Energy Education Links
Organizations
Watt Watchers of Texas
This SECO-sponsored site provides information on Watt Watchers of Texas, which is the name of student energy patrols that monitor energy waste in the public schools of Texas.
Infinite Power of Texas
A SECO web site that offers renewable energy fact sheets; teacher lesson plans; renewable energy information resources; renewable energy news and events; interactive energy calculators, and information on incentives, programs, financing institutions, and lending agencies that can help finance renewable energy systems and/or energy efficient homes and home improvements.
Texas Energy Education Development (TEED)
TEED is a group of student council members and sponsors dedicated to educating students across Texas on a variety of topics, including energy, conservation, recycling, and helping the environment in general.
National Energy Education Development (NEED)
The mission of the National Energy Education Development Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs.
NREL's Renewable Energy Education Programs
This is a U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) web site with K-12 Programs, Internship and Graduate Programs, and Teacher Programs.
Renewable Energy Activities - Choices for Tomorrow
This is a 69-page (pdf) Teacher's Activity Guide for Middle Level Grades 6-8.
ENERGY STAR
Energy Star offers businesses and consumers energy efficient solutions - helping to save money while protecting the environment for future generations. Energy Star is a voluntary labeling program of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy that identifies energy efficient products. Energy Star programs and products help save the environment and save consumers money by using less energy through advanced design or construction.
Green Schools
A comprehensive program developed by the Alliance to Save Energy for students and teachers. The Green Schools Program engages students in creating energy-saving activities in their schools, using hands-on, real-world projects. Through basic changes in the operations, maintenance, and individual behavior, Green Schools has achieved reductions in energy use of 5 to 15 percent among participating schools. Lesson Plans.
EnergyTeachers.org
Offers help to teachers interested in teaching about energy production and use. Includes useful links sorted by topic and teacher goals along with relevant news links.
Energy Calculator
A Watts on Schools interactive energy calculator that converts kilowatt-hours to other measures of energy use.
Energy Calculators
Interactive energy calculators from the Infinite Power of Texas web site to help you understand energy production and consumption in a whole new way. Use them to develop a personal profile of your own energy use
Energy Education Resources: K Through 12th Grade
This resource provides a list of generally free or low-cost energy related educational materials designed for students and teachers. The publication is provided by the National Energy Information Center, a service of the Energy Information Administration. A 125-page pdf version of the publication is also available.
Energized Learning
A University of California Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory web site designed for middle and high school students, their teachers and their parents. The more advanced elements of the lessons are applicable to college-level courses. The site includes lessons and activities that develop specific skills and knowledge students are expected to learn in science, mathematics, economics and social sciences and politics.
National Energy Foundation
A great resource for students and educators. This organization is dedicated to the development, dissemination, and implementation of supplementary educational materials, programs, and courses, related primarily to energy, water, natural resources, science and math, technology, conservation, and the environment.
Watts On Schools
The American Electric Power's (AEP) Watts on Schools project offers information about solar energy and schools. The project brings solar power to schools in communities throughout Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Through Watts On Schools, AEP has installed nineteen free solar energy systems. Each system is capable of producing enough energy each month to power a typical Texas home. Participating schools receive the energy produced by the systems for free, lowering the schools' electric bills every month. In addition, participating schools receive solar energy educational materials and conduct solar energy events on an annual basis.
Student Solar Car Teams
Junior Solar Sprint/Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Competitions
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory hosts the U.S. Department of Energy's Junior Solar Sprint/Hydrogen Fuel Cell (JSS/HFC) Car Competitions. Middle School teams from all over the Colorado Region participate in this fun, educational and exciting event. Teams work together building solar and/or hydrogen fuel cell cars with guidance from a parent or teacher coach to compete in race and design categories.
University of Texas at Austin Solar Vehicles Team
Build Your Own Solar Car
For this project, you will be using the electricity from solar panels to power a small car. Your challenge will be to build a solar car that travels as fast and straight as possible.
Online Resources
Looking for renewable energy photos?
Go to this DOE site, PIX: The Photographic Information Exchange for an on-line collection of several thousand photos related to renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. All photos are free and for public use.
