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Lesson: Energy Resources and Systems

Contributed by: Office of Educational Partnerships, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY

Several activities are included to teach and research the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources and various energy resources. The students work with a quantitative, but simple model of energy resources to show how rapidly a finite, non-renewable energy sources can be depleted, whereas renewable resources continue to be available. The students then complete a homework assignment or a longer, in-depth research project to learn about how various technologies that capture energy resources for human uses and their pros and cons. Fact sheets are included to help students get started on their investigation of their assigned energy source.

Engineers are primarily responsible for the research, development and design of the equipment that captures energy from renewable and fossil fuel resources for human use. Given the eventual decline in the availability of fossil fuel resources, engineers are currently working hard on making the technologies for capturing renewable energy resources more efficient, reliable and economically competitive.

Learning Objectives
Introduction/Motivation
Background
Vocabulary
Associated Activities
Attachments
Assessment
References

Grade Level: 8 (6-8)	Lesson #: 5 of 8
Time Required: 320 minutes 8 40-min. class periods (time required depends greatly on the depth of energy source research projects)	Lesson Dependency :Energy Forms, States and Conversions
Keywords: biomass energy, fossil fuel, geothermal, nuclear, photovoltaic, renewable, solar energy, wind turbine

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subject areas	Data Analysis and Probability Physical Science Physics
curricular units	Energy Systems and Solutions
activities	Energy Sources Research Energy Systems Activity Renew-a-bead

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Math
- work flexibly with fractions, decimals, and percents to solve problems (Grades 6 - 8) [2000]
- develop, analyze, and explain methods for solving problems involving proportions, such as scaling and finding equivalent ratios (Grades 6 - 8) [2000]
- understand and use ratios and proportions to represent quantitative relationships (Grades 6 - 8) [2000]
- recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics (Grades -1 - 12) [2000]
- use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena (Grades -1 - 12) [2000]
- use observations about differences between two or more samples to make conjectures about the populations from which the samples were taken (Grades 6 - 8) [2000]
- select, create, and use appropriate graphical representations of data, including histograms, box plot, and scatterplots (Grades 6 - 8) [2000]
National Science Education Standards Science
- Energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei, and the nature of a chemical. Energy is transferred in many ways. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- In most chemical and nuclear reactions, energy is transferred into or out of a system. Heat, light, mechanical motion, or electricity might all be involved in such transfers. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Students should base their explanation on what they observed, and as they develop cognitive skills, they should be able to differentiate explanation from description--providing causes for effects and establishing relationships based on evidence and logical argument. This standard requires a subject matter knowledge base so the students can effectively conduct investigations, because developing explanations establishes connections between the content of science and the contexts within which students develop new knowledge. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Electrical circuits provide a means of transferring electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Thinking critically about evidence includes deciding what evidence should be used and accounting for anomalous data. Specifically, students should be able to review data from a simple experiment, summarize the data, and form a logical argument about the cause-and-effect relationships in the experiment. Students should begin to state some explanations in terms of the relationship between two or more variables. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry. Mathematics is essential to asking and answering questions about the natural world. Mathematics can be used to ask questions; to gather, organize, and present data; and to structure convincing explanations. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Technological solutions have intended benefits and unintended consequences. Some consequences can be predicted, others cannot. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Perfectly designed solutions do not exist. All technological solutions have trade-offs, such as safety, cost, efficiency, and appearance. Engineers often build in back-up systems to provide safety. Risk is part of living in a highly technological world. Reducing risk often results in new technology. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Science influences society through its knowledge and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment. The effect of science on society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Natural hazards can present personal and societal challenges because misidentifying the change or incorrectly estimating the rate and scale of change may result in either too little attention and significant human costs or too much cost for unneeded preventive measures. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- The sun is a major source of energy for changes on the earth's surface. The sun loses energy by emitting light. A tiny fraction of that light reaches the earth, transferring energy from the sun to the earth. The sun's energy arrives as light with a range of wavelengths, consisting of visible light, infrared, and ultraviolet radiation. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]
- Human activities also can induce hazards through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, and waste disposal. Such activities can accelerate many natural changes. (Grades 5 - 8) [1995]

Does this curriculum meet my state's standards?

