Bill Nye the Science Guy®:Renewable Energy

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Synopsis

Students in grades 4-8 join Bill Nye the Science Guy® as he explores the science of renewable energy. Bill

explains what energy is, describes different sources of energy, and compares renewable and non-renewable

energy sources. Activities in this Educator’s Guide reinforce and expand on program concepts and provide

opportunities for students to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills while

researching, writing, and analyzing in teams. Worksheets, quizzes, and puzzles are provided for

assessment opportunities.

Objectives

The content of the DVD addresses the following objectives:

Students will understand that:

• Energy does work for us.

• Energy can never be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another - it’s the Law of

Conservation of Energy.

• There are many sources of energy; it’s important to use sources that are readily available, safe, efficient, reliable,

and have the most positive environmental impact.

• Fossil fuels take a long time to form, and are used up faster than they can be

replenished; this is why the energy they produce is considered “non-renewable.”

• Burning fossil fuels has increased the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere,

leading to extra heat energy that changes weather patterns and ecosystems.

• Renewable energy sources produce almost zero greenhouse gasses and are

constantly being renewed. Examples of renewable energy sources include: solar,

wind, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal, wave, and tidal.

• There are many things we can do to cut down on our use of fossil fuels.

Activities in this Educator’s Guide address the following objectives:

Students will:

• Make pinwheels and come up with slogans for Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.

• Label a solar cell diagram and write a description about how solar cells use the sun's

renewable energy to create electricity.

• Use a “Wordle” to write about the content of the video prior to viewing it.

• Describe the difference between fossil fuels and renewable fuels by burning a

candle and a faux candle.

• Calculate their “carbon footprint” by entering lifestyle data at the Nature

Conservancy Website and list ways to reduce this footprint.

• Research and present information about renewable energy.

• Work in groups to create a song with artwork about renewable energy.

• Research animals that are harmed by global warming and track them on a world map.

• Develop artistic slogans related to renewable energy.

• Plan an Eco-City that uses renewable energy.

ED U C ATOR ’ S GU I DE

Safety Smart® is an

initiative aimed at

improving the awareness and understanding

of students ages 4-14 in safety and in

managing themselves and their surroundings

as safely as possible—by conscious action, not

chance. Toward that end, UL produces

multimedia public service announcements;

arranges for Safety Smart Ambassador visits

for students to learn from professional safety

experts; hosts field trips to its laboratories,

where students see safety engineers at work

and participate in their own hands-on safety

experiments; regularly advocates on emerging

safety issues, especially regarding products

that may pose a risk to consumers; and

supports the development of its youth safety

education programs. Through its efforts, Safety

Smart cultivates awareness, provides opportu-

nities for students to learn and practice safe,

healthy and environmentally friendly

behaviors, and helps students learn to make

more informed choices today

and in the future.

Do your part!

Be Safety Smart®!

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

EDUCATOR’S GUIDE PAG E 2

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VD or

Activity

Arts Education

(Natl. Arts

Education Assns.)

Health

(McREL)

Language Arts

(NCTE)

Language

Arts

(Common Core

State Standards)

Science

(NSTA)

ocial

Studies

(NCSS)

DVD Content None addressed.

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

None addressed. None addressed.

B. Physical Science

C. Life Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

“Winderiffic”

None addressed. None addressed. None addressed. None addressed. B. Physical Science None addressed.

“Solartastic” None addressed. None addressed.

4. Students adjust their use of

spoken, written, and visual

language…

Writing

B. Physical Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

VIII. Science,

Technology, &

Society

“Wordle” None addressed

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

3. Students apply a wide range of

strategies to comprehend, interpret,

evaluate, and appreciate texts.

6. Students apply knowledge of

language structure…

Writing

Speaking and

Listening

B. Physical Science

C. Life Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

Candle vs.

Candle

None addressed

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

7. Students conduct research…

8. Students use a variety of

technological and informational

resources…

11. Students participate as

knowledgeable, reflective, creative,

and critical members…

Writing

B. Physical Science

C. Life Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

Reduce

Your Use

None addressed

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

6. Students apply knowledge of

language structure…

7. Students conduct research…

11. Students participate as

knowledgeable, reflective, creative,

and critical members…

Writing

B. Physical Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

VIII. Science,

Technology &

Society

Team Energy None addressed None addressed

1. Students read a wide range of

print and nonprint...

