Idaho Power offers tours of hydropower and natural gas generating plants in their territory, as well as of fish hatcheries. Available to any district within Idaho Power Territory. Idaho Power staff will also come to classrooms to make presentations.
Field Work
Washington Green Schools guides and supports students and school communities to be leaders for a healthy environment. As part of their efforts to promote sustainable schools, they have developed a series of games and activities to help students understand energy use in their school and engage in conversations about how to reduce their energy use and clean up their sources of energy.
An interactive map of national tours of hydropower facilities, including in-person field trip opportunities and virtual tours (mostly videos of tours). Has resources for dam tours across the coutnry.
A free iPhone app that allows you to take data on irradiance (in Watts/area), to be able to compare electrical output from solar photovoltaic panels to the irradiance they receive.
A multi-day home energy audit lesson which allows students to work with their family to explore energy usage in their homes.
A great learning framework for place- and field-based seasonal exploration, which is an essential aspect of understanding local resources and seasonality that affects energy generation sources and usage. Includes curricular materials in English and Spanish, and materials and family materials and activities as well.
A 45 minute stand-alone lesson that has students exploring how energy is used in their home, and taking data to calculate energy use and support considerations of how to conserve energy in the home.
This online resource is a quick and easy-to-use energy production calculator for grid-tied solar PV systems installed throughout the world that uses NREL scientific data. This website is used by solar photovoltaic energy installation and engineering professionals on a daily basis!
Home Energy Consumption
Students will calculate the energy consumption of a set of common household devices based on their operating power rating and then investigate the power consumption of other devices in their homes.
Energy Review: Practical and Technical Perspectives—What is Energy?
Students will take a short field trip around the school to identify different types of energy.
Contact Us
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
1500 SW 1st Avenue, Suite 710
Portland OR 97201
phone: 503-248-1905