Planning Ahead for APES Unit 6 (Energy): A Few Resources That Might Save You Time

As a teacher, January sneaks up faster than expected. You come back from winter break, Unit 6 is staring you in the face, and suddenly you’re trying to remember how you paced energy resources last year, and what you swore you’d change.

A lot of AP Environmental Science teachers start planning right about now, especially with Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption coming up after the break. It’s a dense unit with a lot of moving parts, and it can be tough to balance content, skill-building, and exam prep all at once. 

With that in mind, we wanted to share a few APES resources we’ve been building that can support Unit 6, whether you’re looking for a full structure or a few easy plug-ins when you need them.

A Go-To APES Collection for Unit 6

We pulled all of our AP Environmental Science materials into one APES Resources Collection, so everything lives in one place when you need it. The collection includes 37 lessons and activities, all aligned to the APES standards.

It’s designed to be flexible, so you can take exactly what works for your classroom. Some teachers use the collection to teach Unit 6 start to finish. Others grab individual lessons, especially the skill-based pieces students often need extra practice with after winter break. Either way, the goal is to make energy resources feel more manageable.

The math practice, task verbs work, and FRQ score-building activities are especially useful for keeping exam skills fresh while you’re diving into energy content.

A Few Unit 6 Resources Worth Bookmarking

Here are a couple of things that tend to get the most use during this unit:

Switch On (Full Film and Discussion Guide)

This resource works really well when students are struggling to connect energy resources to real-world systems. The film ties energy production to human needs and global development, and the teacher guide helps turn it into a meaningful discussion rather than just a “movie day”.

Unit 6 Note-Taking Guide

This is one of those resources that quietly makes life easier for both you and your students. It helps students organize information on each major energy source: what it is, why we use it, and the trade-offs involved.

It pairs nicely with videos on different energy sources, and students often refer back to it later in the unit when they’re comparing sources or reviewing for test day.

APES Objectives (Student-Friendly Study Guide)

This guide covers the entire APES course, but it’s especially helpful during Unit 6 when concepts start stacking up quickly. Students can see exactly what they’re expected to know, track their understanding of key concepts, and flag areas they need to review. It’s a solid tool for building independence and accountability.

APES Alignment Guide

If you’re short on planning time or want a clearer starting point, this guide works as a quick reference. It maps lessons and activities from the Resource Library directly to the APES CEDs and suggests ways to hit those standards without overcomplicating planning.

Use What Helps, Skip What Doesn’t

Consider these resources a buffet line, designed so you can choose what works best for your classroom. Some teachers use these resources to structure the entire unit, while others pull one or two pieces as extensions or review. 

You can grab resources one at a time or bundle everything together; it really depends on what you need right now. And if you ever want more ideas for where to start or which resources might work best for your classroom, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Out Now: APES Unit 6 Guide

One thing we consistently hear from teachers is that they want to see real examples of how others are using these materials. This guide is the 411 from a veteran APES teacher to help you confidently teach energy resources and consumption.

Here you’ll find specific tips, pacing ideas, and resource combinations for using Switch Classroom to teach Unit 6. It’s a chance to see different approaches and adapt ideas that fit your classroom.

If Unit 6 Is Next on Your Calendar…

If Unit 6 is coming up after winter break, you might find something here that saves you a few hours of prep (or at least makes January feel a little more manageable).

If you want to go a step further, there’s also an upcoming APES Unit 6 Intensive: a free, one-hour professional development session focused on practical ways to approach the unit, share strategies, and highlight resources that work well together.

APES Unit 6 Intensive
January 7th, 2026
7-8 PM CST
Virtual | Free
Register now

If you’d like to stay informed about new APES resources and future professional development opportunities, make sure you sign up for the Switch Classroom newsletter. We use it to share what’s new, what’s coming next, and ideas teachers are finding useful in their classrooms. 

Thanks for everything you do to support your APES students. We’re glad to be part of your planning process!

– The Switch Classroom Team