US Department of Energy
U.s. Department of Energy: Energy Basics: Renewable Energy: Solar Energy
Find out about renewable energy resources using solar energy technologies. Learn about the use of photovoltaic cells and the capture of the sun's energy.
US Energy Information Administration
U.s. Eia Energy Kids: Energy Timelines
Research different types of fuel to see when major developments occured in their use. Fourteen different types of fuels can be researched, including fossil fuels and alternative fuels.
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Be an Energy Saver
This lesson focuses on the scarce and non-renewable nature of fossil fuels in order to stimulate student thinking about energy conservation. It emphasizes the fact that saving energy can be good for the wallet as well as the earth's...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Why Aren't We Only Using Solar Power?
Solar power is cheaper and more sustainable than our current coal-fueled power plants, so why haven't we made the switch? The real culprits here are the clouds, which make solar power difficult to control. Alexandros George Charalambides...
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Solar Power O Logy Card
OLogy cards are like virtual baseball cards about all kinds of science topics. This card contains essential facts about solar power.
Other
Energy Resources: Hydro Electric Power
Alternative forms of energy site showcases Hydro-electric power. Discover how it works, it's advantages and disadvantages as well as whether or not it's considered to be a renewable resource.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Generating Electricity: Evaluating the Sustainability Energy Sources
In this activity, students learn about the energy sources used by their local utility provider to generate electricity and work in small groups to evaluate the sustainability of either a renewable or non-renewable resource used to...
US Department of Energy
U.s. Department of Energy: Wind Program: Wind Powering America: Maps
An interactive map of the United States that gives information about each state's wind power potential.
EL Education
El Education: Guide to Energy Sources
This guide was created by 3rd and 4th grade students at the Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as part of a learning expedition on energy sources and alternative energy. Students studied all forms of...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Alternative Energy Debate
With a learning team, students choose an alternative energy source such as solar, wind, biofuel, geothermal or other form and research the pros and cons of that energy type. The team then splits into debate teams and draws straws to...
Other
Alliance to Save Energy: Educator Lesson Plans
A series of teacher lesson plans for various grade levels. Topics pertain to insulation (among other things) and other energy conservation and energy efficiency topics. Can be easily adapted for a student project or lab investigation.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Balloon Cars Revisited: Alternative Fuel Gases
In this activity, students use the common balloon cars they created which use air propelled out of a balloon as a fuel source to investigate how different gases (fuels) effect the travel distance of the balloon cars.
US Energy Information Administration
U.s. Eia Energy Kids: Energy Explained
A comprehensive source of information about energy in all its forms. Each type of energy is explained, along with information about its environmental impact, supported with graphs, charts, and other data. There is a twenty-question quiz...
Energy for Sustainable Development
Esd Bulgaria: Kids & Energy: Energy Facts
A collection of facts about energy use broken down into various topic areas, e.g., health impact of fossil fuels, transportation, energy consumption, alternative energies, etc.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Energy Enigma
Students act as detectives and research clues to uncover energy facts. This cooperative learning activity accesses language arts and critical thinking skills as students try to conceal their own energy source while guessing the opposing...
Broward Education Foundation
Broward Education Foundation: Generating Fun With Alternative Energy [Pdf]
Students took what they had learned and created a matching game (simple circuit board) for others to test their knowledge about energy. The matching game illuminates a light bulb, when the correct matching pairs are selected.
E-learning for Kids
E Learning for Kids: Science: Cruise Ship: What Sort of Energy Is Provided by Water?
Shana is learning about water. Help her discover all the different ways water can provide us with energy.
E-learning for Kids
E Learning for Kids: Science: Cyprus Dancing School: What Sort of Energy Is Provided by the Wind?
Chara is finding out a lot about the wind and how it can provide energy to us. Join her in Cyprus to learn along with her.
ProCon.org
Pro Con: Alternative Energy: Can It Effectively Replace Fossil Fuels?
Website outlining the controversial issue of finding alternative energy sources to replace fossil fuels.
McGraw Hill
Glencoe: Technology Education: Alternative Fuels Web Quest
The object of this WebQuest is for you to research alternative fuels and figure out their benefits. Resources are provided as well as study questions to guide your quest.
PBS
Pbs: News Hour: Alternative Fuels
This PBS science report on alternative fuels focuses mainly on ethanol. Multimedia features include a video from the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer [11:13], an interactive car comparison, and further reports on ethanol and other biofuels....
PBS
Pbs Online News Hour Extra: u.s. Economy's Troubles Hurt Alternative Energy Plans
Because of recession and the costs of gas on the decline, many worry that the search for new forms of energy will be put on hold. Read and discuss as a class these concerns. October 24, 2008
Other
Pembina Institute: Renewable Energy Lesson Plans
There are a variety of lesson plans here on solar and wind energy, and on sustainable transportation.
Geographypods
Geographypods: Patterns and Change: Patterns in Resource Consumption
This collection of three learning modules looks at issues related to resource consumption. It examines theories about how population size affects consumption, the changing patterns of energy consumption, and ways to minimize consumption....