Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) affect nearly every aspect of our
lives — from the cars we drive, to the food we eat, to the smartphones we use to communicate.
The information and activities in this booklet will help you understand the critical role STEM
plays in the energy industry. Have fun exploring the world of energy, and we hope you learn
some interesting new things along the way.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) affect nearly every aspect of our
lives — from the cars we drive, to the food we eat, to the smartphones we use to communicate.
The information and activities in this booklet will help you understand the critical role STEM
plays in the energy industry. Have fun exploring the world of energy, and we hope you learn
some interesting new things along the way.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) affect nearly every aspect of our lives — from
the cars we drive, to the food we eat, to the smartphones we use to communicate. Innovation is the key to helping the U.S. stay competitive in today’s globalized, technology-driven world.
The information and activities in this booklet will help you understand the critical role STEM plays in the
energy industry. Have fun exploring the world of energy, and we hope you learn some interesting new
things along the way.
By some estimates, producing our food consumes about a fifth of the nation’s energy supply. It takes a lot of diesel to move tractors and semis around the farm, and electricity to pump water and dry grain. But some farmers are trying to cut back on the coal and gas they use and make our food system more energy efficient.
In this podcast from Inside Energy, learn about how farms are using renewable energy as a way of keeping costs down and utilizing creative solutions for greater sustainability.
The CLEAN Collection is a hand-picked and rigorously reviewed collection of educational resources aligned with the Climate Literacy and the Energy Literacy frameworks, and the Next Generation Science Standards.
This short list of demonstrations include resources related to thermal expansion and sea level rise, fermentation, biofuels, and solar ovens.
Energy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teachers (EMAT) is an online course for high school science teachers. We developed it for teachers, but it’s chock full of resources that teachers might use with high school students.
Energy ideas are fundamental to all areas of science. Our goal is to help teachers learn more about energy ideas and, in turn, help their students understand energy, too. When our kids understand key energy concepts, they will be better prepared to actively participate as citizens in making energy decisions as part of our rapidly changing economy.
BSCS developed the EMAT course in collaboration with Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), the National Teachers Enhancement Network (NTEN) of Montana State University, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC).
Register with the Rise learning management system (it’s free) and then choose EMAT from the course catalog.
There are six units in the EMAT course:
Each unit helps teachers learn key energy concepts and think about how to help students learn key energy concepts. As part of the course, there are a variety of materials to help both students and teachers:
Girls of Energy is designed to ignite curiosity and engage young minds across the globe, and we are thrilled to bring it to you. It showcases exceptional women who are conquering today’s energy challenges and creating tomorrow’s technology solutions. Comprised of lesson plans, activities, and an engaging website, Girls of Energy highlights the importance of energy and how it improves the lives of our friends, neighbors, and family members. Exploring the cutting-edge energy research and technology being developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratories, Girls of Energy allows young women to see just how amazing a STEM career can be.
The PhET online interactive simulations from the University of Colorado are free, research-based and research-validated, cover math and all the major sciences, and are translated into dozens of languages. The online teaching resources to support each simulation include a teacher’s guide from the PhET design team, plus classroom activities that clever teachers have already developed for a given simulation. Here is a short list of suggested resources on energy:
And a long-time favorite, John Travoltage–where you can make John “Travoltage’s” leg rub to build up static so that he gets shocked when touching a doorknob!
This interactive map created by ArcGIS shows global energy production and reserves by country, including coal production, oil production and reserves, and natural gas production and reserves for 1990 to 2014.
NREL(National Renewable Energy Lab) provides a variety of educational resources to help students, teachers, and parents educate their kids about renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, including hands-on projects and curriculum suggestions for elementary school, middle school, and high school students as well as teachers.
The Energy