Energy Sources

Here is a fun little exploration of the potential energy potential of falling water. Learners drop water from various heights using a straw, and they analyze the diameter of the splash. Pair this with two more activities of the same...

Can the force of falling water through a tube vary by altering the diameter of the tube or its height? That is what physical scientists aim to discover in this activity, the third in successively more revealing activities on the power of...

Don't lift another finger, this physical and environmental science unit has everything you need to begin teaching your class about energy. Starting with a look at the greenhouse effect, these lessons and activities take young scientists...

More than 100 cities around the world have shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Scholars investigate a city wanting to make this switch, but needs help determining how to make the shift. Groups consider all options,...

The solar energy industry in the United States added more jobs in 2015 than the oil and gas extraction and pipeline industries combined. With the field growing so rapidly, it's essential to understand what solar energy is and how it...

If someone yelled for eight years and eight months, they could produce enough energy to heat one cup of coffee. A lesson on energy encourages scholars to research 10 different energy sources in groups before playing a game. Twenty...

With a variety of video clips and diagrams, the narrator acquaints the audience with three sources of alternative energy: the sun, the wind, and water. This is a homemade video created as a homework assignment, but it is well-done and...

In this lesson, students look at profiles of energy production for different regions of the United States. They examine the conversion efficiency and the carbon dioxide emissions of each type of energy, and then the environmental impact...

A single slide introduces each of the following renewable energy sources: hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, solar, tidal, and biomass. This provides a succinct overview that you can use as a visual aid when you first introduce alternative...

Is one type of energy inherently good or bad? Young scientists explore energy resources in a week-long unit. After extensive research, groups create powerful position statements and presentations supporting their energy resource of choice.