(note - there is enough information here for the first day and into the second class period of this lesson)

(Begin the class with a brainstorm discussion. The students are already familiar with some of these issues.)

"Where does the energy we use come from?"

"Energy comes from an energy source". (Write a heading of "Sources" on the board and brainstorm with the class for examples of energy sources.)

What do we know about these energy sources? (show pictures in attached powerpoint file)

Each of these sources has a starting form and is converted into a different form for our convenient use. (students can use sources and conversion worksheet to take notes)

Fossil Fuels - Chemical (petroleum, natural gas, coal)
Uranium - Nuclear
Biomass -Chemical
Geothermal -Heat (generated from nuclear processes within earth)
Hydropower -mechanical
Wind -mechanical
Solar Power -Electromagnetic

Can we use this energy in its form? For example, can sunlight be directly used to power a radio? No, a solar photovoltaic panel needs to be used for energy conversion. An energy system is a set of conversion technologies that convert energy resources, like energy from the sun, into a form that we can utilize for human needs.

Energy resources are available in our natural world. Solar energy is responsible for almost all of these resources. The sun is responsible for the uneven heating of the earth that causes wind and sunlight and plant photosynthesis creates biomass materials such as wood or corn that we can convert into useable energy. The exceptions are nuclear and geothermal.

Energy resources that are replenished at the same rate that we use them are defined as renewable energy resources. Solar, wind, geothermal and tidal energy are examples of renewable energy. Biomass can be renewable if we use the plant material at the same rate that it regrows. If we chop down all the trees in a short period though to burn, that resource is not renewable.

Fossil fuels are also a form of solar energy because they were generated from biomass materials millions of years ago. They are not renewable because we are using them at a much faster rate than they are being regenerated.

Most of our energy is originally derived from the sun.
Environmental impacts differ depending upon the energy source and conversion process.
Energy sources can be classified as renewable, nonrenewable or inexhaustible resources.

An energy source can be considered renewable if it is replenished within a short period of time.
Renewable resources include solar, wind (including offshore), hydro (including micro-hydro), geothermal and biomass.

The world's supply of nonrenewable fossil fuel resources is limited. Their use can negatively affect our environment. Currently, society is strongly dependent upon nonrenewable fossil fuel energy resources. Although our lives could be negatively impacted if the demand for these resources exceeds the supply. This "peak" in the oil supply occurred in the United states in the 1970's (Figure 1). Our country survived that peak by increasing our imports of oil from other countries. As the whole global faces the next peak in oil production, we'll have to change to other energy sources (and reduce the amount of oil that we consume). See also:

http://fossil.energy.gov/education/energylessons/coal/coal_howformed.html for more on how fossil fuels formed.
http://www.oilposter.org/ for a poster and information on "peak oil"

US Oil production and imports shows the concept of peak oil.
click for copyright

Different energy sources have different costs.
A system is made up of a sequence of conversions. A basic description of an energy conversion is: Energy from a source provides input to another system component, which converts the form and/or state of energy and provides output to another system component.
In the conversion of energy a significant fraction of that energy can be "lost" from the system (in the form of heat, sound, vibration, etc). This energy is not really lost, it is just not converted to the desirable or intended form).
The components of an energy system must work together to transform energy into a form that can be used in our society. Systems can be divided into inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback.

