SC.912.P.10.15
Have students build series and parallel circuits in the Play-Doh lab, then complete the Ohm’s Law math extension.
Florida – Renewable Energy 1 Honors Quick-Start Guide
Summary
This guide offers a collection of lessons and activities for Florida’s Renewable Energy 1 Honors course, aligned to its NGSSS benchmarks. It provides a variety of engaging resources, including hands-on labs on solar, wind, and hydrogen, data analysis on hydropower and biofuels, and debates that weigh energy costs and benefits. This curated content saves teachers time while connecting the course’s physics, resource, and sustainability standards to real-world energy systems.
Resources
Science of Electricity
SC.912.P.10.15, SC.912.P.10.16
Conduct the How Winding Affects Voltage lab to show how generators work through electromagnetic induction.
Science of Nuclear
SC.912.P.10.11, SC.912.E.6.6
Have students practice nuclear energy calculations or conduct the Nuclear Energy Town Hall Debate.
Science of Wind
SC.912.E.6.6, SC.912.L.17.11
Explore global wind use in the Data Set, then assign the Wind Computation.
Science of Solar
SC.912.E.6.6, SC.912.L.17.11
Assign the Reading and questions to weigh solar’s benefits, costs, and environmental trade-offs.
Science of Geothermal
SC.912.E.6.6, SC.912.L.17.11
Assign the Reading, where students weigh geothermal’s environmental advantages against its development concerns.
Introduction to Bioenergy
SC.912.E.6.6, SC.912.L.17.19
Assign A Bioenergy Challenge where student teams create a realistic energy plan for a fictional town.
Science of Biofuels
SC.912.E.6.6, SC.912.L.17.11
Assign the Data Set and have students take on the role of a policymaker weighing whether to expand biofuel use.
Science of Hydropower
SC.912.E.6.6, SC.912.L.17.11
Assign the Data Set and have students analyze the positive and negative impacts of expanding hydroelectric dams.
Student-Designed Solar Photovoltaics Investigation
SC.912.N.1.1, SC.912.E.6.6
Have students design and conduct their own solar investigation, from question to data collection to defense.
Hydrogen Power: Exploring Electrolysis
SC.912.P.10.1, SC.912.E.6.6
Conduct the electrolysis lab to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, then have students classify the hydrogen produced using the color label system.
Float the Offshore Wind! Hands-On
SC.912.N.1.1
Challenge students to build and test a floating platform that keeps a model wind turbine upright.
U.S. Energy Issues Debate
SC.912.N.4.2, SC.912.L.17.11, SC.912.L.17.13
Have students research an assigned stance on energy policy, then participate in a classroom debate.
Energy Matchmaking Gallery Walk
SC.912.L.17.11, SC.912.N.4.2
Challenge students to evaluate reasons to use one energy source over another in the fun and interactive gallery walk.
Developing Media Literacy - Mini-Unit
SC.912.N.1.4
Introduce students to the fundamentals of media literacy through the lens of researching energy topics.