4. Students adjust their use of

spoken, written, and visual

language…

6. Students apply knowledge of

language structure…

7. Students conduct research…

8. Students use a variety of

technological and informational

resources…

11. Students participate as

knowledgeable, reflective, creative,

and critical members…

Reading:

Informational Text

Speaking and

Listening

Writing

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

None addressed

Activity

(continued)

EDUCATOR’S GUIDE PAG E 3

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Academic Standards Chart (Continued)

DVD or

Activity

rts Education

(Natl. Arts

Education Assns.)

Health

(McREL)

Language Arts

(NCTE)

Language

rts

(Common Core

State Standards)

Science

(NSTA)

Social

Studies

(NCSS)

Energy

Songs

Theater 2: Acting by

assuming roles and

interacting in

improvisations

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

4. Students adjust their use of

spoken, written, and visual

language…

5. Students employ a wide range of

strategies as they write…

6. Students apply knowledge of

language structure…

11. Students participate as

knowledgeable, reflective, creative,

and critical members…

Speaking and

Listening

Writing

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

Who Am I? None addressed

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

1. Students read a wide range of

print and nonprint...

6. Students apply knowledge of

language structure…

7. Students conduct research…

8. Students use a variety of

technological and informational

resources…

Reading:

Informational Text

Writing

C. Life Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

Energetic

Art Slogans

None addressed

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

4. Students adjust their use of

spoken, written, and visual

language…

5. Students employ a wide range of

strategies as they write…

6. Students apply knowledge of

language structure…

Writing

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

None addressed

Eco-City None addressed

2. Knows

environmental and

external factors

that affect

individual and

community health

1. Students read a wide range of

print and nonprint…

3. Students apply a wide range of

strategies to comprehend, interpret,

evaluate, and appreciate texts.

5. Students employ a wide range of

strategies as they write…

7. Students conduct research…

8. Students use a variety of

technological and informational

resources…

Reading:

Informational Text

Writing

B. Physical Science

C. Life Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

VIII. Science,

Technology &

Society

Word Jumble None addressed None addressed

3. Students apply a wide range of

strategies to comprehend, interpret,

evaluate, and appreciate texts.

Writing

B. Physical Science

C. Life Science

D. Earth and Space

Science

F. Science in Personal

and Social

Perspectives

III. People, Places,

& Environments

Activity

EDUCATOR’S GUIDE PAG E 4

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Preview Questions

1. What is energy? Why is energy important?

Answer: Energy is the ability to do work; it’s the ability to move an object by the use

of force. Energy causes things to happen around us; it can be used to light our homes

and run our cars. The food we eat has stored energy, and we use it to move and keep

ourselves warm.

2. What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy?

Answer: Renewable energies are derived from sources that can be replenished in a

short time. An example is hydroelectricity, which uses water to power generators that

create electricity. Water can be replenished by waiting for rain to re-fill rivers, so it is

considered “renewable.” Other examples include wind and solar energies, which are

replenished constantly by sunlight. Non-renewable sources of energy, however, take a

lot of time to replenish. Two examples are oil and coal, both of which takes hundreds

of millions of years for the earth to replenish.

3. What are some examples of fossil fuels?

Answer: The word “fossil” refers to something that is dug up out of the ground. Oil,

coal and gas are fossil fuels because they are buried underground.

4. What do you already know about solar energy? About wind energy?

Answer: Solar energy is readily abundant around the world. In fact, every square

meter of the earth collects the approximate energy equivalent of almost a barrel of oil

every year. Architects can design buildings that effectively utilize solar energy to heat the buildings without using fossil fuels. Solar

energy can also be used to convert light directly into electricity through the use of photovoltaic panels (i.e., solar panels). Wind is

produced by the uneven heating of the earth; wind energy is produced by giant turbines that capture wind and then spin a

generator to create electricity.

