Energy Alternatives: Energy Battle Royale
Your superhero of choice and your team of experts have put in a bid to be the new energy suppliers to a new
city that is in the planning stages. The city will be called Thneedville. The city is estimated to grow to a size of
100,000 people maximum within ten years. Your job is to research your assigned type of alternative energy
production, make a superhero representing your energy type (keeping in mind all of your research) and debate
the other energy superheroes in front of the class.
Energy Alternatives: Nuclear, Biofuel, Hydroelectric (dams), Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydrogen,
Tidal/Wave
Superhero Poster:
Create a character for your assigned energy alternative. Your character should have a poster showing their face
with a personality to match (think WWE wrestling, Justice League, Avengers) and their stats. Brainstorm your
character’s distinctive qualities. Name everything you can think of that applies.
Some things to consider are…
• Special powers—such as superhuman abilities, mutations, or scientific knowledge.
• Strengths of your energy source/superhero
• Weaknesses of your energy source/superhero
• Appearance—are they colorful, funny, serious, drab, dark, or menacing?
• Background—where did they come from, and did they go through a shocking experience that made
them who they are?
• Public or “secret” identity—what is their social life like, do they have regular jobs, family, and friends?
• Special equipment—such as tools, weapons, or vehicles.
• Place of residence—rural or urban, apartment or house, secret lair or in plain sight.
Renewable Energy Research:
You may use charts, graphs and any other graphic your company feels necessary to defend your position and
fight for the energy rights to Thneedville. Be prepared to point out drawbacks and problems with EVERY
other form of renewable energy—you will NOT know who you are debating till day of!!!
To prepare for battle, research and prepare to explain the following: CITE ALL YOUR INFO!!!
1) Describe how this process produces electricity
2) Pros (at least three each)
o Economically
o Environmentally
3) Cons (at least three each)
o Economically
o Environmentally
4) Safety issues: short and long term
5) Pollution prevention measures needed
6) Waste disposal needed
7) Cost to develop
8) Cost to consumers (price per kilowatt hour and price per year)
9) Where in the country and the world will each type best be utilized
10) AT LEAST 3 pieces of extra information that will help YOU in the debate!
Day of the Battle:
The teacher will begin by introducing the initial matchups in the bracket. Teams will then be
given 5 minutes to prepare for their opponent.
Then the battles will begin….
Each character will be matched up against an opponent for a one-on-one verbal energy battle (aka: a debate).
Debate format:
1) Each energy/superhero will have 1 minute to introduce themselves and to declare WHY they are the
best energy/superhero option for Thneedville. (uninterrupted)
2) Then, each energy/superhero will have 2 minutes to declare reasons why they are a better source of
energy as opposed to their opponent. Use this time to site drawbacks of your opposing energy and
the benefits of your own. (uninterrupted)
3) Then both teams will engage in open dialogue and debate (for up to 4 minutes MAX) to deliver
rebuttals and to refute any claims.
Note: while this is a competition, we also want to be respectful and polite of our opponents. So no
talking/shouting over each other, no derogatory comments, etc.
Winners will be based on the strength of your convincing arguments and judged by both the head referee (your
teacher) as well as the viewers.
Winners will move ahead to battle in the next round until ONE SUPREME ENERGY ALTERNATIVE is chosen.
What do you need to prepare?
THE POSTER: 40 POINTS
1) A poster sized image of your Superhero that must include:
a. The name of your Superhero at the top
b. A colored picture of your superhero (hand drawn on paper or digitally printed, LARGE)
c. 1-10 under debate research (summarized & in bullets)
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH:40 POINTS
2) Your group must submit a typed-up copy of your Renewable Energy Research (questions 1-10 from first
page, in complete sentences)
a. Must include all group member names.
b. All questions must be answered in COMPLETE sentences.
c. I only need one group member to submit this on Canvas.
d. Include your SOURCES. EVERYTHING must be cited.
DEBATE PERFORMANCE PREP: 20 POINTS
3) Debate prep is evident:
a. All groups will have 1 minute to introduce their Superhero. Prepare by writing a 1-minute-long
speech to get your audience hooked and to entrust in your superhero. These 60 seconds should be
witty, catchy, informative and should make your Superhero seem strong and unbeatable!!! You
MUST include how your form of energy generates power. This should be typed in paragraph
form. One person can read it or it can be a group effort, with each group member reading a part.
b. The second time you get to talk, will be 2 minutes long. During this time you will discuss your
advantages but also the disadvantages of your opponent. TYPE AND PREPARE, notes for this
part of the debate so that you are ready. This can be formatted however you like since you will
not know your opponent till day of! Make sure you have notes on EACH form of renewable!
TOTAL: 100 POINTS—Major (TEST) Grade!
ADDITIONAL PREP—THE OTHER OPPONENTS:
4) Again, you will have NO IDEA who you will BEGIN to battle until the day of the DEBATE. This
means, you need to be ready for ANYONE!!!! How will you do this? What materials will you use?
a. You need to read up on each of the other types of energy to be prepared. Make note cards with
info about each form of energy so that you can successfully argue AGAINST them!
b. You will use my (Kapusta) PowerPoints and the book to get some information, but YOU WILL
need to do some research to thoroughly prepare. CITE YOUR SOURCES!
OH NO! WHAT IF MY GROUP MEMBER(S) IS ABSENT THE DAY OF THE BATTLE?
Oh DARN! We will need to proceed without them. Be ready and you’ll be fine!
make-up essay assignment.
Absent buddies will have a
APES Renewable Superhero Rubric
Component
POSTER
• Poster has a hand drawn or digitally
drawn superhero created by group
members
• Superhero name is clearly drawn and
displayed
• Poster includes items 1-10 from
Renewable Energy Research (in
BULLETS and summarized)
• Poster is colorful, neat, LARGELY
DRAWN and well executed
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH
• Typed document with all group
member names present.
• Document has a title and indicates
superhero name/form of renewable
energy.
• 1-10 from Renewable Energy Research
is documented in complete sentences.
• List of sources is provided.
DEBATE PREP:
• 1-minute-long intro speech is typed in
paragraph format.
• Intro speech includes how energy is
produced
• Notes for 2-minute-long explanation of
energy benefits and opponent
drawbacks is documented. This can be
in any format, since you won’t know
your opponent till day of. Notes for
every possible opponent is evident.
TOTAL
How to submit
Poster will be physically
submitted to teacher
Points
40
Renewable energy research 40
and debate performance
prep should be typed on the
same document and will be
uploaded by one group
member in Canvas.
Renewable energy research 20
and debate performance
prep should be typed on the
same document and will be
uploaded by one group
member in Canvas.
100 POINTS