When I think about why I put so much focus on teaching energy in my 7th and 8th-grade classroom, it really comes down to timing. Middle school is one of those stages where kids are figuring out who they are. In elementary school, they’re excited about everything, and every new idea sounds amazing. By high school, many already see themselves on a path: sports, academics, music, or something else. But in middle school, they’re right in the middle of that shift. They’re starting to shape their own identities and how they see the world.
The Perfect Time to Introduce Energy Literacy
That’s why I think energy belongs here. If you introduce it in a fair, unbiased way, students can start asking real questions and weighing trade-offs for themselves. They see that energy isn’t just a switch on the wall or a battery in their phone. It shows up when the classroom gets too hot and the AC kicks on, when the gym lights take time to warm up, or when a family’s power bill jumps after a heat wave.
Those everyday examples open the door to bigger questions: What does this cost, not just in dollars, but in fuel, resources, and long-term effects? The AC that cools one classroom pushes up demand for the whole block. A bus ride means emissions somewhere. The ovens in the cafeteria trace back to a gas line or a power plant. Suddenly, what felt ordinary becomes a chain of choices, trade-offs, and impacts they can actually see.
Teaching Critical Thinking Through Energy
Energy gives us a way to practice those habits of thinking. In class, we ask: What problem does this solve? Who benefits? What are the trade-offs? What’s the evidence? It’s not about right answers, it’s about the process of reasoning. When a student realizes they can change their mind because new facts came in, that’s a win. That’s critical thinking in action.
Creativity and Curiosity in the Classroom
Teaching energy also sparks creativity. Give middle schoolers a problem with limits — a small budget, limited materials, a design constraint — and they’ll surprise you with how far they can take it. A lesson that starts with something as simple as “How can we keep this room cooler using less energy?” can turn into students sketching, experimenting, and noticing things about insulation or sunlight they’d never paid attention to before.
That’s the magic of teaching energy in middle school. They’re curious, they’re building confidence, and this gives them both a lens and a launchpad. That’s why I’ll keep teaching energy at this age — because middle school is the moment when curiosity and critical thinking meet. And if we can light that spark, it stays with them.
About the Author
Craig Moss has been a middle school science teacher for more than 25 years in a large district in California. He has also helped develop lessons for Switch Classroom for the past four years as a member of the Teacher Advisory Council. His passion is designing fun, engaging, and hands-on student-driven lessons that put kids at the center of learning. He is excited about the future of Switch Classroom and the work we have planned!