Grade Level: 6th

  • Understanding Energy

    Understanding Energy

    In this lesson, developed by Coeur d’Alene tribal educators, students explore different types of energy, using the book “Coyote Snares the Wind” as an anchoring story, an interactive game, and hands-on activities.

  • A Study of Alternative Fuels

    A Study of Alternative Fuels

    Select the pencil icon to create an excerpt which will tell educators looking at resources why they should look at this unit.

  • The Farmer’s Dilemma

    The Farmer’s Dilemma

    Over the course of the previous six labs, the students are exposed to alternative power systems focusing on hydrogen and electricity. This last structure combines all the knowledge students armed themselves with into a comprehensive presentation regarding the future of farming in our area… specifically that of fuels the farm tractor will use to harvest…

  • The Cycle Analyst

    The Cycle Analyst

    Students will use a Cycle Analyst to collect data from an electric go-kart and measure the efficiency of the system. The Cycle Analyst can be used on other small electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, scooters and golf carts.

  • Hydrogen Cars

    Hydrogen Cars

    Students will discover some properties of Hydrogen and how a PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) operates. They will work to create their own hydrogen kit car and experiment by measuring its gas production, power output if the fuel cell, and the power requirements for operating the vehicle for one minute.

  • Creating an Hydrogen Generator

    Creating an Hydrogen Generator

    Students will discover some properties of Hydrogen. They will work to create their own hydrogen generator and experiment by measuring its gas production and amperage used for production.

  • Creating an Electric Motor

    Creating an Electric Motor

    Students will discover some properties of electromagnets. They will create their own electric motor and measuring its torque by picking up a weight over a given distance and time. With this motor, they will learn how an electric motor works and to troubleshoot for optimum operation.

  • Creating an Electromagnetic Field

    Creating an Electromagnetic Field

    Student teams will work together to discover properties of electromagnets. They will work together to create their own electromagnets and experiment its strength to pick up paperclips using batteries of varying voltages. With this experiment, they will also learn about series and parallel circuits. Later lessons will require the use of these electromagnets to create…

  • Experimenting with Solar Heaters

    Experimenting with Solar Heaters

    An engineering design challenge that has students first building and taking measurements from a predesigned solar water heater, then moving into designing their own solar water heater to beat the performance of the pre-designed one – 3 lessons.

  • Creating the Most Effective Solar Heater

    Creating the Most Effective Solar Heater

    In this activity students demonstrate the ability to evaluate competing solutions to the problem of increasing the heat energy transferred to a vial of water.

  • Solar Car Engineering Challenge

    Solar Car Engineering Challenge

    In this activity students demonstrate the ability to evaluate competing solutions to the problem of increasing the heat energy transferred to a vial of water.

  • Manipulating Design Variables on Solar Heaters

    Manipulating Design Variables on Solar Heaters

    In this activity students demonstrate the ability to evaluate competing solutions to the problem of increasing the heat energy transferred to a vial of water.

  • Making the Standard Solar Heater

    Making the Standard Solar Heater

    In this activity students will learn that sunlight energy can be transformed into other forms of energy and that the amount of sunlight energy captured by an object can be quantified and measured.

  • When and Why Do We Build Dams?

    When and Why Do We Build Dams?

    Students will demonstrate basic understanding of electricity generation and basic components of a hydroelectric dam. They will research, design and test turbines for hydroelectric generation. Students will research and defend(opinion stance) various people groups and social justice factors(tribal rights, salmon protection & energy access) connected with water storage, flood/irrigation support and electricity production/distribution.

  • Renewable City

    Renewable City

    This Renewable City Unit aims to help students dive in and actively explore sustainability, renewable resources, and how they might personally help solve our climate change problem. As students use multiple methods for investigating, creating, and thinking about these critical issues, they will be encouraged to develop pliable minds and action-oriented skills to address climate…

  • Community Project

    Community Project

    Students decide on a community project they’d like to do to personally help with climate change or energy justice.

  • Battleship Windfarms

    Battleship Windfarms

    Wind power is a renewable resource that provides humans with an alternative to fossil fuels. However, wind farms cannot be built everywhere and when they are in the path of migratory birds, they can kill or injure these birds.

