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Renewables are Ready: A Guide to Teaching Renewable Energy

Secondary, Middle

Description

This is a book available as a PDF file. The preface and introductory sections serve as background information for the teacher on the history of renewable energy use and the need to teach students about it. There is a compilation of activities which have students examine the science of renewable energy, make models illustrating the function of the technology and examine energy alternatives from environmental and economic perspectives.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

This resource teaches students to:

  • Build models of renewable energy technologies.
  • Analyse the economics of converting energy production technologies.
  • Consider the energy sources of a community.

Strengths

  • These activities allow for creative thought by students. They are hands-on and relevant to a student's own community.
  • The resource thoroughly examines the topic of energy use from how a student obtains energy needed at home and at school, the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy, the functioning of emerging renewable technologies, to the economic and political implications of decision making regarding sources of energy for communities.

Weaknesses

  • There is not a great deal of background information available in the model building activities.
  • A student who is not good with building may have difficulty completing this project on their own.

Relevant Curriculum Units

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      • Environmental Science
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        • Environmental Science 12: Human activities cause changes in the global climate system
      • Science
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        • Specialized Science 12: Climate change impacts biodiversity and ecosystem health

Themes Addressed

  • Citizenship (2)

    • General Guide to Taking Action
    • Sustainable Consumption

  • Energy (3)

    • Alternative Energy
    • Energy Generation
    • Energy Use

  • Science and Technology (1)

    • Analysing Conventional Science

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Good

This book presents activities relating to the production and use of renewable energy technologies. One activity allows students to examine traditional energy generation with fossil fuels as well, and make a decision regarding which would be best for their town.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Good

The major thrust of this resource is renewable energy technologies. It does address economics in: "Playing It Cool: A Renewable Energy Economics Game". Two activities relate to political implications: "The Government Energy Budget: A Simulation" and "Coal Comes to Anytown: A Public Meeting".

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Very Good

Activities relating to resolution of issues are very detailed.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Very Good

Students build their own models of renewable energy technologies. Simulations give them background for taking action. "Suggested Additional Activities and Lessons" encourage them to take action in their own community.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good
Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Satisfactory
Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

Students can relate to home heating and the production of electricity. Effort is made in the activities to have students consider their own community.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

Students are simply told to build an example of the technologies with few specific guidelines. In the class discussion type activities students are given background information and guidlines for procedures, they would reach their own conclusions.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Very Good

Students examine the science, technology, economic and community implications of energy production with a specific focus on renewable energy.

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Very Good
Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Very Good

Throughout the entire resource, the activities are very varied.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Very Good

Students develop connections building the technologies. They deepen the connections as they consider economic and political implications and further make the connections to their home community in the suggested additional activities.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Students would work alone for some activities and in groups that interact with classmates in other activities.

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Satisfactory
  • The models are tested after they are built.
  • Self-assessment is not otherwise mentioned.
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory

Student presentations are not mentioned in the activities involving the building of models, but could be added. Incidental teaching would happen in the public meeting and possibly the economics activity.

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Poor/Not considered
Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Good

Students can select any material to work with.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.