The Energy Facilitating Discussion: Talking Tokens
In this video, learn about a discussion protocol that allows people to summarize their ideas equitably within a group by using talking tokens as a way of sharing out ideas.
Resources
Facilitating Discussion: Talking Dyad Stick
In this video, learn an approach that allows for more respectful and equitable discussion, one that provides a structure for people to share and deepen their understanding of each other’s ideas and perspectives using a Talking Dyad Stick.
Teaching Channel
Teaching Channel is a thriving online community where teachers can watch, share, and learn diverse techniques to help every student grow.
“So great to see good instructions live with kids. There are lots of resources linked with each lesson on the site.”
In terms of content related to energy, see these highlighted resources:
- Energy Across the Disciplines: Students design Rube Goldberg machines to study energy transfers and energy transformations. The teacher uses the machines to help students make connections between flow of energy in ecosystems of life science with that of physical energy to then discuss conservation of energy and how that is reflected across different disciplines of science.
- Potential Energy: Problem Solving Skills: A lesson introducing middle school students to the idea of potential energy. Students work through text with background information on potential energy before working with simulations calculating the amount of potential energy in different scenarios in small groups to further their understanding.
- Exploring Real World Energy Transformations: Lesson with stations and identifying energy transformations and transfers using real world examples students are familiar with
- STEM Activity: Heat Loss: In this fun activity, students build a house and then measure the amount of heat loss within the structure. After making adjustments in “insulation”, students measure the amount of heat loss again, prompting further discussion on home energy efficiency
NGSS Standards: Energy
NGSS Standards related to Energy
60 Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques (FACT)
Here’s a nice list of formative assessment ideas we found online from Levy County School District in Florida. Teachers can use these approaches to check for student understanding and PD providers can use these with teachers to check for their understanding and also model how to implement these assessments.
For more on this, be sure to check out Page Keeley’s book, 75 Science Formative Assessments on her website, Uncovering Student Ideas. She has templates you can adapt for different types of assessments, plus a host of other resources.
Natural Start Alliance
Natural Start Alliance focuses on nature play-based learning, providing research and resources for parents and teachers. You can find organizations including nature centers, nature preschools, advocacy groups, and state level organizations that support nature-centered early childhood education.
PhET Simulations
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:
- The Energy Skate Park (kinetic, potential energy)
- Circuit Construction (electrical energy)
- Energy Forms and Changes (energy states, forms, conservation of energy)
- Generator (energy types, energy resources, magnetic fields)
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!
Global Energy Production and Reserves, 1990 – 2014
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.
Explore Utah’s Energy & Minerals
The Utah Energy & Minerals Education Initiative was launched in 2015 by the Governor’s Office of Energy Development (OED) and a variety of partner agencies, industry associations and other interested parties, all of whom shared the goal of advancing the public’s understanding of energy production and use.
To date, the Initiative has included K-12 curriculum development, scholarships for high school students, research funding and a Utah Energy & Minerals Days event hosted in conjunction with the annual Utah STEM Fest. As OED and its partners continue to make progress, expanding workforce development activities, public forums, and other forms of outreach and advocacy, this site will be a resource for all content, notices and news related to our education initiatives.
Currently, the site has lessons for grades 3-9 in science, social studies, and math. Current events and news are also featured
NREL Energy Education Resources for Teachers
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.