  • Future Needs of the PNW Hydropower System

    Future Needs of the PNW Hydropower System

    Students will evaluate the arguments for breaching the snake river dams, and the arguments against the breach. They will assess cost/benefit assessments, stakeholder positions, and possible solutions.

  • How Can a Dam Affect a River?

    How Can a Dam Affect a River?

    This pair of activities explore aquatic food pyramids in the river and reservoir. Inviting students to explore the impact a reservoir makes on a river ecosystem, how that can be studied, and what causes the differences in species observed. This is a teacher recommended lesson by Foundation for Water & Energy Education (FWEE).

  • Does this Dam Pass or Fail?

    Does this Dam Pass or Fail?

    Students conduct Internet research to investigate the purpose and current functioning status of some of the largest dams throughout the world. They investigate the success or failure of eight dams and complete a worksheet. While researching the dams, they also gain an understanding of the scale of these structures by recording and comparing their reservoir…

  • Who Makes Decisions About Dams? Stakeholder Role Play

    Who Makes Decisions About Dams? Stakeholder Role Play

    This lesson empowers students to explore the roles of the stakeholders who are at play. Through role-playing, students will learn about the varied opinions regarding the dam removal and will ultimately have to reach a compromise as a class after a mock public forum.

  • Evaluating River Restoration Projects

    Evaluating River Restoration Projects

    This lesson will introduce the role of the Snake River dams and the impacts they have on the Chinook population. Students will examine the pros and cons of various scenarios that have been presented by research scientists.

  • Ecological Interactions Between PNW Keystone Species

    Ecological Interactions Between PNW Keystone Species

    Students will examine the decline in chinook salmon and how the loss of this keystone species is impacting the South resident killer whale populations.

  • Environmental Challenges to PNW Keystone Species

    Environmental Challenges to PNW Keystone Species

    Students learn about the dwindling orca population, and the contributing factors. One of which is the decline of chinook salmon and how the loss of this keystone species is impacting the SRKW populations.

  • Hydrogen Through Electolysis

    Hydrogen Through Electolysis

    Students learn about Hydrogen production and how it could potentially fit in the future energy landscape. This lesson includes an experiment with electrolysis using easily found supplies. This is a teacher recommended lesson from Energy Information Administration.

  • Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp

    Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp

    In this lesson, students will be challenged with an optimization problem. The fictitious town of Solutionville has decided to replace coal, their current source for electricity, with more sustainable energy sources. In designing Solutionville’s sustainable energy future, students must consider not only the geographic constraints of various renewable energy options–wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy,…

  • The PowerWheel

    The PowerWheel

    The PowerWheel is a micro hydro generator—an amazing tool for teaching lessons about energy, hydro-power, and other renewable sources of energy. Students from kindergarten through college can use this tool to charge cell phones, power laptops and more… all from the power of a water faucet! This is a teacher recommended lesson from Educational Innovations.

  • Creating a Hydroelectric Powerplant

    Creating a Hydroelectric Powerplant

    Students will discover a relationship between amperes and voltage to Watts as a hydro-electric powerplant produces electricity. They will work as a team to create a powerplant and measure the flow and force of electricity. The variables of air pressure will simulate different head pressures as it pertain to simple water dam design. They will…

  • Solar Boats

    Solar Boats

    Students are led through a comprehensive unit leading them from the basics of energy through to a culminating solar boat engineering design project (9 lessons).

  • Analyze Data and Develop Conclusions

    Analyze Data and Develop Conclusions

    Students have performed the investigation. They will now analyze their data, refer to their initial predictions, and develop their conclusions. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the usefulness of both quantitative and qualitative data forms, determining where each is most useful in drawing specific types of conclusions. This discussion will be used as a…

  • Energy Carousel: Collaborative Sensemaking on Energy and How We Measure It

    Energy Carousel: Collaborative Sensemaking on Energy and How We Measure It

    This lesson aims to help students investigate answers to the questions: “What is Energy?” and “How can we see or measure energy?”. The lesson serves as a first step in understanding energy as a phenomenon and will help scaffold students’ abilities to comprehend renewable resources better later. Students observe and measure energy at 3 carousel…

  • Exploring Electromagnets

    Exploring Electromagnets

    Students build and test an electromagnet that will build foundational understandings into the generation of electricity and basis of our energy system.

