YourName:ElizabethMenchaca

TitleofLesson:NewEnergy
Grade:6th

LESSONPLANTEMPLATE

STANDARDS

ESS3.C:HumanImpactsonEarthSystems
ESS3.D:GlobalClimateChange
CCSS.ELALITERACY.W.6.2.A
Introduceatopic;organizeideas,concepts,andinformation,usingstrategiessuchasdefinition,
classification,comparison/contrast,andcause/effect;includeformatting(e.g.,headings),graphics(e.g.,
charts,tables),andmultimediawhenusefultoaidingcomprehension
CCSS.ELALITERACY.W.6.8
Gatherrelevantinformationfrommultipleprintanddigitalsources;assessthecredibilityofeachsource;
andquoteorparaphrasethedataandconclusionsofotherswhileavoidingplagiarismandprovidingbasic
bibliographicinformationforsources

LESSONSUMMARY/OVERVIEW

Dayfiveoftheunitwillincludeaninclassgroupactivityinwhichstudentscreateaposterboard
ordigitalpresentationthatmustincludeamodelordiagramtosharewiththeclass.Theywillbeginby
gettingintogroupsoffourbasedontheirchosensourceofnewenergy.Theywillthenbeginconducting
researchontheirrenewableresourcesIwillhavetheinternet,books,articlesandthewebsiteIcreated
availableinordertogatherinformationontheirtopic;thiswilltakeapprox.2030mins.Aftertheyhave
finishedtheirresearchtheywillthenbeaskedtoputtogetheraposterboardordigitalpresentationof
theirtopic.Thepresentationmustinclude;whatitis,howitworkswhichmustincludeavisualmodel,
anditsadvantagesaswellasdisadvantages.Studentswilltaketheremainderofclasstoputtogethertheir
presentationsandwillpresentthemthefollowingdaybeforetheytaketheEnergyquiz.Thislessonis
relevantforaunitonsustainabilitybecauseItallowsstudentstoengageinmeaningfulresearchpertaining
thewellbeingoftheenvironmentwhilereflectingontheimpacttheyhaveandcanhaveintheir
communitiesbybeingmoresustainable.
OBJECTIVES
Throughthislessonstudentwillbeabletounderstandwhereourenergycomesfromandreflecton

theimpactithasontheearthanditsecosystems. Ialsointendtoincreasetheirproblemsolvingand
criticalthinkingskillsbyexploringnewenergyandtheobstacleswefaceinmakingoursocietiesmore
sustainable.Attheendoftheunitstudentswillbeabletoidentifyandrecognizethedifferencebetween
renewableandnonrenewableresources.Theywillalsobeabletounderstandwhyitisimportanttouse
renewableenergy.
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

Studentswillbequizzedonthecontent,theywillbeexpectedtoidentifyrenewableand
nonrenewablesourcesofenergy.Astheirexittickettheywillalsoberequiredtoansweroneofthe

followingquestionsincompletesentences:Whatisthedifferencebetweennonrenewableandrenewable
energy?Whyisitimportantweuserenewablesourcesofenergy?
PREREQUISITEKNOWLEDGE
MATERIALS

Priortocompletingthislessonstudentwillhavetoknowthatelectricityisusedtopowertheir
communities.IwilluseaKWLCharttoaccesstheirpriorknowledge,agraphicorganizerthat
studentsfilloutbeforeandaftertheyresearchitstandsfor;WhatIKnow,WhatIwanttoknow
andwhatILearned.

VOCABULARY/KEYWORDS

Renewable Energy: Energy from sources that are naturally renewed and will never run out.
NonrenewableEnergy:Energyfromsourcesthatarenotnaturallyrenewedandwillrunout
oneday.
FossilFuels:Afuelthatisformedfromtherottingremainsofplantsandanimalsthatlived
millionsofyearsago.Ex:Coal,Oil,NaturalGas
GreenhouseEffect:ThewarmingofEarthsclimateduetocertaingassesintheatmosphere
absorbingheatandthenreradiatingitbacktoEarth.
GlobalWarming:Atrendtowardhigheraveragetemperaturesacrossearth.
SolarPower:Energyfromthesunthatcanbeconvertedintoelectricalenergy.
Hydropower:Powerthatcomesfromtheforceofmovingwaterthatgenerateselectricity.
WindPower:Energythatcomesfromthewindandistransformedintoelectricity
GeothermalPower:Heatthatisstoredbeneaththesurfaceoftheearththatisthenusedto
generateheatandelectricity.
Uranium:Ametalthatisfoundintheearthscrust.Itisusedtomakenuclearenergy
TEACHINGPROCEDURES

1. Haveeachstudentselectasourceofnewenergy
2. Askthemthosewiththesametopictogetintogroups(nomorethan4or5studentsper
group)
3. Alloweachgroup20to30minstoconducttheirresearchusingtheresourcesprovided.
4. Walkaroundperiodicallycheckinginwitheachgrouptomakesuretheyareontaskorto
answeranyquestions.
5. AftertheyhavecompletedtheirresearchaskstudentstofillinthelastpartoftheirKWL
charts,whatIlearned.
6. Giveoutsuppliesforgroupswhodecidedtodoaposterboardpresentationand/orbuilda
model
7. Givestudentstheremainderofclasstime3045minstoput together their information and
presentation (Helping wherever needed.)
8. The following day allow them to present on their topic before handing out the energy quiz.
RESOURCES

Books:
Energy at the Airport by: Greg Banks
Energy at the Sports Arena by: Greg Banks

Should We Use Green Energy Sources that Could Endanger Animals / YES-NO (Flip Sides) by: Lisa de
Mauro
Energy for the Future by: Julie Haydon
Videos:
How Stuff Works-Solar Energy: Bill Nye https://youtu.be/av24fEMhDoU
Energy 101-Wind Power: https://youtu.be/niZ_cvu9Fts
Energy 101: Hydroelectric Power:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTKNT7Do3xM
Pictures:
Sources of Energy: http://www.pres.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Energy-Sources3.jpg
Renewable and non-renewable Map: http://pillowscience.pbworks.com/f/1298867572/Energy
%20Sources.jpg
Websites:
Energy Quest: http://energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html
WAYSOFTHINKINGCONNECTION

SystemsThinkingfocusesonthecycleofaprocess,natureorassociationsitdeclaresthatone
componentcontributestotheefficiencyoftheentiresystem.Itwill be incorporated into this lesson/unit
by emphasizing the coupled human-environment system as well as the complex systems that go into
retrieving resources for energy.
FuturesThinkingisexemplifiedbytheabilitytothinkabouthowouractionsinthepresentdirectly
influencethefuture.Inthislessonstudents will use futures thinking when discussing and researching the
long term effects the use of fossil fuels has on the environment and reflect on the impact using new
energy can have our future communities and ecosystems.