Teaching Materials – Energy Fundamentals

Energy Fundamentals

Renewable Energy Lesson Plan - What's In An Energy Bill? Part 1

In What’s In An Energy Bill? (Part 1), students will analyze two imaginary, but typical, energy bills. One is a bill from the winter season and one is from the summer season. Students will become acquainted with and use features present on energy bills.  Students will also consider some of their weekly and seasonally energy use patterns.

Renewable Energy Lesson Plan - What's In An Energy Bill? Part 2

What’s In An Energy Bill? (Part 2) builds upon the lesson in Part 1. Students visit the EPA’s Power Profiler website to review the resources and air emissions consequences of their energy bill. Students also learn the resources and emissions consequences of their energy savings efforts.

Renewable Energy Lesson Plan - Energy Conversions and Beyond

Energy Conversions & Beyond introduces students to the BTU and Joule, and to useful energy conversions that can be done with them. Later, students use a typical energy bill to calculate the costs, resources, and air emissions for which they are responsible.  In the end, students understand the real costs of using energy — and the real benefits of saving it.

Renewable Energy Lesson Plan - Exploring A Job in the Energy Industry - CREATE

Exploring A Job In The Energy Industry encourages students to explore a potential, future energy job. Using Career Maps, students research compensation, qualifications, job demands, and advancement opportunities for the job they selected. 

Renewable Energy Lesson Plan - By the Numbers - SolarWise

By The Numbers introduces students to basic facts and dynamics of the American energy economy. Students learn how each primary source of energy is provided by nature, how each is employed in the economy, and whether each source is nonrenewable or renewable.

What is energy? Red Candle and solarwise logo

Students develop an acceptable definition of “energy” in the lab activity, What Is Energy?.

Where Does Energy Come From? may teach the most important lesson for every citizen on the planet.  It answers the title question and explains what happens every time energy is converted from one form to another.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum - Elephant in multiple colors and the Solarwise logo

Students perform directed research on each part of The Electromagnetic Spectrum.  They find that each part of the electromagnetic spectrum is a useful and important part of our lives.

Back in the day. Black and white photos. Solawise logo.

Through personal interviews, students learn how lifestyles have been transformed as a result of energy changes since Back In The Day.

To view teaching materials for additional Renewable Energy topics, select a category below.

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CREATE expresses its gratitude to the Wisconsin Public Service SolarWise for Schools Program for sharing these Renewable Energy lesson plans with us.

To access additional Renewable Energy Education Resources, visit our Resources page.