  • Exploring Renewable Energy Resources: Water Power

    Exploring Renewable Energy Resources: Water Power

    Prior to undergoing their own engineering design process, students build background understanding through testing a waterwheel, observing the functionality of hydropower turbines, and developing context around regional and national hydropower resources.

  • Introduction to Water Power

    Introduction to Water Power

    After discovering ways to harness the power of wind, learning how water can also generate electricity is a logical next step. This lesson allows students to understand why water is a renewable resource and how it can do work to create energy. Before creating their own hydropower model, students also observe, make predictions and test…

  • The Basics of Energy, Electricity, and Water

    The Basics of Energy, Electricity, and Water

    Students develop foundational knowledge around the functionality of hydropower generation, providing presentations on their assigned subject matter.

  • How Variables Impact Hydroelectric Output

    How Variables Impact Hydroelectric Output

    Students will interact with a hydroelectric model, testing how different variables connected to real-world design features affect the power output of the generation source.

  • Turbine Blade Design Engineering

    Turbine Blade Design Engineering

    Students test the effects of manipulating variables in wind turbine design on the overall power output and effectiveness of the turbine design.

  • Tragedy of the Commons

    Tragedy of the Commons

    In this lesson, students will engage in a simple game in order to model and understand Tragedy of the Commons. During the game, students discuss their ideas about sustainability.

  • Hydropower Dams: Learning Through Stakeholder Research

    Hydropower Dams: Learning Through Stakeholder Research

    Students will take on the perspective of different stakeholders that are involved in hydropower development. They will use their scientific understanding and the needs of that stakeholder to communicate varying positions on the development of new dams.

  • History of Hydroelectric Power/What Does a Dam Do?

    History of Hydroelectric Power/What Does a Dam Do?

    Students will engage with history of dams using a famous case study.

  • Exploring Renewable Energy Resources: Offshore Wind

    Exploring Renewable Energy Resources: Offshore Wind

    Students will build wind turbines in a variety of forms to develop a deep understanding of the function of wind turbines as well as variables that affect how successful a particular design is.

  • Socratic Circle and Climate Change Phenomena

    Socratic Circle and Climate Change Phenomena

    Students analyze their own ideas about climate change and sustainability using a Socratic Circle discussion then investigate a phenomenon to further make sense of climate change. Students’ ideas help shape their understanding of climate challenges and give space for discussion around what an equitable, sustainable community looks like.

  • Future Water Power Technologies

    Future Water Power Technologies

    Students will explore new technologies being designed to generate electricity as our grid continues to modernize.

  • Designing a Renewable City Model

    Designing a Renewable City Model

    Students will use their collective understandings built throughout an entire unit of sustainability topics to develop their own sustainable city. This lesson uses a variety of visual and physical hands on tools for students to make their ideas and climate solutions come to life. Students will wrap up their development by presenting their “Renewable City”…

  • Career Profiles in Hydropower

    Career Profiles in Hydropower

    This collection of introductory videos will allow students to explore real careers in the hydropower industry. While not necessarily a lesson plan, these tools fit into any unit emphasizing career-connected learning, with all careers having direct connections to scientific and/or professional expertise. This is a teacher recommended resource.

  • Spark Squad Comics

    Spark Squad Comics

    These comics use a fictional set of middle school characters to engage students in hydropower and marine renewable energy topics, with activities included in each comic for students to track their learning. This is a teacher recommended resource from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

  • Idea Game Generator

    Idea Game Generator

    Students will select a combination of geogrpahies and technologies to be tasked with developing “land art.” In this process, they will creatively plan the integration of these technologies into the land in a way that allows for environmental and societal benefits. This planning activity can be launched into a larger unit of engineering design or…

  • How Do Solar Panels Work?

    How Do Solar Panels Work?

    Students will learn the basics of how a solar cell generates electricity and observe the effects on a small electrical load attached to a solar module under a variety of conditions. They will build upon knowledge gained in previous lessons dealing with energy transformations in order to build an understanding of how the sun’s energy…

  • Adrift in a Sea of Plastic

    Adrift in a Sea of Plastic

    Students will explore the phenomenon of plastic garbage islands and develop engineering solutions to address the problem. Students will use 3-D modeling and 3-d pens and printers to create their model solutions, and conduct research on the problem and present on the problem and their solution (4 lessons).