Postviewing Questions

1. Can energy be created or destroyed?

Answer: Energy cannot be created and it cannot be destroyed, that is the Law of the Conservation of Energy. However energy and

mass are closely related and it is possible to annihilate matter to create energy. In a closed system, energy is transferred from one

thing to another, keeping the total amount of energy the same at all times.

2. What are the problems with using fossil fuels as a source of energy?

Answer: All fossil fuels are derived from carbon-based plants and animals. These fossil fuels got their energy from the sun

hundreds of millions of years ago (by eating, growing, etc.). The carbon was removed from the atmosphere and stored

underground as the earth changed. Burning fossil fuels at a rapid pace places the carbon back into the atmosphere in a very short

amount of time – time that is far too short for the carbon to be absorbed and buried by today’s plants and animals. Therefore, the

carbon stays in the atmosphere. This process causes sunlight that would normally bounce back into space to be trapped, which in

turn heats the earth. Not only does this heat change weather patterns, but it also threatens species by destroying their habitats.

3. What are three ways to reduce your use of fossil fuels?

Answer: Recycle products so that energy is not used to create new products. Reduce your consumption of materials so that less

energy is needed to support your day-to-day activities. Reuse materials whenever you can so that energy is not used to make

something you already have.

4. How is solar energy produced?

Answer: Solar electric energy is produced using photovoltaic panels. These panels convert sunlight directly into electrical energy.

Solar heat energy is produced by collecting the sun’s heat and then using that heat to produce hot water. Solar heat can be used in

homes to offset the cost of heating water. Solar heat can also be used in large power plants by boiling water to generate electricity.

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5. How is wind energy produced?

Answer: Wind energy is produced using giant turbines located in

windy areas. These wind turbines are connected to an electric

enerator. The generator converts the kinetic energy to electric energy.

6. How is hydroelectricity produced?

Answer: Hydroelectricity is produced by water that spills over dams.

The water is guided through a set of pipes toward an electric generator

that spins as the water goes through it, which in turn creates electricity.

7. What are the advantages of solar energy and wind energy? What

are the disadvantages?

Answer: Solar and wind power are both renewable, so as long as the

sun shines, we will have both sources and never run out. They are also

both relatively easy to capture. The disadvantage to solar energy is that

it is only available in the daytime, it has low efficiency, and is currently

expensive to produce. The disadvantage to wind energy is that it is only

available when the wind blows.

Suggested Classroom Activities

Winderiffic

Distribute copies of the Winderiffic Worksheet. Explain Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, and then have students watch the

“Winderiffic” video (found in the Bonus Features on the DVD/CD ROM).

After watching the video, explain to students why they will be making the pinwheels (i.e., pinwheels have pockets that catch wind

and harness its power to spin the blades, so the pinwheel is actually a small wind turbine). Then have students follow the directions

on the Winderiffic Worksheet in order to create their own pinwheels.

Once students have finished their pinwheels, have them pair up to share and discuss their slogans.

Solartastic

Distribute copies of the Solartastic worksheet. Explain that solar cells (which are used on solar panels) convert the sun's energy

directly into electricity, and then have students watch the "Solartastic" video (found in the Bonus Features on the DVD/CD ROM).

After watching the video, explain to students that they will be labeling a solar cell diagram that looks like the animated solar cell in

the video; they will also be writing a description about how solar cells work. Then have students follow the directions on their

Solartastic worksheets.

Once students have finished their worksheets, have them pair up to check the accuracy of their diagrams and discuss how solar

cells work.

Wordle

Distribute copies of the Wordle Worksheet with the Wordle printed on the back. Have students complete the “Before Watching the

Video” section of the worksheet and then review the Wordle art. Explain that the words in the Wordle were taken from the video

script. The larger the word, the more frequently it is used in the video.

Have pairs of students read each other’s work. Ask the first student to read while the other student listens, and then switch. After

the lesson, watch the video. The next period, take a pre-assessment of your students by having them make a T-chart in their science

journals or on a blank piece of paper, comparing and contrasting renewable and non-renewable energies.

Candle vs. Candle?

