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Energy Sources

Lesson Plan

Energy Sources

Objectives

In this lesson, students compare various sources of energy and describe how they are transformed into electrical energy. Students will:

  • interpret a chart to determine various sources of energy in the United States.
  • classify energy sources as renewable or nonrenewable.
  • research and create a slide show on how various energy sources can be transformed to electrical energy.

Essential Questions

Vocabulary

  • Biomass: A renewable energy source; plant materials and animal waste used as fuel.
  • Geothermal: Energy derived from the heat in the interior of the Earth.
  • Hydropower: Energy from moving water; a renewable energy source.
  • Natural Gas: A gas formed in the ground millions of years ago from organisms.
  • Nonrenewable: Energy sources that cannot be replenished in a short period of time (e.g., coal, natural gas, petroleum).
  • Renewable: Energy sources that can be replenished naturally in a short period of time (e.g., solar, wind, moving water).
  • Solar Power: Energy from the Sun; a renewable energy source.

Duration

90 minutes/2 class periods

Prerequisite Skills

Prerequisite Skills haven't been entered into the lesson plan.

Materials

Related Unit and Lesson Plans

Related Materials & Resources

The possible inclusion of commercial websites below is not an implied endorsement of their products, which are not free, and are not required for this lesson plan.

  • Energy Sources

www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=2

  • Electricity in the United States

www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=electricity_in_the_united_states-basics

  • Energy Sources Roll (a classroom game to review the various energy sources)

www.eia.doe.gov/kids/resources/teachers/pdfs/submitted_lessons/source_roll_elem_lesson.pdf

  • Energy Scavenger Hunt

www.eia.doe.gov/kids/resources/teachers/pdfs/EIAScavengerHunt.pdf

Formative Assessment

  • View
    • Check students’ understanding of the concepts of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources before and after the Web quest.
    • Assess students’ posters using the rubric provided with the Energy Sources Web Quest handout.
    • Use the Energy Sources Crossword and the inside–outside circle activity to check students’ ability to compare and describe various energy sources.

Suggested Instructional Supports

  • View
    Active Engagement, Explicit Instruction
    W: The focus in this lesson is on various sources of energy that can be converted to electrical energy. In a Web quest, students work in groups to research one energy source and create a poster presentation. Then the class does a gallery walk to learn more about energy sources.
    H: The lesson begins with a think-pair-share activity about where we get our energy in the United States. The class develops a list of energy sources and then compares it to a pie chart that shows actual data on United States energy sources.
    E: The lesson includes the Web quest research, poster preparation, poster presentation in a gallery walk, and review activities.
    R: Students revisit the various energy sources as they complete a crossword puzzle and there is an optional inside–outside circle discussion.
    E: Students can use the scoring rubric to evaluate their work on the poster presentation. They express their understanding on the poster, on the crossword puzzle, and in a follow-up discussion.
    T: This lesson can be tailored by scaffolding the Web quest or extending the depth of research about the energy source. See the Extension section for specific suggestions.
    O: The lesson begins with an activity to engage students in thinking about where our electrical energy comes from in the United States. Then they look at actual data and compare it to their predictions. Student groups will research one energy source in depth and then share their findings through a poster presentation. Through the gallery walk, they can compare the various energy sources and learn how they are transformed into electrical energy.

Instructional Procedures

  • View

    To prepare, reserve the media center or computer lab for this lesson. If possible, provide books on energy sources as well as student access to computers.

    To introduce the lesson, have students do a think-pair-share activity on sources of electricity in the United States, listing as many as they can. Have students share their answers and list them on the board. Then have students predict and vote on which they think are the top three energy sources. (They are coal, natural gas, and nuclear energy.)

    Show students the U.S. Energy Sources pie chart (S-6-6-3_U.S. Energy Sources.docx). Have them interpret the pie chart to identify any energy sources that are missing from the list on the board, and determine whether their predictions were correct.

    Define renewable and nonrenewable and have students classify the energy sources in a T-chart in their notes.

     

    Renewable

    Nonrenewable

    Solar

    Petroleum (oil)

    Wind

    Coal

    Hydropower (moving water)

    Natural gas

    Biomass

    Uranium for nuclear energy

    Geothermal

     

    Tell students that they will be researching the various energy sources in a Web quest and creating a poster about one of the energy sources. Have students work in pairs or groups of three for the Web quest. Assign each group one of the energy sources from the table above. It is okay if there is more than one group per energy source.

    Distribute the Energy Sources Web Quest handout (S-6-6-3_Energy Sources Web Quest and Rubric.docx). Read through the directions and the rubric with students.

    Allow time for students to research their assigned energy source and create the poster. Have students display their posters around the classroom and do a gallery walk. During the gallery walk, have them bring their science notebooks and record for each of the energy sources:

    • whether it is a renewable or nonrenewable energy source.
    • how it is converted to electricity.
    • one other interesting fact.

    Review the various energy sources with a crossword puzzle. Hand out the Energy Sources Crossword (S-6-6-3_Energy Crossword and KEY.docx). Have students use their notes from the gallery walk and the posters to complete it in class or for homework.

    As an optional activity, have students discuss questions in an inside–outside circle:

    1.   Students stand in two concentric circles, facing a partner. Those in the inside circle face out, and those in the outside circle face in.

    2.   Ask the questions below one at a time for discussion.

    3.   Partners take turns answering the question and listening. Allow 1–2 minutes for discussion of each question.

    4.   After each question, students in the outer circle rotate clockwise to the next partner.

    • What kind of energy do you think we should use the most to create our electricity in the United States? Why?
    • Nuclear plants generate electricity, but if they break down there could be a disaster. Do you think it is worth the risk to use nuclear energy?
    • Why is it important to learn about renewable energy?
    • What inventions were possible because of electricity?

    Extension:

    • Students who might want an opportunity for additional learning can print out selected pages from the Web sites and highlight or circle information they will use for their posters.
    • Students who need an opportunity for additional learning can plan their posters on an 8½″ × 11″ sheet of paper as a rough draft before they create the larger posters.
    • After the gallery walk, students who might need more practice can discuss why each of the forms of energy is renewable or nonrenewable.
    • Students who might be going beyond the standards can research energy technologies and include information about them on the poster (e.g., cold fusion for nuclear energy, wave energy for hydropower).
    • Students who might be going beyond the standards can create a new pie chart that represents the relative percentages of energy they think should come from each energy source. They can refer back to the U.S. Energy Sources pie chart as they do this activity. Then ask them to explain their reasoning for their changes.

Related Instructional Videos

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DRAFT 05/09/2011
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