  • Design and Engineer Solutions

    Design and Engineer Solutions

    This lesson is designed to span 9 days with 50-minute sessions. The students will use a Design and Engineering Journal to guide them in the design and engineering process. In small groups they will use the research from lesson 2 to formulate solutions to the problem of plastic trash islands. The students will build models…

  • Engineering 101

    Engineering 101

    This lesson is designed for three 50-minute sessions. The students will engage in multiple mini-engineering challenges to develop their understanding of structures and how to build models. The students will also learn to use the 3D pens to create a 3D object.

  • The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands

    The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands

    This lesson is designed for 3 days, 50-minute sessions. The students will watch videos and take 2 column notes to guide independent research. The students will examine different solutions that are already being tried and experimental solutions that have not yet been implemented. The students will research the problem and then develop a Google Slide…

  • TinkerCAD: Introduction to 3D Printing

    TinkerCAD: Introduction to 3D Printing

    This lesson is designed to span 5 days with 50-minute sections. After the introduction day, each day the students work toward mastery on the TinkerCAD tutorial online to learn how to create printable 3D models. At the end of the 4 days the students will have created a small 3D model to specifications to print…

  • Solar Updraft Towers

    Solar Updraft Towers

    Students will combine research, direct observations, and hands on investigation to lead them into an engineering design project involving the construction of a solar updraft tower (5 lessons).

  • Learning About Solar Updraft Towers

    Learning About Solar Updraft Towers

    This lesson helps students learn about solar updraft towers being planned and built around the world to help solve the energy crisis by using unlimited power from the sun. This will provide real world context to the engineering challenge they engaged in during the previous lesson. A video is shown to the class; then students…

  • Let’s Build Our Wind and Solar Energy Toy

    Let’s Build Our Wind and Solar Energy Toy

    Students will combine what they learned in previous lessons using their investigations of convection-related phenomena to design a device that will convert light energy from the sun into thermal energy and utilize the resulting convection currents. Their primary objective will be to design a device that uses energy from the sun when placed on a…

  • Wind Power: A Hands-on Experience

    Wind Power: A Hands-on Experience

    This lesson challenges students to work in teams to design successful turbine blades for the “KidWind Firefly”. The firefly has an LED light that lights up when the students have designed turbine blades that spin effectively. This lesson provides students with hands-on experience in designing turbine blades. This will scaffold them nicely into Let’s Build…

  • Where Does Energy Go?

    Where Does Energy Go?

    This lesson consists of six demonstration activities that show examples of ways in which water and air absorb heat to transfer energy from one place to another. These demonstration activities act as unique phenomena in which students can generate questions to lead subsequent investigations with each activity in learning centers. Through gaining content from investigations…

  • Informative Writing: Where Does Energy Come From?

    Informative Writing: Where Does Energy Come From?

    This lesson is a non-fiction research and writing project, which includes a differentiated choice menu and list of ideas for publishing the completed project. Each student will choose one of ten energy sources to research, including coal, natural gas, petroleum, propane, uranium, biomass, wind, geothermal, hydropower and solar. They will write a report on the…

  • Collect Data and Compare Performances of Different Boat Designs

    Collect Data and Compare Performances of Different Boat Designs

    Students will race the solar speedboats, airboats, and surface submarines and then compare the performance results and of the various types of solar boats made by the class. Students will compare and contrast forces acting on the system by examining the results of the airboat, speedboat and surface submarine races.

  • Solar Boat Science Investigation & Building Solar Boats

    Solar Boat Science Investigation & Building Solar Boats

    Design a science investigation to test a solar speedboat, airboat, and surface submarine. Students will use the “Planning an Investigation Template” in order to determine their motivations for designing a solar boat, make predictions about the outcomes with this design, plan the construction by determining materials to be used in the design, diagram their plans,…

  • How to Measure Output of Solar Modules?

    How to Measure Output of Solar Modules?

