Sources of Energy Lesson Plan
Robert Bertke
Alex R. Carrión
Standard
4-ESS3-1.Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived
from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.
[Clarification Statement: Examples of renewable energy resources could include wind
energy, water behind dams, and sunlight; non-renewable energy resources are fossil
fuels and fissile materials. Examples of environmental effects could include loss of
habitat due to dams, loss of habitat due to surface mining, and air pollution from burning
of fossil fuels.]
Engage
1.
First we will watch the Bill Nye Video regarding renewable energy
http://youtu.be/grI3BDSGEC4
2.
Students will participate in a discussion with questions:
1.
What is Renewable Energy?
2.
What does energy do?
3.
What are some ways that energy is being created?
4.
What are Greenhouse gases?
5.
Has fossil fuel burning increased or decreased in the past few years? why?
6.
Why is the world getting warmer?
7.
What are the effects of it?
8.
Who is being affected by it?
Explore
3.
Students will be split into groups and will explore 4 different types of energy. (Fossil
Fuels, hydro, solar, and wind energy.)
4.
Students will be given pre approved websites and articles to explore and locate the
criteria and fill in a worksheet which will ask them look up:
Sources of Energy Lesson Plan
Robert Bertke
Alex R. Carrión
1.
3 advantages to the given energy.
2.
3 disadvantages to the given energy.
3.
An example of what the given type of energy is used for.
Explain
5.
Students will be asked to present their findings in a brief oral presentation to the class.
6.
Each group will present, and students will be asked to fill in a worksheet on each of
the sources of energy that they did not explore. (This allows the students to teach one
another based on their research.)
Elaborate
7.
The students will be asked to explore their own carbon footprint for their household.
8.
http://myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information/
9.
Due to the lack of computers, half of the class will use the computers in the library and
the other half will use the computers in the classroom.
10.
Students will then explore a carbon footprint by answering questions as if they were
primarily using one of the alternate types of energy (solar, wind, hydro, fossil fuels.)
11.
Compare the differences in their actual carbon footprint with their hypothetical
footprint.
12.
Print results and turn in.
Evaluate
13.
Students will be:
1.
Evaluated on their participation in the explore presentation of their given energy.
2.
Evaluated on their filled out worksheets.
Sources of Energy Lesson Plan
Robert Bertke
Alex R. Carrión
3.
Evaluated on their carbon footprint print offs.
Sources
14.
Annie Green Jeans: http://anniegreenjeans.com/tag/windmill/
15.
Ecological Footprint: http://myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information/
16.
Energy Informative:
1.
http://energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/
2.
http://energyinformative.org/fossil-fuels-pros-and-cons/
3.
http://energyinformative.org/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons/
4.
http://energyinformative.org/solar-energy-pros-and-cons/