Lesson 4: Energy Resources, Efficiency, and Engineering Design
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Students will be able to evaluate renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, analyze energy efficiency, and design solutions that improve energy conversion and reduce environmental impact.
-What are renewable and nonrenewable energy sources?
-How do human energy choices impact society and the environment?
-What does energy efficiency mean?
-How can engineering improve energy systems?
-How can we design devices that improve energy conversion and reduce energy loss?
-Renewable energy
-Nonrenewable energy
-Fossil fuels
-Solar energy
-Wind energy
-Hydroelectric energy
-Geothermal energy
-Energy efficiency
-Input energy
-Output energy
-Engineering design
-Sustainability
HS-PS3-3 – Design and evaluate a device that converts energy from one form to another.
HS-ESS3-1 – Evaluate the availability of natural resources and the impact of energy choices on society and the environment.
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
-Energy and Matter
-Systems and System Models
-Cause and Effect
-Stability and Change
-Students will analyze data comparing renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and their efficiency.
-Students will interpret charts and models showing environmental impacts of energy production.
-Students will construct evidence-based explanations and arguments for energy choices and solutions.
Students will evaluate different energy resources and their environmental impacts while engaging in engineering design. Students will design, test, and refine simple energy conversion devices while analyzing efficiency and energy loss.
Activities may include:
-Designing and testing solar ovens or wind-powered devices
-Comparing energy resource data sets
-Engineering design challenge with iteration and redesign
-Analyzing efficiency of energy conversion systems
Purpose: Apply energy concepts to real-world engineering challenges and evaluate sustainable energy solutions.
DOK Level: 4 – Extended Thinking
-Energy access and global energy equity
-Renewable energy development and climate change solutions
-Household and community energy consumption choices
-Engineering innovations in sustainable technology
-Renewable energy has no environmental impact
-Efficiency means energy is created
-All energy sources have the same environmental cost
-Engineering problems have only one correct solution
-Structured engineering design process with checkpoints
-Role-based collaboration in groups
-Visual data comparisons for energy sources
-Scaffolded CER writing for claims and evidence
-Teacher-guided iteration and redesign support
-Engineering design project
-Lab report on energy conversion and efficiency
-CER comparing energy resources
-Quizzes on energy systems and efficiency
-Prototype testing and evaluation rubric
-Solar oven materials or kits
-Wind turbine or fan-based modeling materials
-Energy comparison data charts
-Measuring tools for efficiency testing
-Simulation tools for energy systems