    Students will measure output from a solar module before a load is attached and relate it to real world output. They will make these measurements using a multimeter and be able to determine the optimal angle at which their module generates a current flow. This process is meant to reveal to students some of the…

  • What is Force?

    What is Force?

    Students will build a barge out of tin foil and describe the forces acting it. The barge itself is designed only with the constraints that passengers within the barge will not get wet, allowing for students to experiment with different shapes and densities as they construct their boats. This simple design challenge has a competition…

  • What is Energy Transfer?

    What is Energy Transfer?

    Students will continue to build an understanding of the fundamentals of energy through observing and describing a variety of energy transformations and build on their foundational vocabulary for identifying and discussing energy concepts. In this stage of the lesson, students will engage more with examples of electrical energy, both stored and kinetic in order to…

  • What is Energy?

    What is Energy?

    Students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of energy through observing a variety of energy transformations and develop a foundational vocabulary for identifying and discussing energy concepts. Students will make observations about how energy is converted between stored and kinetic forms through interacting with these changes in a station-based format. Students have the opportunity…

  • Wave Attenuator

    Wave Attenuator

    Students will experiment with the basic concepts of motion to electrical energy transformation. Students start by building a series of models that demonstrate the interactions between magnetic and electric fields. Students then apply this background knowledge to design and optimize a solution for wave energy conversion using a wave attenuator (3 lessons).

  • Testing a Tidal Wave Attenuator

    Testing a Tidal Wave Attenuator

    Students will test the efficiency of the tidal wave attenuator models that they previously built. They will determine variables on their models they can manipulate, such as wire gauge and magnet strength, and measure the effects of manipulating this variable on the success of their design. They will report their findings in a presentation to…

  • Building a Tidal Wave Attenuator

    Building a Tidal Wave Attenuator

    This lesson is designed to build upon investigations of electromagnetic energy by applying these phenomena to transfer the kinetic energy moving in waves to electricity by building a wave attenuator.

  • Introduction to Electromagnetism

    Introduction to Electromagnetism

    Through a series of goal-oriented activities and research, students will build physical models that demonstrate the interactions between magnetism and magnetic fields as well as interactions between magnetism and electric fields. Students will be challenged to engineer devices that: change a magnetic field using electricity, creating a magnet using electricity, and inducing a changing magnetic…

  • Home Energy Consumption

    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.

  • Solar Mobile Design Challenge

    Solar Mobile Design Challenge

    This unit involves students learning about transferring solar energy to small motors, exploring the center of gravity and testing light sources (including the sun). The culminating engineering design project gives students the chance to pull together their new learning in order to design a tabletop solar powered mobile (5 lessons).

  • Solar Mobile Design Challenge – Construction

    Solar Mobile Design Challenge – Construction

    This is the culminating hands-on project for the Solar Mobile Design Challenge Lessons, with construction aligned to an engineering design process. Students start by Restating the Design Problem that was introduced to them in the beginning of the Unit. Next, they Brainstorm ideas and Plan out the construction of the mobile. Students research an aircraft…

  • Light Source Efficiency: Exploring Irradiance

    Light Source Efficiency: Exploring Irradiance

    This lesson explores the concept of irradiance by having students use a Vernier Pyranometer. Using the “Light Source Efficiency” worksheet to guide their work, students measure irradiance as compared to the Sun’s irradiance to see what would be the best light source for powering their solar mobile indoors. This can be done as a demonstration…

  • Exploring Center of Gravity

    Exploring Center of Gravity

    Since the concept Center of Gravity (mass) is a key factor in a mobile, students will participate in some activities to help them experience and understand this principle so it can be applied to their final Solar Mobile design. This lesson starts with a teacher demonstration of the discrepant event of a bird that can…

  • Exploring Circuits and Optimum Power

    Exploring Circuits and Optimum Power

    This lesson is an exploratory learning cycle that will give the instructor input as to where students are in their understanding of circuits and also scaffolds student learning. This lesson starts by engaging students by using an Energy Stick. Then, students start by working with small lamps and LEDs to build simple series and parallel…

  • Introducing the Solar Mobile Design Challenge

    Introducing the Solar Mobile Design Challenge

    This lesson is aimed to engage students and build excitement for their future engineering design challenge of building the fastest Solar Powered Mobile. Through multimedia resources, Students will encounter real life solar aircrafts and a room-sized Solar Mobile. Students will then be given the scenario of designing a solar mobile for a Children’s Technology Museum…

  • Simple Solar Tracker Activity

    Simple Solar Tracker Activity

    Students will be shown a working example of a solar tracker and asked to replicate the design based on their observations (1-2 lessons).