Divide students into equal-sized groups and sit each group at a table. Provide a normal candle (labeled “A”) and a faux candle made

from a cored potato and an almond sliver (labeled “B”). A video

http://sciencesquad.questacon.edu.au/activities/edible_candle.html

explains in detail how this works.

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Ask students to look at the candles and explain in their own words what the difference is between a renewable and non-renewable energy

ource (in this case biomass). The worksheet asks for three other renewable candle ideas. These could be beeswax, vegetable oil lamps, or

grain alcohol lamps. Most students do not know how candles work, and will hypothesize that the wick is burning. This assumption is

incorrect. The wax is what burns by melting and “wicking” up the wick. However, for the almond candle, it is the almond sliver that burns; the

potato is just for show.

Reduce Your Use

o to

ttp://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/index.htm

nd have students calculate their carbon footprint. As they do the

exercise, have students make a histogram to display their data for the entire class. Then calculate the average footprint size for the class.

Discuss ways in which students can reduce their carbon impact.

Have students use the worksheet provided to list ways to reduce their use of fossil fuels (per Bill Nye’s description). See if they can think of

any other ways. You might create a class list and post it in the classroom.

Optional Extension: Bring 60 pounds of carbon into the classroom as an assignment. Assuming there are thirty kids in a classroom, this is

about two pounds each. The “carbon” can be charcoal, wood or wood stove pellets, or anything biomass. The point is to create a visual

representation of what one human expels into the atmosphere each year.

Team Energy

Use the “jigsaw method” to have students research and present information about renewable energy. Jigsaw is a cooperative learning

method in which each member of a class team joins an “expert group” (i.e., a second class group) to become knowledgeable about a topic.

Experts on like topics work together to do research and then meet with their class teams to share research findings. A wonderful way kids

can work in groups and present in an intuitive format is to use Prezi software (free).The learning curve is brief and the results are fun:

http://prezi.com/

Assign groups of four students to teams. Describe the activity, then assign one person from each team to an “expert group” in order to

research one of the following topics:

• Solar energy • Biomass

• Wind energy • Geothermal

• Hydroelectricity

After expert groups complete their research, have students meet with their teams to create a presentation about renewable energy that

includes research findings about all five topics.

Energy Songs

As Bill Nye talks about renewable energy, he points out that energy must first be captured, then transferred, and then used. Have groups of

students rap or write songs that describe this process for each type of energy. For example: “solar” rhymes with “polar” and “roller”; “wind”

with “skinned” or “twinned”; “hydro” with “hypo,” “micro,” “silo,” etc.

Who am I?

In the program, Bill Nye names some animals that are being threatened by global warming. Have students choose one of these animals

(listed below) and use the worksheet provided as they research their animals. Make sure to have a world map in the classroom for students

to post the geographical location of each animal.

• Polar bear • Emperor Penguin

• Pika • Panda

• Akikiki

Energetic Slogans

Have students use the worksheet provided to develop slogans related

to renewable energy. You might develop this into an art assignment

with the slogan used in a drawing. For example, a popular Internet

search engine often re-themes their corporate logo for holidays and

events like Earth Day.

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Eco-City

Go to Chevron’s Energyville website (http://www.energyville.com/energyville/), have

students play the game and learn more about the different sources of energy needed to

ower a city. As a class project, design a community that maximizes renewable energy.

Ideas might include the recycling of biomass to generate electricity, geothermal heating

of homes, wind turbines on the hills, solar cells on roofs, hydroelectric power from a river,

and passive solar design systems for buildings. Students can use children’s construction

toys, interlocking brick sets, or other materials to simulate how these systems would

ork. As an extension, you can teach about LEED certification (leadership in energy and

environmental design). Also, a great discussion might center around the Biosphere

(

http://www.b2science.org/), a self contained ecosystem at the University of Arizona.

Word Jumble

For a fun puzzle about renewable energy sources, have students complete the Word

Jumble activity sheet.

Assessment

Quiz and Crossword Puzzle

Have students complete the quiz and crossword puzzle to demonstrate what they

learned from the program.

Resources

Books

Drummond, Allan. Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2011.

