Future mechanical engineers and automotive technicians read about various solutions to using gasoline in cars. Included are electric, fuel-cell-powered, and hybrid vehicles.

Extracting oil is more difficult than many think! Learners work together and get hands-on as they represent oil companies drilling for oil by simulating oil extraction using beans. They identify the challenges faced in using...

Teach your environmental studies, life science, or engineering class how an internal combustion engine works using the first few slides of the accompanying presentation. Then, focus in on the resulting carbon emissions. Finally, take a...

We've talked a lot about energy, but where does energy come from? Pupils brainstorm different energy sources through a class discussion to kick off the 14th installment of a 25-part Energy Systems and Solutions unit. They then research...

Fourth graders research sources of fossil fuels especially oil while determining how scientists take core samples from an Earth model. They look at oil consumption and production in the US and throughout the world.

Learners research and investigate the concepts carbon cycle and fossil fuels. They graph the carbon dioxide production as well as populations of six nations. Together they generate a variety of recommendations to reduce travel=related...

Power up! Class members research a type of power production using a great resource featuring a real-world problem. Groups select a type of power generation and pretend that they represent an engineering firm for their chosen power type....

Explore and brainstorm innovations for cars with a STEM lesson that asks scholars to weigh different options when considering when buying a car. They research the fuel efficiency and carbon emissions for various options, and then...

Middle schoolers examine fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable fuels. They study investigate types of heat transfer such as convection, conduction, and radiation. They complete crossword puzzles based on the vocabulary. They design,...

Educate your learners on the importance of using bio-diesel as an alternative transportation fuel. Provided here are several links to books (with reviews), a 24-page informational text in three reading levels, a corn activity, and...

Pairs simulate the energy usage of different countries by drawing beads from a bag, which contain different beginning ratios of non-renewable and renewable energy resources. The activity concludes with a series of questions to tie...

Think you can solve the energy problem? You'll first need to know about current energy use. Analyzing a set of circle graphs lets scholars see where energy consumption is the greatest, both by sector and by household use. They develop a...

Young scholars design and build their own solar heater. In this technology lesson, students explain why solar energy is a good alternative to fossil fuels. They describe how their solar heater model works.

Is electricity created in the outlet? Using posters of several energy systems, collaborative groups identify and describe the parts of their systems. The groups also look at the environmental impacts of the systems and present...

Turn your pupils into teachers! Here is a lesson that requires groups to research an energy source with the provided handout, create a poster, and present their information to the class. Connections are made to practical aspects of...

Biotechnology pros produce their own biofuel using waste oil and fresh vegetable oil. They test the quality of their product using titration techniques and pH analysis. They write their observations and report their findings. Be aware...

In this first part of a two-part instructional activity, learners track and record the sun's azimuth using a solar panel. They graph and analyze the data to identify relationships among the time of day, the altitude and azimuth of the...

Fifth graders, after brainstorming why conservation of resources is important, distinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources. They make a list of different types of natural resources on the board and then sort them into two...

What is biogas and how is it made? After examining background information about the sources of biogas and biogas generators, class members follow the provided information and build a biogas generator that can be used in the...

Young hydrologists observe a waterwheel which helps them investigate the transformations of energy that occur when the blades of a hydro-turbine are turning. They work together in pairs and pretend to be engineers who are building a new...

Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current data...

Students examine the power that is possible from the sun through an interactive program. They also analyze how energy turns into different forms in different parts of the human body. They finally explore how wind is created and how wind...

Eighth graders research the Greenhouse Effect on the Internet. They use a variety of sources and take notes on the topic. They use ClarisWorks to type a report, use spellcheck, proof and edit. They can create a class bulletin board.

Students discover dangers to human health by researching what's in our drinking water.  In this water purification lesson, students discuss the conditions of water in undeveloped countries and why it is unsafe to drink....