Transportation Choices and the Environment

Scholars learn about a series of three challenges when they design a bus system for a small town. They determine the bus routes and then figure out the best type of fuel to use before considering the cost of going electric. Learners...

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,...

Cells are busy places! How do things move around in such a tiny environment? Introduce young life scientists to the types of cellular transport through a video that is part of a large biology playlist. Animated characters demonstrate how...

Energy is the latest buzz word. Help your class understand the truth behind the hype as they view the video segment and learn the difference between nuclear and solar energy, LED and fluorescent bulbs, and kilowatt hours. They learn the...

Assign each group of 3-4 upper elementary engineers to a different type of transportation fuel. A background information page is provided to get them started with researching their assigned fuel. Each group then produces an exhibit or a...

If renewable energy sources are the best option, why aren't they used on a global scale? Junior environmentalists explore the benefits and problems associated with energy sources such as solar, wind, and biomass with a short video and...

A class discussion of the various combinations of energy resources used in our country opens this lesson. In cooperative groups, learners analyze data on conversion efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions for different combinations....

One in every seven people suffer from a lack of basic food. Our Hungry Planet introduces this complex issue in the second lesson of an interesting 13-part unit. It discusses the space needed to grow and raise food, the transportation of...

Can our energy resources keep up with our ever-growing population? Science scholars learn the basics of energy and Earth's energy resources during an electrifying lesson. The resource combines video clips and an engineering design...

Can Earth's oceans produce a steady supply of clean energy? Scholars explore the uses of tidal and thermal energy in the 11th installment of a 13-part series about ocean-based alternative energy sources. Learners examine the current...