Grades 3-5. A true story about how a Danish community attained energy independence using the sustainable power of wind.

Jefferis, David. Science Frontiers: Green Power—Eco-Energy Without Pollution. Crabtree Publishing, 2006.

Grades K-8. Explains advantages and disadvantages of different types of green energy options. Each two-page overview is accompanied

by pictures or diagrams.

Krohn, Katherine. A Refreshing Look at Renewable Energy with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Graphic Library, 2009.

Grades 3 and up. Scientist Max Axiom examines various forms of alternative energy.

Internet

Winderiffic (from UL)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcv4yfrGEHk&feature=plcp

Solartastic (from UL)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkG1iDrGpNg&feature=plcp

UL Safety Smart (from UL)

http://ulsafetysmart.com

Energy Kids (from the U.S. Energy Information Administration)

http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=renewable_home-basics

Energy Savers (from the U.S. Department of Energy)

http://www.energysavers.gov/renewable_energy/

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Kids Saving Energy (from the U.S. Department of Energy)

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/

National Energy Education Development Project

http://need.org/

PBS: Renewable Energy—Need to Know

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/tag/renewable-energy/

Student Resources on Renewable Energy (from the National Renewable

Energy Laboratory)

http://www.nrel.gov/learning/student_resources.html

The Roots and Shoots foundation has projects for kids and communities

which are focused on minimizing society’s impact on the earth.

http://www.rootsandshoots.org/kidsandteens

Earthwatch has a few scholarships to bring kids outdoors to research the

environment.

http://www.earthwatch.org/aboutus/education/studentopp/

The Nature Conservancy has resources for getting kids outside.

http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/kids-in-nature/index.htm

Alliance to Save Energy has lesson plans on energy conservation.

http://ase.org/lessonplans

Surfrider has fun volunteer opportunities.

http://www.surfrider.org/take-action

TED Talk videos on interesting energy ideas.

Saul Griffith, an inventor who has created giant kite turbines.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/saul_griffith_on_kites_as_the_future_of_renewable_energy.html

Sample Activity: Try to get kids to understand how high the jet stream is. Then have them try to see how high they can fly a kite by measuring

how much string is let loose, along with the angle of the string.

Jennifer Indovina, a social entrepreneur who created an app for phones so people can adjust the energy usage of their homes or offices

when they are away. The link is for an interview.

http://blog.ted.com/2011/04/15/fellows-Friday-with-jennifer-indovina/

Sample Activity: Purchase the Kill-a-Watt meter for around twenty dollars. Go through the classroom and measure the energy use of all the

things in the room, such as the overhead, Smartboard, fish tank, computers, refrigerator, microwave, etc. Note that the computer uses more

energy when running a complicated program. Extend this experiment to the entire school. You could start by accessing your school’s online

energy bill, and then comparing your class’ measurements to the numbers on the bill.

Rob Harmon, an expert on energy and natural resources policy who introduced the concept of green energy retail credits. The link is for a bio.

http://www.ted.com/speakers/rob_harmon.html

Sample Activity: Have students debate how businesses can be encouraged to stop burning fossil fuels and instead start using renewable

energies. Debate the idea of a carbon tax.

Bilal Bomani, a NASA researcher working on biofuels that do not require arable land or fresh water to grow.

http://www.ted.com/talks/bilal_bomani_plant_fuels_that_could_power_a_jet.html

Sample Activity: See if you can locate someone in your community who runs their diesel truck from leftover fryer oil. Invite someone like this

into the classroom to discuss the pros and cons of harvesting biofuels in lieu of growing it for food.

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

Date: ___________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________________

Winderiffic

What you need

• Scissors • Straight pin • Pencil with eraser • Colored pencils/pens/markers

How to get started

• Cut out the pinwheel square shown above.

• On one side of the paper, write down each of the Three Laws of Motion (one per quadrant).

• In the last quadrant, create a fun slogan for the Three Laws of Motion and write it down.

• Following the lines on the template, cut in from all four corners, leaving about 2 inches of the center uncut.

Construct pinwheel

• Gently bend (don’t fold) one cut corner to the center point.

