaminate landfills
• cannot be reused
Rechargeable batteries
• improper disposal may
contaminate landfills
• can be reused
• disrupts flow of rivers
Hydroelectric energy
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• requires large areas in
which to place machinery
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Blackline Masters
for
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Contents:
Economic impact cards (1 set of 7 for station table)
Environmental impact cards (1 set of 7 for station table)
Sources of energy cards (1 set of 7 for station table)
Station information sheet (1 copy for station table and 1 for each student)
Student pages (1 copy for each student)
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Economic Impact Cards
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Environmental Impact Cards
Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Sources of Energy Cards
Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin
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Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Station Information Sheet
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
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IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Student Pages
Before You Begin
Check to see that all the items are present and organized according to the station
information sheet. If you notice a problem, notify your teacher immediately.
Materials
Economic impact cards
Environmental impact cards
Sources of energy cards
Procedures
Focus Question: Explain why recycling is beneficial to both the economy and the
environment.
1.
Discuss the focus question with your teammate(s) and record your answer.
2.
Examine the economic impact cards, environmental impact cards, and sources of
energy cards.
3.
Place the sources of energy cards in a vertical line on the station table as they
appear on your energy table.
4.
Match each economic impact card to a sources of energy card. Place the matching
economic impact card to the left of its corresponding sources of energy card.
5.
Match each environmental impact card to a sources of energy card. Place the
matching environmental impact card to the right of its corresponding sources of
energy card.
6.
Copy the information from the correctly placed cards to the energy table.
Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin
Student Page 1
Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Questions
1.
Which energy sources on the sources of energy cards are considered renewable
resources?
2.
Which energy sources on the sources of energy cards are considered
nonrenewable resources?
NOTE: Because other students are going to do the activity after you, be sure to put all
the materials at the station back as you found them. Sometimes there will be materials
that need to be renewed or replaced. If you need assistance or have any questions, ask
your teacher.
Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin
Student Page 2
Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Student Page 3
Essential Science Concepts for Exit-Level TAKS
IPC Station 6(D)
Energy Sources and Their Impact
Question Card
1.
Obtain the question card from your instructor.
2.
Read the question and discuss the answer with your teammate(s).
3.
Record the team’s consensus in your study folder and justify your answer.
4.
Record the team’s answer on the instructor’s diagnostic wall chart.
I Need to Remember
Complete this part AFTER the class discussion of the station.
I need to remember . . .
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Student Page 4