Rationale and Overview
The rationale behind the unit is that it is vital to our global future to provide energy education to children. Energy will continue to play an increasing role in politics, the economy, our environment and in human health. The hope is that energy education will help students become concerned energy citizens, well educated consumers of energy, and possibly spark an interest in playing a role in the energy industry of the future. It has become increasingly clear that it is necessary to change our attitudes and behaviors surrounding energy consumption. Early education in energy helps promote this goal of change. I have chosen to focus this curriculum unit on renewable resources because of my belief that increasing our usage of renewable energy resources as well as developing and improving technologies associated with these sources will play an important role in the global energy profile in upcoming decades. I believe that students can learn to make informed energy choices and that this learning should be an active and dynamic process for students.
The unit is designed to target 4 th and 5 th grade students. The first part of the unit will begin by exploring the most basic concepts of what energy is. The learning will then transition into exploring different energy sources and an investigation of how use of renewable and non-renewable resources impact climate and the environment. In the second part of the unit, the two grade levels will diverge and begin a focused study of their particular energy source(s). 4 th grade students will examine solar energy while the 5 th grade students will look at the energy sources of wind and water. The overall goal of the ENERGY QUEST unit is to engage students in exciting and authentic hands-on learning in science and to give them the information necessary to help change the future of energy in this country.
Comments: