Science of Hydropower – Bell Ringer
Summary
Kick off your advanced lesson with these thought-provoking hydropower bell ringers. The prompts encourage high school students to identify areas of potential energy in a dam, brainstorm impacts of dam construction, and explain the historical growth of hydropower compared to wind and solar. These questions activate prior knowledge and set the stage for a deeper, more technical discussion.
Looking at the picture of a hydroelectric dam, identify and describe the area of the dam system where the water is stored and has the highest potential energy.
Building a hydroelectric dam often relies on flowing river systems to provide the moving water the dams require to generate electricity. Describe TWO potential impacts on human populations or the surrounding ecosystems from building a hydroelectric dam.
Globally, hydropower has steadily grown as a source of energy since the early 1900s, while wind and solar have only begun expanding significantly in recent decades. Brainstorm an explanation why.