  • Solar Sphero SPRK+

    Solar Sphero SPRK+

    This unit incorporates basic programming knowledge and solar energy into an engineering design challenge using Sphero SPRK+ robots. The theme for this challenge centers on the idea of Mars rovers, and the challenges faced in space exploration, specifically remote control of exploration tools and the energy generation needed to power these devices (6 lessons).

  • Final Challenge and Presentation

    Final Challenge and Presentation

    In this lesson, students will navigate through a maze using their SPRK+ in order to reach the solar charging station. Students will redesign their chariot in order to meet the needs of this new maze in order to carry their solar panels to the charging station, providing energy for their rover to continue working. Following…

  • Chariot Engineering Design

    Chariot Engineering Design

    Students will work through the engineering design process to build a chariot for their SPRK+ that will carry their solar panels through a maze to a charging station. Students will draft prototypes, test their designs, and make changes to their design based on the initial success of the chariot.

  • Electricity Fundamentals and Photovoltaics

    Electricity Fundamentals and Photovoltaics

    Students work through a number of solar circuit explorations that culminate in a challenge to charge the Sphero SPRK+ devices with solar panels. In this exploration, students will investigate the requirements of various loads, working toward the voltage and amperage requirements presented specifically by the SPRK+ charging station.

  • Mars Exploration Debate

    Mars Exploration Debate

    Students will research and then debate about the value of Mars exploration through robotic and/or human missions using a debate structure.

  • Sphero Edu Coding

    Sphero Edu Coding

    After working on a few Scratch drag and drop programs, participants will transition to Sphero Edu, a comparable drag and drop program for Lesson 2 to prepare to program a Sphero SPRK+ ball to navigate through a maze.

  • Introduction to Drag and Drop Coding Using Scratch

    Introduction to Drag and Drop Coding Using Scratch

    Students go through a series of exercises and projects/challenges to gain familiarity with coding, specifically with drag-and-drop coding. Students will look at Scratch, a free introductory computer programming language, which focuses on creative computing. After working on a few Scratch drag and drop programs, participants will transition to Sphero Edu (formerly Lightning Lab), a comparable…

  • Waste to Power

    Waste to Power

    This unit guides students through exploring how humans harness the natural environment to create clean power from anaerobic digestion and its role in clean energy production. Additionally, they will explore solutions that benefit the environment, their communities, and all humanity.

  • What Can We Do To Fix This?

    What Can We Do To Fix This?

    Students experiment with creating hydrogen through electrolysis. Starting with the phenomena of the renewable hydrogen infographic students discuss renewable hydrogen’s place in our energy system, careers in renewable hydrogen, and climate change.

  • What Are The Costs Of Our Current Use of Power And Waste?

    What Are The Costs Of Our Current Use of Power And Waste?

    Students use their existing knowledge to share their understanding of the costs of our current systems of power and waste. Using digestion bottles made in Introduction to Waste to Power and Digestion Lab 1. Students learn about renewable methane and how it can be incorporated into the power and waste systems.

  • What Is The Greenhouse Effect?

    What Is The Greenhouse Effect?

    After conducting an experiment to witness greenhouse gas creation. Students learn more about how greenhouse gasses are created naturally and through human activity. Students will discuss how greenhouse gasses help and harm.

  • Are We Changing Our Air/Atmosphere?

    Are We Changing Our Air/Atmosphere?

    Using an air scale built by the class, students observe some properties of CO2 and how it affects the air we breathe. Reintroduce the concepts of anaerobic digestion. Students expand their thoughts and knowledge of global warming.

  • How Does Carbon Dioxide Affect Our Water?

    How Does Carbon Dioxide Affect Our Water?

    Using the phenomena of wastewater treatment. Students are challenged to think about how water must be “just right” before it can be used. Through experimentation students are introduced to pH. Students are asked how carbon dioxide affects water both in a sample and in the world.

