Energy: Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy Resources

Laura BranchRighetti High School

Santa Maria Jt. Union High School Districtlbranch@smjuhsd.org

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Unit Information

Grade Level: 9-12

Subject: Earth Science, Advanced Geology, AP Environmental Science

Description: During my energy unit, students learn 1) about the different energy resources in California and 2) the current consumption rates of energy for the United States and the world. Using the handouts and PowerPoint for the unit, students visualize the different types of energy resources there are—both renewable and non-renewable, and how much energy is generated from each (energy yield). Students learn how this energy yield affects the current consumption rates of energy for both the United States and the world. Students use key worlds to complete both the word search and the crossword puzzle written for this energy unit.

At the end of the unit, students think critically about the effectiveness of harnessing energy from renewable energy resources in our local area while building and creating windmills and by generating hydroelectric power with water. This hands-on learning approach in cooperative learning groups generates conversations among students about whether building these types of power plants would be a good idea for the environment we live in.

Educational Value:This energy unit gets students to think critically about questions such as: What does “going green” mean? How will “going green” affect students’ lives? What exactly are the renewable and non-renewable resources in our society? How would one go about building a renewable power plant? By teaching this, students get an opportunity to look at how these resources affect them personally.

Content Standards:Investigation & Experimentation 1m: Investigate a science-based societal issue by researching the literature, analyzing data, and communicating the findings. Examples include irradiation of food, cloning of animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer, choice of energy sources, and land and water use decisions in California.

Biogeochemical Cycles 7b: Students know the global carbon cycle: the different physical & chemical forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass, fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs.

California Geology 9a: Students know the resources of major economic importance in California and their relation to California’s geology.

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California Geology 9c: Students know the importance of water to society, the origins of California’s fresh water, and the relationship between supply and need.

Lesson Plans:

Lesson Plan 1: PowerPoint—Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy

Objective: Given the PowerPoint presentation, students will be able to explain the difference between high, moderate and low energy yield.

Objective: Given the PowerPoint presentation, students will be able to explain the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy resources.

Materials:Video projectorPowerPoint Presentation—Renewable & Nonrenewable Resources

Procedure:1. Take roll. Explain to students that we will be embarking on an energy unit.

During this unit, students will be learning about renewable & nonrenewable energy resources, how much energy each resource will yield, and think about alternative energy that can be used in the future.

2. Have students take out a piece of paper and a pencil/pen in order to write notes.3. Show the PowerPoint presentation on nonrenewable & renewable energy

resources.4. Have a conversation about the types of energy we use in our own personal lives.5. Clean up.

Lesson 1 PPT:

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Lesson Plan 2: Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy Sources

Objective: Given the pie charts given on the handout (see below), students will be able to rate the resources in order of consumption for both the world and the United States.

Objective: Given the Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy Resources Hand-out, students will create a table that lists all resources from high-energy yield to low energy yield.

Procedure:1. Take roll. Explain to students that they should be able to visualize the different

type of energy resources after the PowerPoint yesterday. As a review, ask students what types of resources they use in their every day life.

2. Explain to students that they will now be completing the given assignment that will help them understand that not all energy resources have the same amount of energy yield.

3. Pass out assignment along with the Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy Resources Hand-out. Explain to students that they will use the given pie charts to rate the energy resources in order of consumption for both the world and the United States.

4. When students are ready, explain the second part of the assignment—creating a table that lists all resources listed on the hand-out from high energy yield to low energy yield.

5. Students to turn in assignment by the end of the period.6. At the end of class, ask students why we use so much petroleum in our society

today? What type of energy yield does this have? 7. Clean up.

Lesson 2 Assignment: Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy Sources

Background information: The world is VERY dependent on fossil fuels. The majority of the world’s electricity is produced by power plants that burn coal or natural gas (nonrenewable resources) or by plants that use smaller producers (renewable resources)—geothermal, solar, wind or hydroelectricity.

Your job is to figure out the following using the given data on energy consumption:

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World Energy Consumption United States Energy Consumption

1) Using the pie charts above, rate the resources in order of consumption for both the world and the United States. Use the table below.

United States Energy Consumption World Energy Consumption

2. Using the Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy Resources Hand-out, create a table that lists all the resources from high-energy yield to low-energy yield. See the sample table listed below.

Example Table:

Nonrenewable Resources Renewable Resources

3. Complete the attached word search.4. Complete the attached crossword puzzle.

5. In a group of 3-4 students, design a windmill using the given lab materials that will give the highest energy yield. Note: You may need to design and redesign

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1 12 23 34 45 567

Coal—High Energy Yield Hydroelectric—High Energy YieldPetroleum—High Energy Yield Manure—Low Energy YieldNatural Gas

your windmill to get the most voltage from it. Individually keep a log showing the restructuring of your design and how the voltage has changed with each redesign.

