Clean Energy Unit

Introduction: This curriculum web unit is designed to use inquiry to introduce students to clean energy sources of electricity by helping them to plan a system that might supply their personal electricity needs.

Aim: The purpose of this unit is to introduce high school students to clean, renewable energy sources while making them conscious of their own energy use.

Rationale: Political, economic, and environmental concerns all dictate that our society urgently needs to move away from the use of fossil fuels and toward the use of clean and renewable energy sources. Texas Standards for IPC and for Physics that might be addressed in this unit include

General Goals:

• Introduce the concept of clean energy and identify existing technologies.

• Help learners understand how the law of conservation of energy applies to electrical generation systems.

• Make the learner conscious of his or her own energy use.

Subject Matter Description (as related to Texas' TEKS):

• Law of Conservation of Energy

• Environmental Impact of technologies

• Electricity Generation

Learner Description: This unit is designed for students enrolled in high school Conceptual Physics or Integrated Physics and Chemistry classes.

Prerequisites: Learners should have facility with a web browser.

Learning Objectives: On completing this unit, learners will be able to

• list four clean sources of electrical energy

• describe how each of these sources functions

• perform an energy inventory

Materials:

• An internet-linked computer with a web browser and printer

• The web-based resources listed on this site

• Poster-board and markers

Instructional Plan: This unit is designed to be completed by individual learners working under the guidance of a teacher, who will monitor progress and provide necessary guidance. It is easily adaptable for use with partners or cooperating groups. Specific exercises are expected to be performed under the following time-line:

• Background and Research: 3 50-minute periods.

• Energy Inventory: 1 50-minute period

• Sizing the system: 1 50-minute period

• Proposal: 1 50-minute period

• Summary exercises: 1 50-minute period

Plan for Assessment and Evaluation: Learners will be assessed via worksheets they turn in and the products they produce. These include

• Movie notes

• Clean energy definition

• Poster describing clean energy sources

• Personal energy inventory

• Proposal for a clean energy system

In addition, students will complete a simple online quiz to demonstrate their grasp of basic concepts. Follow the link to access grading rubrics.