Rationale
The world is facing a climate crisis and is in a race against time. Throughout two Industrial Revolutions over two hundred years, we have burned fossil fuels and released massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere. The result is rising temperatures and the threat to life on Earth, possibly within the next hundred years. The carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere must be reduced by 2050 to moderate a rise in temperatures and the next mass extinction.
I want my students to understand that burning fossil fuels has been harmful to Earth. Burning fossil fuels for energy seemed cheaper at the time, but now humans are really paying for their costly mistake. I also want them to realize that throughout history humans have relied on natural resources for survival. Humans can once again meet their needs and survive if we use nature. Wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, and ocean waves are sources of energy that are better for the environment than fossil fuels, and if we instead rely on these, we may be able to save our planet.
The curriculum unit will focus on wind energy for several reasons. It is related to science standards that I must teach including weather, oceans, and natural resources. Wind energy is timely and relevant. Dominion Energy, a Richmond-based company, is currently constructing a 2.6-gigawatt off-shore wind project 27 miles from Virginia Beach. My students reside about 90 miles west of Virginia Beach. This project is a major part of the shift to renewable energy and the effort that is underway to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The transformation from fossil fuels to green energy will drive the economy and energy policies and will be a turning point in history.
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