6. In your same group, use the given lab materials to find the highest energy yield for hydroelectricity. Note: You may need to design and redesign your hydroelectric design (water wheel?) to get the most voltage from it. Individually keep a log showing the restructuring of your design and how the voltage has changed with each redesign.

7. In your group, come up with a consensus of what the best energy resource is for both world and US energy consumption. Why did you pick this? What will be the pros and cons of this? What will the environmental effects be? Individually write your answer on your lab report.

8. In your group, think about the pros and cons of putting a wind farm in the Lompoc area would be. (It is being proposed right now!) Is this a good thing? Is it a bad thing? As voters, would you support such an initiative on the ballot? Individually write your answer on your lab report.

Lesson 2 Handout: Nonrenewable Energy Resources

Coal (High Energy Yield)

Pros Cons

Abundant, known world reserves will last ~300 years at current rate of consumption

Most extraction in US is done through either strip mining or underground mining. Methods cause disruption to land through erosion, runoff & decrease in biodiversity.

Unidentifed world reserves are estimated to last ~1,000 years at current rate of consumption

Up to 20% of coal ends up as fly ash, boiler slag or sludge. Burning coal releases mercury, sulfur, & radioactive particles into the air. ~35% of all CO2 releases are due to the burning of coal, with ~30% of all pollution due to Nox

US reserves are estimated to last ~300 years at current rate of consumption

Underground mining is dangerous & unhealthy (black lung disease)

Relatively high net-energy yield Expensive to process & transport. Cannot be used effectively for transportation needs.

US government subsidides keep prices low.Pollution may play in global warming. Scrubbers & other antipollution control devices are expensive.

Stable; nonexplosive; not harmful if spilled  

Oil (High Energy Yield)

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Pros Cons

Inexpensive--however prices are increasing, making alternatives more attractive. World oil reserves are limited & declining.

Easily transported through established pipelines & distribution networks.

Produces pollution (SO2, NOx, and CO2). Production releases contaminated wastewater & brine

High net-energy yield Causes land disturbances in drilling process, which accelerates erosion.

Ample supply for immediate future Oil spillks both on land and in ocean from platforms and tankers.

Large US government subsidies (in form of tax right-offs) in place

Disruption to wildlife habitats (Arctic Wildlife Refuge)

Versatile--used to manufacture many products (paints, medicines, plastics, etc.) Supplies are politically volcatile.

Natural Gas (High Energy Yield)

Pros ConsPipelines & distribution networks are in place. Easily processed & transportant as LNG (liquid natural gas) over rail or ship

H2S and SO2 are released during processing.

Relatively inexpensive but prices are increasing. Viewed by many as a transitionary fossil fuel as the world switches to alternative sources.

LNG processing is expensive & dangerous and it results in a lower net energy.

World reserves are estimated to be ~125 years at current rate of consumption

Leakage of CH4 has a greater impact on global warming than does CO2

High net energy yield. Disruption to areas where it is collected

Produces less pollution than any other fossil fuel Extraction releases contaminated wastewater & brine

Extraction is not as damaging to environment as either coal or oil Land subsidence

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Lesson Plan 3: Energy Resources Word Search & Crossword Puzzle

Objective: Given the hand-outs on energy resources, students will be able to use key vocabulary to complete both the word search and the crossword puzzle.

Materials:Hand-out: Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy ResourcesEnergy Sources Word SearchEnergy Sources Crossword Puzzle

Procedure:1. Take roll. Have students get out their Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy

Resources hand-out. Explain to students that they will be using the information in the hand-out to complete the given word search, using key vocabulary words. Pass out the word search.

2. Explain to students that they will be using the information on the hand-out to help them with the clues to complete the given crossword puzzle. Pass out the crossword puzzle.

3. Students have the rest of the period to work on both. Walk around the room to check for understanding and answer any questions they may have.

4. Students will turn these in by the end of the period.5. Clean up.

Lesson Plan 4: Building Windmills & Hydroelectric Power

Objective: Given the materials for this lab, students will work together to build a wind turbine that produces energy.

Objective: Given the materials for this lab, students will work together to produce electricity from hydropower.

Objective: Given this lab activity and the entire energy unit, students will come up with pros and cons of putting a wind farm in the Lompoc area.