  • How Is Our Wastewater Cleaned?

    How Is Our Wastewater Cleaned?

    Utilizing the phenomena of a wastewater treatment facility runway students explore how water is made safe for drinking. Students experiment to understand density using salt and baby carrots. Students put it all together discussing barriers to access to clean water.

  • What is Carbon?

    What is Carbon?

    Students observe a display of charcoal, wood, and food scraps as they discuss the different types of carbon. Students learn about the carbon element and discuss how human interactions and carbon dioxide levels.

  • How Are We Part of the Carbon Cycle?

    How Are We Part of the Carbon Cycle?

    How does the carbon cycle give us life? Starting with the phenomena photo students explore how carbon breaks down as a part of the carbon cycle. Students reflect on the carbon cycle and carbon sinks.

  • Molecular Digestion: From Elephant’s Toothpaste to a Plastic Cow

    Molecular Digestion: From Elephant’s Toothpaste to a Plastic Cow

    Exploring the essential questions: “What is a digester? and “How are molecules broken down during digestion?” Students will learn about anaerobic respiration, utilizing the elephant toothpaste experiment, and how our water is cleaned through a virtual tour and optional experiments.

  • Introduction to Waste to Power and Digestion Lab 1

    Introduction to Waste to Power and Digestion Lab 1

    Students begin to build their understanding of how waste becomes power with the exploration of waste utilizing the phenomena infographic. Students learn about anaerobic digestion and hydrolysis. The class will perform part 1 of an experiment which will be finished in Lesson 9: What are the costs of our current use of power and waste?

  • Designing a Sustainable City of the Future

    Designing a Sustainable City of the Future

    The concept for this unit is to teach students about natural resources and renewable energy in the context of how these things impact people, communities, and the environment. They will study the actions of current and past environmental activists, learn to look critically at current energy systems, and possible solutions. The final outcome of the…

  • Designing a City That Addresses Energy Needs

    Designing a City That Addresses Energy Needs

    Students work collaboratively to design a sustainable city of the future with attention to water, energy, carbon footprint, waste, and city layout needs.

  • What Are Some Possible Solutions To Current Energy Challenges?

    What Are Some Possible Solutions To Current Energy Challenges?

    Students explore possible solutions to current energy challenges, focusing on methane collection.

  • Who Is An Activist?

    Who Is An Activist?

    This lesson introduces students to youth environmental activists involved in the work in creating an awareness about climate change issues. Students will begin to consider how they can use critical thinking to identify issues and their voice to address issues in their communities.

  • What are Current Energy Systems and Challenges?

    What are Current Energy Systems and Challenges?

    Students research and present different energy sources and challenges.

  • How Does Human Use of Resources Impact the Environment?

    How Does Human Use of Resources Impact the Environment?

    Students learn about how human use of natural resources can impact the environment. Students create a fog catcher to make sense of the phenomenon. Students assess the impact of their actions on the environment through an ecological footprint/handprint activity.

  • Natural Resources

    Natural Resources

    This lesson introduces students to natural resources and creates a foundational understanding of how people use natural resources. Students will begin to understand the different forms of energy and how human activity and use of resources can impact the environment.

  • Bioreactor Water Heating

    Bioreactor Water Heating

    Students are guided through the concepts of solar and biomass heating as well as water pumping to design a water pumping system that uses multiple technologies to avoid water freezing in winter.

  • Bioreactor Water Circulation System

    Bioreactor Water Circulation System

    Together we explore the feasibility of using heated water in a bioreactor to circulate water through a trough or pipe system to outdoor water sources from freezing in the winter. This will be done by utilizing a solar water pump and a compost bioreactor. Additionally, students will explore whether such a system could be used…

  • Compost Bioreactor Design

    Compost Bioreactor Design

    Students will research the science and proper maintenance of composting to create their own bioreactors. Using their research they will adjust their compost for maximum heat production used to heat water.

  • Passive Solar Water Heating

    Passive Solar Water Heating

    Students will utilize milk jugs to understand the how to optimize the sun’s ability to heat the water contained within. By recording their observations and calculating the joules of energy absorbed students will gain understanding of the energy of the sun.