ELECTRICITY AND HOW GENERATORS WORK
ALTERNATIVES TO USING FOSSIL FUELS FOR ENERGY & FUEL
WHY ARE FOSSIL FUELS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
NATURAL RESOURCES
What are natural resources?
Natural Resources article
Natural Resources Flocabulary
Top Natural Resources
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?
Natural resources are things that we use that come from the earth and are naturally made. Of those natural resrouces, some take MILLIONS of years to form and we are using up those resources faster than they can replenish themselves. Other natural resources don't take nearly as long to remake. We call resources that can be made again, or renewed, quickly RENEWABLE resources. We call resources that take a long time to be remade (millions of years) or cannot be made again quickly NON-RENEWABLE resources.
Renewable: Plants, Animals; Inexhaustible: (special kind of renewable resources): solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal
Nonrenewable: Fossil fuels: natural gas, coal, petroleum (oil), Metals: aluminum, gold, iron
THINGLINK about renewable vs nonrenewable
Renewable/Nonrenewable Resources
FOSSIL FUELS
What are fossil fuels?
What are Fossil Fuels?
Fossil Fuels
What are fossil fuels- student energy
How are fossil fuels formed?
Fossil Fuel Formation Smore
Coal and Oil Formation
WHY IS BURNING SO MANY FOSSIL FUELS IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
Earth in a Minute- NASA video (we watched this in class)
Climate Change- show short video
CLIMATE TIME MACHINE- GOOD -correlation between CO2 emmissions and temps rising
Planet Health Report- What is Carbon Dioxide? When did CO2 levels rise?
Warmest Year- what causes air pollution?
Climate Tales- watch videos about animals and what they have to deal with as this continues
Images of Change- NASA - what do you notice is happening in these pictures? Flooding? ice caps melting? damaged lands? larger lakes, bigger rivers...
Earth NOAA Charts
NASA's Climate Kids
WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE? WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?
AMAZING DOCUMENTARY!
FOR EXTRA CREDIT- WATCH THIS WHOLE VIDEO AT HOME ON NETFLIX (we watched 12 minutes of it in lcass only)
Before the Flood- Watch this if you can at home!!! It's a great documentary by Leonardo DiCaprio regarding climate change
It's available on Netflix- (((In class, we watched this: start at 11:00, stop at 22:00; then go to 1:11 for interview with Obama and then NASA scientist and footage of climate. Stop at 1:21)))
What did you learn from the clips from the video "Before the Flood"?
VERY GOOD EVIDENCE AND EXPLANATIONS:
NASA Digging Deeper:
Evidence- What evidence proves humans have caused increased temperatures?
Causes- What are some causes of climate change?
Effects - What is the greenhouse effect? What is the differences between good and bad ozone? What are greenhouse gases?
Scientific Consensus climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
CLIMATE TIME MACHINE- GOOD Sea Ice: What is happening to sea ice? Sea Levels: What would happen along the coast of Florida if Greenland ice melts? Carbon Dioxide: What has happened with the CO2 levels in the past 200 years? Global Temperature: What has happened with the global temperatures in the past 200 years?
FAQs
Look at this link again:
What causes air pollution?
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/air-pollution/
Vital Signs: CO2: climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/ What do you notice is similar about the trend of CO2 emissions and temperature?
How do we release CO2 into the atmosphere?
Carbon Cycle: What is the carbon cycle?
WHAT IS THE Slow Carbon Cycle
WHAT IS THE Fast Carbon Cycle
HOW IS Changing Carbon Cycle due to humans? USE LINK ABOVE
Climate Change and CO2 Has the climate of the earth changed before? What's different this time? Without humans, how would the carbon in fossil fuels be released naturally?
When did the industrial revolution begin? When did temperatures start to drastically rise?
What is coral?
What is coral bleaching?
Coral Bleaching explained
How many degrees has the ocean increased?
How has this increase in temperature affected our oceans and coral reefs?