Materials:Energy of Moving Water & Kit from the NEED ProjectExploring Wind Energy & Kit from NEED ProjectDigital MultimeterWater    Procedure:

1. Take Roll. Review the difference between renewable & nonrenewable energy resources with the students.

2. In a group of 3-4, students will design a windmill using the given lab materials that will give the highest energy yield. Explain to students that they will need to design and redesign the windmill to get the most voltage from it. Students will

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individually keep a log showing the restructuring of the design and how the voltage has changed with each redesign.

3. In the same group, students will use the given lab materials to find the highest energy yield for hydroelectricity. Again, students will need to design and redesign the hydroelectric dam to get the most voltage from it. Students will keep a log individually showing the restructuring of the design and how the voltage changed with each redesign.

4. In their groups, students are to come up with a consensus of what the best energy resource is for world consumption and then for US energy consumption. Students will answer the following: Why did you pick this? What will the pros and cons be? What will the environmental effects be? Students will write up these questions individually.

5. In your group, talk about the pros and cons of putting a wind farm in the Lompoc area. Is this a good idea? Bad idea? As voters, would you support such an initiative on the ballot? Students will write their answer, individually, on their lab report.

Clean up.

Lesson 3 Crossword Puzzle Lesson 3 Word Search

Student Impact:All students learn differently and at different rates. Therefore, it is important to engage students in different ways. This unit engages students by giving them multiple ways of learning about energy resources and consumption rates. They visualize the different types of energy sources through the PowerPoint. They read graphs from pie charts in order to rate the rates of energy consumption for both the world and the United States. They read about the pros and cons for the different types of energy sources and create a

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list showing the energy yield for each type of energy resource. Using the energy resource types, students complete the given word search and crossword puzzles. This helps all students learn the given concepts, especially language learners and resource students, by having them use key words and ideas over and over again.

The end of this unit is the hands-on component that is extremely important, especially in the age of testing and No Child Left Behind. I have found that students rarely get to use their creativity and imagination because many times curriculum teaches just to the test through rote memorization and bookwork. For this part of the unit, students are given supplies to put together their own hydroelectric power source and windmills. As a cooperative learning group, they design and redesign both a windmill and a hydroelectric power source. Students keep a log in their notebook of how much voltage is produced using a multi-meter. The point is for students to use technology while showing them that engineers don’t just design something once, they keep making changes to their design to make it more efficient.

The written part of this unit is very important. In engages students to think about the environment around them and about energy consumption in the future. Although some students may find this difficult, it is important to engage students in thinking critically about such concepts while talking about it among their group. Taking these ideas and getting them on paper is very important, too.

Assessment and Evaluation:Students will be graded on the completion and correctness of the written portion of the project. They will read pie charts and rate energy resources in order of consumption for both the world and the United States. Using the given energy resources handout, students will create a list from highest energy yield to low energy yield. The point of this portion of the unit is to show students that although solar energy is a good energy alternative, it has a low energy yield. This may be something students should think about when thinking about energy alternatives in the future. Students will continue use important vocabulary while completing both the word search and the crossword puzzle. This is my way of assessing for student learning. Given the students’ conversations during the lab, I am also able to assess the effectiveness of the unit.

In the past, talking with group members and having them come up with a consensus of what the best energy resource would be both for the world and for the United States shows me they understand and “own” the concepts. Talking about possibility of putting a wind farm in the Lompoc area and using their knowledge about energy resources shows the effectiveness of the unit and how much information they truly understand. Students will be graded on this in written form and turn these in for a grade.

An important way I observe the effectiveness of this unit and assessing what students got out of it is to look at research in the form of both common formative assessments (CFAs) and the state testing scores (CSTs). Our earth science course currently has 3 common formative assessments that are given across the district. Both my team and I will be able to see exactly how much this strategy helps student learning. We will be looking at the

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test results from previous years and compare them to the current year’s class results. Because I have previously taught this lesson, I was able to see that the questions in the CFA pertaining to energy resources are no longer holes in the curriculum. The CFA test results showed an increase in student understanding. The same can be said in the CST scores that the state of California sends us. By looking at the testing results, I can see that the unit was effective.

Materials/Budget:PowerPoint: Renewable & Non-renewable ResourcesProject Hand-out: Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy SourcesPacket: Energy Yield for Non-Renewable & Renewable Energy ResourcesWord Search: Energy SourcesCrossword Puzzle: Energy SourcesLab Materials: To build a windmill (From the NEED Project)Lab Materials: To build a water wheel for hydroelectricity (From the NEED Project) Lab Materials: Multimeters

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