Bell Ringer
Instructions: Select one of the Bell Ringers for students to reflect on and answer.
Vocabulary
Instructions: Go over important terms and their definitions before watching the Introduction to Energy video. Student vocabulary list can be found in the Student Guide and Introduction to Energy – Starter Pack.
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Appliance | noun; a machine or device that is used to do a specific job, especially in the home | “The Internet, all phone systems, every appliance, air conditioning and heating . . . [are powered by energy].” |
| Consume | verb; to use up something, such as time, energy, food or resources | “We consume energy 24 hours a day.” |
| Product | noun; something that is made or grown to be sold or used | “Every single product we buy, like a pair of blue jeans, requires energy.” |
| Discard | verb; to get rid of or throw away | “From the time it’s made in a factory, washed, and dried, and worn, and eventually discarded, a pair of jeans uses the equivalent of three gallons of gasoline.” |
| Gallons | noun; a unit of liquid volume equal to approximately 3.8 liters or 16 cups | “You might have 50 gallons of gas in your closet from your blue jeans alone and not just jeans.” |
| Harvest | verb; to gather crops or other food from farms or fields when they are ready | “It’s planted, harvested, processed, packaged, transported, retailed and bought using energy all along the way . . .” |
| Process | verb; to take something and change it in a special way to get it ready to use or sell | “It’s planted, harvested, processed, packaged, transported, retailed and bought using energy all along the way . . .” |
| Retail | verb; to sell goods or products directly to customers, in stores or online | “It’s planted, harvested, processed, packaged, transported, retailed and bought using energy all along the way . . .” |
| Equivalent | adjective; something that is equal in value, meaning or amount to something else | “From the time it’s made in a factory, washed, and dried, and worn, and eventually discarded, a pair of jeans uses the equivalent of three gallons of gasoline.” |
| Underpin | verb; to be the main support or important part that holds something up or makes it work | “Every home, every business, every government, every major issue is underpinned by energy . . .” |
Quiz & Cloze Notes
Instructions: Review key concepts after watching the Introduction to Energy video. The Student Guide and Introduction to Energy – Starter Pack contain the quiz and cloze notes.
Quiz Answer Key: Q1:B Q2:C Q3:B Q4:D
Cloze Notes Answer Key: modern, everything, sleep, energy, food, underpins, important
Data Set
Instructions: Provide students with the Introduction to Energy – Data Set for data literacy and analysis practice.
Answer Key: Question 1: Hydrocarbons include Oil (2.33%), Natural Gas (22.54%), and Coal (35.13%). Together they equal 60% of global electricity generation in 2023.
Question 2: Answers will vary. (Example: Making electricity from oil is expensive compared to other energy sources. Oil is mainly used for transportation, not power plants. It’s also a hydrocarbon, so burning it results in high emissions.)
Question 3: Answers will vary.
Question 4: Answers will vary. (Example, I think that wind, solar, and biomass electricity generation will grow over the next ten years as more investments and policies are made towards supporting renewable energy sources.
Question 5: Answers will vary.
Energy Around Us Hands-On
Instructions: Use the Energy Around Us Hands-On – Student Handout and the following Teacher Guide to conduct the lab activity.
Introduction
Modern life depends on energy in nearly every way. From transportation and communication to clothing and food, energy is essential. This lesson helps students discover the hidden role energy plays in everyday life.
Student Objectives
- Identify classroom items that rely on modern energy sources.
- Explain how energy enables the production and use of common objects and devices.
- Reflect on how life would be different without access to modern energy sources.
Materials
- Student Handout
- Energy Makes Our World video
- Small stickers (e.g. circle garage sale dots, masking tape, or mini Post-its)
Procedure
A. Engage
Invite a brief discussion of where students think energy is used in their daily lives.
Example prompt: “A lot of people are talking about modern energy sources like oil, natural gas, solar, wind, coal, nuclear, and more! I wonder how much energy from these sources we use every day?”
B. Explore
- Distribute the student handout and stickers to students.
- Instruct students to circulate around the classroom and put a sticker on any item that requires a modern energy source (one sticker per item) and record the items and energy required on the first page of the handout. Do not coach students.
- Once completed, have students compare lists and reasoning, in pairs, small groups, or as a whole class discussion.
C. Explain
- Watch the video “Energy Makes Our World.”
- Facilitate a brief discussion about the hidden energy behind products.
D. Explore – Part 2
- Instruct students to repeat the sticker activity, but this time focusing on hidden or indirect energy use (e.g. manufacturing, transportation, storage). Students will record the items and energy required on the second page of the handout.
- Ask guiding questions such as, “Where did this item come from before arriving here?” and “How might energy have been used to make or move it?”
E. Elaborate
Once completed, once again have students compare and discuss their findings. Use discussion prompts such as
- Which items surprised you the most for how much energy they used?
- What would be the hardest to live without, and why?
- Which energy sources seemed to show up the most?
- What does this activity show about our dependence on energy?
F. Evaluate
- Have students complete a 100-200-word journal entry answering the question: “What would life be like if you could not use any modern sources of industrial energy and had to rely on only direct natural sources of energy?”
- Encourage them to be detailed, sharing how they would access food, transportation, heating, shelter, and clothing, as well as how their social life would change.
Exit Ticket
Instructions: Access the Exit Ticket and have students reflect on and answer the prompt.