Great Barrier Reef- declared dead- National Geographic Infographic
Reefs dying
Rising temps killing reefswww.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ10xBl8XMQ
bleeched coral pictures
Graphing Global Temperatures Activitywww.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/graphing-global-temperature-trends/
How to read heat maps- NASA
Global Warming Demonstrationwww.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/global-warming-demonstration/
More information and graphs:
EPA- Climate Change Indicators
Where is earth's water?
US Energy Explained
CO2 and the atmosphere- US Air Force Study video
Drought Monitor
What will happen?
What coastal cities will look like if sea levels continue to rise
Negative Effects of Climate Change What are some negative effects of climate change?
NASA- how climate change will affect us?
If Sea Levels rise... what will happen?
Watching sea levels rise from space (article and embedded video)
Sea Levels Rising Activity- NASAwww.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/the-science-of-earths-rising-seas/
What are natural resources?
Natural Resources article
Natural Resources Flocabulary
Top Natural Resources
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?
Natural resources are things that we use that come from the earth and are naturally made. Of those natural resrouces, some take MILLIONS of years to form and we are using up those resources faster than they can replenish themselves. Other natural resources don't take nearly as long to remake. We call resources that can be made again, or renewed, quickly RENEWABLE resources. We call resources that take a long time to be remade (millions of years) or cannot be made again quickly NON-RENEWABLE resources.
Renewable: Plants, Animals; Inexhaustible: (special kind of renewable resources): solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal
Nonrenewable: Fossil fuels: natural gas, coal, petroleum (oil), Metals: aluminum, gold, iron
THINGLINK about renewable vs nonrenewable
Renewable/Nonrenewable Resources
FOSSIL FUELS
What are fossil fuels?
What are Fossil Fuels?
Fossil Fuels
What are fossil fuels- student energy
How are fossil fuels formed?
Fossil Fuel Formation Smore
Coal and Oil Formation
WHY IS BURNING SO MANY FOSSIL FUELS IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
Earth in a Minute- NASA video (we watched this in class)
Climate Change- show short video
CLIMATE TIME MACHINE- GOOD -correlation between CO2 emmissions and temps rising
Planet Health Report- What is Carbon Dioxide? When did CO2 levels rise?
Warmest Year- what causes air pollution?
Climate Tales- watch videos about animals and what they have to deal with as this continues
Images of Change- NASA - what do you notice is happening in these pictures? Flooding? ice caps melting? damaged lands? larger lakes, bigger rivers...
Earth NOAA Charts
NASA's Climate Kids
WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE? WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?
AMAZING DOCUMENTARY!
FOR EXTRA CREDIT- WATCH THIS WHOLE VIDEO AT HOME ON NETFLIX (we watched 12 minutes of it in lcass only)
Before the Flood- Watch this if you can at home!!! It's a great documentary by Leonardo DiCaprio regarding climate change
It's available on Netflix- (((In class, we watched this: start at 11:00, stop at 22:00; then go to 1:11 for interview with Obama and then NASA scientist and footage of climate. Stop at 1:21)))
What did you learn from the clips from the video "Before the Flood"?
VERY GOOD EVIDENCE AND EXPLANATIONS:
NASA Digging Deeper:
Evidence- What evidence proves humans have caused increased temperatures?
Causes- What are some causes of climate change?
Effects - What is the greenhouse effect? What is the differences between good and bad ozone? What are greenhouse gases?
Scientific Consensus climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
CLIMATE TIME MACHINE- GOOD Sea Ice: What is happening to sea ice? Sea Levels: What would happen along the coast of Florida if Greenland ice melts? Carbon Dioxide: What has happened with the CO2 levels in the past 200 years? Global Temperature: What has happened with the global temperatures in the past 200 years?
FAQs
Look at this link again:
What causes air pollution?
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/air-pollution/
Vital Signs: CO2: climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/ What do you notice is similar about the trend of CO2 emissions and temperature?
