Website
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies: Renewable Sources: Geothermal

For Students 9th - 10th
Geothermal energy is being used today on a small scale but is an appealing alternative to other sources of energy as it has little impact on the environment. This source of energy and how we are harnessing it are described here.
Handout
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies: Our Energy Sources: Nuclear Energy

For Students 9th - 10th
Nuclear fission energy accounts for a large portion of energy production worldwide. New plants will use improved technologies. There is also research underway to explore how to harness the energy produced from nuclear fusion, but this...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: A 40 Year Plan for Energy

For Students 9th - 10th
In this intimate talk filmed at TED's offices, energy innovator Amory Lovins shows how to get the US off oil and coal by 2050, $5 trillion cheaper, with no Act of Congress, led by business for profit. The key is integrating all four...
PPT
Energy4Me

Energy4me: Energy Sources of the World [Ppt]

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the many different energy resources available from our Earth. Find out the pros and cons of each type: both renewable and nonrenewable.
Handout
Energy4Me

Energy4me: Energy Technology

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the many sources of energy used around the world.
Article
Other

It's Not a Pipe Dream: Clean Energy From Water Pipes Comes to Portland

For Students 9th - 10th
A Portland, Oregon-based startup that launched in 2007, is starting to capture the energy of water pipes, beginning with a pilot project in Riverside, California and now with a full-scale project in Portland.
Website
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies: Renewable Sources: Wind

For Students 9th - 10th
The status of wind energy production in the United States is described, with the advantages and disadvantages of this alternative energy source.
Website
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies: Renewable Sources: Biomass

For Students 9th - 10th
The pros and cons of harnessing energy from biomass are outlined. Biomass refers to biological materials that are used to produce energy. Wood and manure are examples of biomass.
Handout
US Department of Energy

U.s. Department of Energy: Energy Basics: Renewable Energy: Hydropower

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about renewable energy resources using hydropower technologies. Learn the history of use, and read about the benefits of utilizing water as a power source.
Website
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies: Emerging Technologies: Hydrogen Fuel Cells

For Students 9th - 10th
The advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen fuel cell technology as a source for energy production are outlined. There is still much to be done in research and development before this energy source can be marketed widely.
Article
Other

Texas Wide Open for Business: The Texas Renewable Energy Industry [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
A 34-page report examining renewable energy sources in use in Texas. It looks at how Texas compares with the rest of the world, the companies investing in the Texas energy industry, the Texas electricity grid, government initiatives,...
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: The Habitable Planet: Energy Challenges

For Students 9th - 10th
With this resource, users join investigators in the exploration of humans' use of and dependence on the many energy resources. Learn about new technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration as an alternative to reduce our carbon...
Handout
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas

State Energy Conservation Office: Generating Electricity With Biomass

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the overall picture of biomass use as a source of renewable energy in the United States. Five methods of generating electricity from biomass are described.
Website
US Energy Information Administration

U.s. Eia Energy Kids: Energy Timelines

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Biodiesel: The Afterlife of Oil

For Students 9th - 10th
Natascia Radice describes the process of turning used cooking oil into useful biodiesel. [4:15]
Handout
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas

State Energy Conservation Office: Energy Sources: Biomass: Manure for Fuel

For Students 9th - 10th
Texas is famous for its cattle ranches, and all those cattle produce a lot of manure. Texans are working on projects to harness the energy in manure in various ways. Dry manure has been and continues to be burned for heating and cooking....
Handout
Energy4Me

Energy4me: Energy Challenges

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the challenges of global energy use and consumption, and what solutions exist for today's engineers.
Handout
Energy for Sustainable Development

Esd Bulgaria: Kids & Energy: Energy Facts

For Students 3rd - 5th
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.
Unknown Type
EL Education

El Education: Alternative Energy Report

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This report was created by 7th and 8th grade students in Vergennes, Vermont, as part of a Learning expedition called "Reducing the Carbon Footprint." The building manager met with a team of approximately 40 students as they investigated...
Article
Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Habitat Network: Renewable Energy

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about efforts to promote the use of renewable energy sources by homeowners and businesses. This was a project where homeowners could submit data about what they were doing to use renewable energy sources. The site is no longer...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Planning for the End of Oil

For Students 9th - 10th
As the world's attention focuses on the perils of oil exploration, we present Richard Sears' talk from early February 2010. Sears, an expert in developing new energy resources, talks about our inevitable and necessary move away from oil....
Handout
NOAA

Noaa: Ne Mo: Chemosynthesis

For Students 9th - 10th
Deep under the ocean there is no light for plants to perform photosynthesis. This site is a good overview of the alternative energy method, chemosynthesis. Read all about it.
Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: Evaluating Woody Biomass Options for North Carolina's Electricity Future

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students learn about the pros and cons of co-firing woody biomass fuels with coal to produce electricity.
Handout
Energy4Me

Energy4me: Wind Energy

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the alternative energy source, wind energy. Find out the history of this renewable resource and how it works to convert wind energy into electricity.