Renewable Energy Lesson Plans
The lesson plans offered by SECO's Infinite Power of Texas were revised in 2004-2005 by a team of professional educators and renewable energy experts and now include teacher resource guides, reading passages for students, student worksheets, and many other helpful improvements in an easy-to-download format.
Renewable Energy Fact Sheets
SECO's Infinite Power of Texas web site. Many of the fact sheets are also available in Spanish language versions. Lesson Plans are also available. If you are a teacher and need multiple copies, we can arrange to have them shipped to you at no charge.
Energy Hog
Originally aimed at children with its over-the-top spokesvillian and Energy Hog-busting computer games, the Energy Hog campaign is now also reaching out to adults who want to save energy and money.
Energy for Keeps: Electricity from Renewable Energy
An illustrated guide for grades 6-12 with units on all renewables.
Ask an Expert!
This DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Information Center answers questions on EERE's products, services, and technology programs, refers callers to the most appropriate EERE resources, and refers qualified callers to the appropriate expert networks.
Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) Teacher Resources
FSEC develops educational resources for teachers in the areas of clean and efficient energy resources.
Solar Matters:
Understanding Solar Energy:
PowerHouse
Thames & Kosmos offers a utility-sponsored energy education program called PowerHouse that provides middle school students with a hands-on understanding of home energy and environmental impacts. During the 2004-2005 school year, more than 4,800 Central Texas students learned how to use less energy and save natural resources, thanks to PowerHouse presentations in 38 schools with 25 wholesale customer sponsors. Visit the SolTrex Web site to view graphs and download data for the PV system at your school or look around at other schools in Texas and across the country.
Re-Energy
Re-Energy offers hands-on renewable energy learning experiences. Building working models of renewable energy technologies allows students in grades 7 through 12 to discover the fundamental principles of biology, chemistry and physics, and to explore the application of science and technology to social and environmental issues. Re-Energy explores wind energy, water energy, solar energy, biomass energy and more. The energy project kits can be downloaded for FREE.
Solar Matters
Developed for students and teachers by the Florida Solar Energy Center, a research institute of the University of Central Florida. The purpose is to create an awareness of the power of solar energy, the importance of it in our lives, and its impact on the future of energy development.
Solar Wonders
A solar energy science unit developed for high school students and teachers by the Florida Solar Energy Center, a research institute of the University of Central Florida.
18seconds.org
With U. S. DOE/EPA assistance, Yahoo has launched the 18seconds.org web site where consumers are encouraged to replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star compliant compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFL purchases are tracked nationally and locally. An energy-saving, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), or light bulb is a type of fluorescent lamp that fits into a standard light bulb socket or plugs into a small lighting fixture. DOE and EPA estimate that if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR-approved CFL bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.
Geothermal Materials for Teachers
A Texas Geothermal Outreach and Networking web site.
Geothermal Energy Curriculum
This is a Geothermal Education Office web site. The curriculum unit describes geothermal energy in the context of the world's energy needs. It addresses renewable and nonrenewable energy sources with an in-depth study of geothermal energy - its geology, its history and its many uses. Included are integrated activities involving science, as well as math, social studies and language arts. Whenever possible, high-order thinking and problem-solving skills have been suggested or included in the activities. The curriculum is designed for use with grades 4-8; you choose which lessons and activities you would like to use, depending on the class knowledge and ability, and the time you have available.
Geothermal Slide Show
Geothermal Virtual Tour
Take a geothermal energy field tripófrom the depths of the Earth through the turbine of a modern geothermal electric generation plantóon your home or office computer! The show begins with a dramatic look at geothermal resources far beneath the surface of the Earth. Next, the tour shows how these resources are brought to the surface and converted into steam, how the steam is used to spin turbines and generate electricity, and how the unused fluid is returned to the earth to sustain the geothermal resource.
How electricity is created
An excellent visual description complete with sound effects. Watch the boiler work by simply flipping a switch. Use the arrows to navigate your way to learning how electricity is made at Tampa Electric. Also see how electricity is distributed and lights up our homes.
Build your own biogas generator
An re-energy.ca web site. The site includes teacher materials and student showcase.