How do we release CO2 into the atmosphere?
Carbon Cycle: What is the carbon cycle?
WHAT IS THE Slow Carbon Cycle
WHAT IS THE Fast Carbon Cycle
HOW IS Changing Carbon Cycle due to humans? USE LINK ABOVE
Climate Change and CO2 Has the climate of the earth changed before? What's different this time? Without humans, how would the carbon in fossil fuels be released naturally?
When did the industrial revolution begin? When did temperatures start to drastically rise?
What is coral?
What is coral bleaching?
Coral Bleaching explained
How many degrees has the ocean increased?
How has this increase in temperature affected our oceans and coral reefs?
Great Barrier Reef- declared dead- National Geographic Infographic
Reefs dying
Rising temps killing reefswww.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ10xBl8XMQ
bleeched coral pictures
Graphing Global Temperatures Activitywww.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/graphing-global-temperature-trends/
How to read heat maps- NASA
Global Warming Demonstrationwww.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/global-warming-demonstration/
More information and graphs:
EPA- Climate Change Indicators
Where is earth's water?
US Energy Explained
CO2 and the atmosphere- US Air Force Study video
Drought Monitor
What will happen?
What coastal cities will look like if sea levels continue to rise
Negative Effects of Climate Change What are some negative effects of climate change?
NASA- how climate change will affect us?
If Sea Levels rise... what will happen?
Watching sea levels rise from space (article and embedded video)
Sea Levels Rising Activity- NASAwww.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/the-science-of-earths-rising-seas/
WHAT ARE ALTERATIVE ENERGY SOURCES?
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES
Solar Energy
Bill Nye Explains How Solar Panels work
How Solar Panels Work
How do Solar Panels work? (advanced)
How do we convert solar to electric? D News
Wind Energy
Energy 101: Wind Energy
Wind Turbines
How do Wind Turbines Work? (advanced)
Texas- leading Wind Energy State
How do wind turbines generate electricity
Diagram, Wind turbine size comparison
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Farms
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine 18 Wheeler
Infographic, How Loud is a Wind Turbine?
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Person
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Cross Section
Interactive Infographic, How Wind Turbines Work
Infographic, Wind Energy in America
Inside a Wind Turbine is a generator. Generators are used in many ways:
How do generators work? start at :28 (also difference between motors and generators)
How to make a simple generator THIS IS VERY HELPFUL!
What is a magnet (since there is a spinning magnet in a generator)
Magnetism explained
What's inside a wind turbine_ (advanced)
Wind Energy Facts
Fun Ideas and creative wind turbines around the world:
Unique Wind Turbines- check out some of these ideas before you think about your wind turbine
Very Creative Wind Turbines
Wind Energy Phone Chargers- creative way to use wind energy to charge your phone!
Micro Wind Turbines- tiny wind turbines!
This guy designed a floating city with wind turbines and solar panels- maybe something we will see in the future!?
Here are some pictures of other fun, unique ideas- from our 2017 Blog
Energy 101: Electric Generation
Hydroelectric Energy
Animation
Energy 101: Hydroenergy
How it works?
Research today in class. Answer these questions:
1. Where are the world's largest hydroelectric dams?
2. What are some famous hydroelectric dams?
3. How do hydroelectric dams generate electricity?
4. What are some fun facts about water energy?
5. What are some pros and cons to using hydroelectric energy?
6. How much of our electricity is generated by hydro power?
Geothermal Energy
Energy 101: Geothermal
Geothermal for heating a home
How it works?
Geothermal energy in Iceland, video
Iceland geyser, video
Beehive geyser at Yellowstone National Park, video
Geyser animation
How geothermal power plants work, video
"Renewable Energy 101: Geothermal Energy" video
Map of where geothermal energy is available in the USA
National Geographic, geothermal power in Indonesia
National Geographic, geothermal power in Costa Rica
National Geographic, geothermal power in Nicaragua
Turning trash into energy, video
"Mapping Every Power Plant in the US"
Sweden is importing trash to use a biofuel, video
Biofuels
Energy 101: Biofuels
Algae to Fuels
Algae Tech
Nuclear Energy- not a renewable energy source, but it IS an alternative to fossil fuels
How Nuclear Energy works
How does it work?