Biomass energy:	Energy released from plants (wood, corn, etc) through combustion or other chemical process
Energy System:	An energy system is made up of a sequence of conversions with inputs and outputs that transform an energy resource into a form usable for human work or heating
Fossil Fuel:	A non-renewable energy resource that began to form millions of years ago from the remains of once living plants and animals. Its current forms include petroleum, coal and natural gas.
Geothermal Energy :	Heat energy from the earth
Hydropower:	Transformation of the energy stored in a depth of water into electricity
Non renewable energy:	Resources, such as fossil fuels that cannot be replaced by natural processes at the same rate it is consumed
Peak oil :	The point at which the rate that a non-renewable resource (oil) can be produced declines due to the limitations of extraction processes and the availability of the resource.
Photovoltaic:	A chemical process that releases electrons from a semi-conductor material in the presence of sunlight to generate electricity.
Renewable energy:	Resources, such as wind and water, that can be recycled or replaced at a rate faster than they are consumed.
Solar Energy:	Energy from the sun; often captured directly as heat or as electricity through a photovoltaic process.
System Component:	One process in a system comprised of many processes or components
Uranium:	An element that releases heat as it undergoes radioactive decay
Wind energy:	Energy transferred with the motion of air in the lower atmosphere that arises from differential heating of the earth. The energy in the wind can be extracted as mechanical energy to do work such as grind grains (a wind mill) or generate electricity (wind turbine)

Renew-a-bead - a quantitative student activity to show how non-renewable resources are depleted over time
Energy Source Research - students research a particular question of energy source and prepare a report or brief presentation to share with the class (could alternatively be completed as a homework assignment).
Energy Systems Activity - students review diagrams of energy systems and label components

Class discussion: Utilized at the beginning of the unit to evaluate what the students already know about these energy sources. The teacher can utilize this brainstorming session to better know at what level the students need concepts reinforced.

Activity: Students hand in renew-a-bead worksheet with discussion questions completed.

Homework: Fossil fuel graphing activity reinforces the concept that these are non-renewable resources.

Quiz: A quiz at the end of this lesson covers materials in lesson 4 and 5.

Research project (or homework) on energy sources requires students to read and synthesize information to understand and answer questions related to a particular energy source.

Renew-a-bead activity adapted from "Renew-a-bean" activity originally published in:
R.E.A.C.T. Renewable Energy Activities - Choices for Tomorrow Teacher's Activity Guide, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Education Programs, Golden, Colorado. Accessed December 29, 2008. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/gen/fy01/30927.pdf

For more information on energy sources for teacher or student research:
Energy Information Administration, EIA Kid's Page - Energy Facts. US DOE, Accessed December 29, 2008. http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/index.html

Definitions and concepts based on New York State standards and the textbook:
Biggs, A., Burns, J., Daniel, L.H., Ezralson, C., Feather, R.M., Horton, P.M., McCarthy, T.K., Ortleb, E., Snyder, S.L., Werwa, E. Science Voyages: Exploring Life, Earth and Physical Science, Level Red., Glencoe/McGraw Hill: New York, 2000.

Intermediate Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades 5-8, New York State Education, Department, accessed December 31, 2008. http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/intersci.pdf

General Teaching Plan:

This is a multi-day lesson that includes an introduction to energy sources, an activity to understand the value of renewable energy resources, and research on specific sources and their conversions.

Day 1: Intro to Sources

Brainstorm and powerpoint photos to introduce this lesson (see introductory materials above)
Assign the fossil fuel graphing homework

Day 2: Renewable/Non-renewable resources

Complete the Renew-a-bead Activity.

Day 3: Discuss the results of the renew-a-bead activity and fossil fuel graphing homework.

Day 4: Energy Sources Research Activity

Day 5: Energy Sources Research (cont.)

Day 6: Energy Sources Research presentations and summary (+energy sources trivia if time)

Day 7: Energy Systems Activity

Day 8: Energy Sources, Systems, and Conversions Assessment (quiz)

This lesson was originally published by the Clarkson University K-12 Project Based Learning Partnership Program and may be accessed at http://www.clarkson.edu/highschool/k12/project/energysystems.html.

Susan Powers, Jan DeWaters and a number of Clarkson and St. Lawrence University students in the K-12 , Project Based Learning Partnership Program. © 2008 by Clarkson University, Potsdam NY 13699.
This unit was developed under National Science Foundation grants No. DUE-0428127 and DGE-0338216. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Office of Educational Partnerships, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY

Last Modified: July 31, 2009

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