Project Learning Tree’s Energy & Society Kit offers K-8 students opportunities to learn about their relationship with energy and helps develop their critical thinking skills to make decisions about their personal energy use. In addition to hands-on activities, this curriculum integrates music and dance to enhance the study of energy issues.
The kit contains an activity guide, an award-winning Energy & Me CD and dance DVD, and two sets of posters. The materials feature:
- 6 hands-on, multi-disciplinary lessons
- Background information for educators
- Correlations to national standards in science, social studies, and English language arts
- Student energy primer
- Multiple copies of two different classroom energy posters; Where is the Energy? and What Powers the Move?
- Ideas for action projects and science fairs
The Energy & Me CD was selected as a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award Winner and a Children’s Music Web Award Winner.
Student Energy Primer
The student energy primer provides more information about specific energy resources, such as fossil fuels, nuclear, biomass, hydropower, solar, and more. It is designed so you can duplicate it for use with your students.
Activity 1 – Energy Detectives
Students explore the Where is the energy? poster and then search their classroom for energy connections. They record the ways they use energy throughout a typical day in an energy detective journal.
Activity 2 – May the Source Be with You
Using the Where is the energy? poster, students identify various renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. They research one energy resource, and create a poster that describes that resource in detail.
Activity 3 – Energy Chains
Students will identify the different forms of energy and construct an “energy chain” showing how different energy forms change.
Activity 4 – What Powers the Move?
Students will examine transportation systems vital to their community. They will use the What powers the move? poster to identify transportation methods and design a future transportation system for their community.
Activity 5 – In the Driver’s Seat
In this activity, students learn about gasoline, then explore fuel conservation and energy efficiency by simulating the distance they can travel on a set amount of gasoline using different vehicles.
Activity 6 – Energy Challenge Game
Students will review energy concepts and information through the use of a game similar to Jeopardy!®
Visit our Correlations page to explore connections between this curriculum and STEM, the Next Generation Science Standards, and the Common Core State Standards for both ELA and Math.
Get the Materials
- Purchase a Kit. Available from Shop.PLT.org or through your PLT State Coordinator.
- Contact your PLT State Coordinator about scheduled in-person workshops in your area, or work with him or her to plan one for your unique setting!
- Subscribe to our newsletter to receive notice of new resources that support this curriculum, plus ideas for engaging students with their environment in both a formal classroom and nonformal setting.
- To access all resources, including the Student Pages for each activity and up-to-date information and resources on topics such as “fracking” and climate change, register (for free!) and log in.
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