Fission- atoms split apart
What is Fusion- atoms fused together
Nuclear Fusion
Where are Nuclear Power Plants?
Nuclear Power Plant Accidents
Quick Facts about Nuclear Energy
_Nuclear Weapons History
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
PROS AND CONS OF EACH RESOURCE:
How to generate electricity video Energy 101 video
1. Advantages and Disadvantages of each Alternative Energy
Research the pros and cons of each energy source and take notes; you'll be writing a letter about this in a few weeks, so be thinking about which energy source you think is the most effective?
SOLAR
Pros and Cons of Solar Energy Article
Pros and Cons 2 Solar Panels
How do Solar Panels work?
Pros and Cons video
Problems with solar panels
WIND
Pros and Cons of Wind Energy Article
Article 2 Wind
What is wind energy and what are pros and cons video
Wind Energy Facts
How does a wind turbine generate electricity video
Wind Energy The Truth Video
GEOTHERMAL
Pros and Cons Geothermal Energy Article
How geothermal works energy 101 video and text
Table of Pros and Cons Geothermal Energy
HYDROELECTRIC
Pros and Cons of Hydro Power
Video on Pros and Cons
Article on pros and cons from concerned scientists
BIOFUELS
Pros and Cons of Biofuels article
Article 2 Biofuels
Problems with Biofuels- video
RECAP/REVIEW PROS AND CONS and then you decide, which energy source do you want to champion?
Looking at the numbers- Renewable Energy Sources
Which Power Source is most efficient? D News
Carbon Free Energy Flocabulary
If Green is so great, why aren't we using it more? D News
Is it worth it? Wind and Solar D News
Wall Street Journal- Experts discuss which is the best
Solar Energy
Bill Nye Explains How Solar Panels work
How Solar Panels Work
How do Solar Panels work? (advanced)
How do we convert solar to electric? D News
Wind Energy
Energy 101: Wind Energy
Wind Turbines
How do Wind Turbines Work? (advanced)
Texas- leading Wind Energy State
How do wind turbines generate electricity
Diagram, Wind turbine size comparison
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Farms
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine 18 Wheeler
Infographic, How Loud is a Wind Turbine?
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Person
Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Cross Section
Interactive Infographic, How Wind Turbines Work
Infographic, Wind Energy in America
Inside a Wind Turbine is a generator. Generators are used in many ways:
How do generators work? start at :28 (also difference between motors and generators)
How to make a simple generator THIS IS VERY HELPFUL!
What is a magnet (since there is a spinning magnet in a generator)
Magnetism explained
What's inside a wind turbine_ (advanced)
Wind Energy Facts
Fun Ideas and creative wind turbines around the world:
Unique Wind Turbines- check out some of these ideas before you think about your wind turbine
Very Creative Wind Turbines
Wind Energy Phone Chargers- creative way to use wind energy to charge your phone!
Micro Wind Turbines- tiny wind turbines!
This guy designed a floating city with wind turbines and solar panels- maybe something we will see in the future!?
Here are some pictures of other fun, unique ideas- from our 2017 Blog
Energy 101: Electric Generation
Hydroelectric Energy
Animation
Energy 101: Hydroenergy
How it works?
Research today in class. Answer these questions:
1. Where are the world's largest hydroelectric dams?
2. What are some famous hydroelectric dams?
3. How do hydroelectric dams generate electricity?
4. What are some fun facts about water energy?
5. What are some pros and cons to using hydroelectric energy?
6. How much of our electricity is generated by hydro power?
Geothermal Energy
Energy 101: Geothermal
Geothermal for heating a home
How it works?
Geothermal energy in Iceland, video
Iceland geyser, video
Beehive geyser at Yellowstone National Park, video
Geyser animation
How geothermal power plants work, video
"Renewable Energy 101: Geothermal Energy" video
Map of where geothermal energy is available in the USA
National Geographic, geothermal power in Indonesia
National Geographic, geothermal power in Costa Rica
National Geographic, geothermal power in Nicaragua
Turning trash into energy, video
"Mapping Every Power Plant in the US"
Sweden is importing trash to use a biofuel, video
Biofuels
Energy 101: Biofuels
Algae to Fuels
Algae Tech
Nuclear Energy- not a renewable energy source, but it IS an alternative to fossil fuels
How Nuclear Energy works
How does it work?
Fission- atoms split apart
What is Fusion- atoms fused together
Nuclear Fusion
Where are Nuclear Power Plants?
Nuclear Power Plant Accidents
Quick Facts about Nuclear Energy
_Nuclear Weapons History
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
PROS AND CONS OF EACH RESOURCE:
How to generate electricity video Energy 101 video
1. Advantages and Disadvantages of each Alternative Energy
Research the pros and cons of each energy source and take notes; you'll be writing a letter about this in a few weeks, so be thinking about which energy source you think is the most effective?
SOLAR
Pros and Cons of Solar Energy Article
Pros and Cons 2 Solar Panels
How do Solar Panels work?
Pros and Cons video
Problems with solar panels
WIND
Pros and Cons of Wind Energy Article
Article 2 Wind
What is wind energy and what are pros and cons video
Wind Energy Facts
How does a wind turbine generate electricity video
Wind Energy The Truth Video
GEOTHERMAL
Pros and Cons Geothermal Energy Article
How geothermal works energy 101 video and text
Table of Pros and Cons Geothermal Energy
HYDROELECTRIC
Pros and Cons of Hydro Power
Video on Pros and Cons
Article on pros and cons from concerned scientists
BIOFUELS
Pros and Cons of Biofuels article
Article 2 Biofuels
Problems with Biofuels- video
RECAP/REVIEW PROS AND CONS and then you decide, which energy source do you want to champion?
Looking at the numbers- Renewable Energy Sources
Which Power Source is most efficient? D News
Carbon Free Energy Flocabulary
If Green is so great, why aren't we using it more? D News
Is it worth it? Wind and Solar D News
Wall Street Journal- Experts discuss which is the best
alternative_energy_proscons.docx |
Writing a Letter to a Public Official
RUBRIC BELOW
You are going to write a public official and try to encourage them to invest more in alternative energy! This rubric was passed out in class, but if you lost it, you can use this online copy as well.
Below is a list of the guidelines and REQUIRED elements:
Below is a list of the guidelines and REQUIRED elements:
You're voice can be heard!
We have received responses from the President of the United States, the Texas Governor, the Mayor of Austin, and Director of Austin Energy in previous years.
Here is a letter from President Obama in 2016.
This is the letter that we received a few years ago from President Obama when students wrote the president. Remember you can always write your public officials about concerns you have or areas you see need improvement.
2. Make a Stop Motion Video of how one of these forms of energy can be converted into electrical energy:
Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Biofuels
Here are some helpful links on how to make a stop motion video
How to stop motion video
How to make a Lego Stopmotion
How to make a pro stop motion video
Animation stop motion how to
Go to the STOP MOTION app, or you can use iMOVIE to make a video. Use the links above and your notes to make an accurate portrayal of how it works
2. Make a Stop Motion Video of how one of these forms of energy can be converted into electrical energy:
Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Biofuels
Here are some helpful links on how to make a stop motion video
How to stop motion video
How to make a Lego Stopmotion
How to make a pro stop motion video
Animation stop motion how to
Go to the STOP MOTION app, or you can use iMOVIE to make a video. Use the links above and your notes to make an accurate portrayal of how it works