• Skip the next cut corner, and bend the third one.

• Skip and bend until four points meet in the center.

• Then stick the straight pin through all four points and the back of the pinwheel.

• Stick the pin into the pencil eraser.

ENERGY EVALUATION BAR

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

Date: ___________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________________

Solartastic

As you saw in the Safety Smart Science: Renewable Energy and Solartastic videos, solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. Use the

words below to label the solar cell diagram, and then circle the section of the Energy Evaluation Bar that identifies whether or not solar

nergy is efficient (orange is “not efficient” and green is “very efficient”).

PHOTONS P-LAYER N-LAYER

SUN ELECTRONS ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS

In the space below, describe how solar cells use the sun’s renewable energy to create electricity. Make sure to include the words “capture,”

“transfer,” and “convert.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

Date: ___________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________________

“Wordle”

Before Watching the Video:

Look at the Wordle on the back of this worksheet. It contains all the words that Bill Nye uses in Renewable Energy. Some words are larger than

others, which means they are used more often. Select five to ten words, and use them to write a few sentences that describe the topics you

think the video will address.

______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________

My sentences:

1) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

While Watching the Video:

Think about what you wrote and how close you were to the actual content presented. Enjoy the show!

After Watching the Video:

Write down three major points that Bill Nye made.

1) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How close were you to predicting what the video content would be?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

“Wordle”

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

Date: ___________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________________

Candle vs. Candle?

Your teacher will provide your group with two candles (A) and (B), which are made of different materials.

Candle B

What are the base and wick of candle (A) made of? What are the base and wick of candle (B) made of?

What fuel is burning to make candle (A) light? How long can

the candle stay lit?

What fuel is burning to make candle (B) light? How long can

the candle stay lit?

Is candle (A) renewable? Why or why not? Is candle (B) renewable? Why or why not?

Make a list of at least three ways to make a “candle” out of

renewable energy in the box to the right.

Candle A

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Safety Smart

Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy

Renewable Energy

Reduce Your Use

There are many websites that calculate the amount of carbon you place into the air from burning fossil fuels. This makes for an excellent

math lesson as kids can graph their usage and compare their numbers to one another and to current world averages.

Basic:

http://www.cooltheworld.com/kidscarboncalculator.php (excellent and simple to use)

http://www.earthday.org/footprint-calculator

(very cool graphics, students make an avatar, look carefully at the end to see the total amount of carbon produced)

Advanced:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator2.html#c=theBasics&p=reduceOnTheRoad&m=calc_currentEmissions

(this is more college-like and is very detailed)

http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/index.htm (decent website, easy to navigate)

Sample questions to ask students to generate data and discussion:

Record the total tons of CO

you emit each year here ___________________

Why does changing the types of lights you use save energy?

Why does checking tire pressure on your car save energy?

What does eating meat have to do with greenhouse gasses?

What can composting do to save on fossil fuels?

Now ask other students to help fill out the histogram on the next page by placing an X on the column where their emissions fall.

What is the average of all students? ______________________

What is the national average as posted on the website? ________________________

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Renewable Energy

Date: ___________________________________

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Reduce Your Use

0-3 tons

of CO

4-7 8-11 12-15 16-19 20-23 24-27 28-31 32-35 36-40

Emissions Histogram

One downside to fossil fuels is that they are non-renewable sources of energy, because they take so long—millions of years!—to form.

Another downside to fossil fuels is that burning them for so many years has increased the amount of greenhouse gasses in the Earth’s

atmosphere. In Renewable Energy, Bill Nye describes things we can do to cut down on our use of fossil fuels. Fill in the table below with a list of

these ideas. Can you think of any other ideas? Add them to the list!

For one week, keep track of how many times you do each thing in your list. Make tally marks in the Week 1 Tally column. Then challenge

yourself to increase your tally the next week. Make tally marks in the Week 2 Tally column and see if you can further reduce your use!

Ways to Cut Down on Fossil Fuels Week 1 Tally Week 2 Tally

10.

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Who am I?

In Renewable Energy, Bill Nye names some specific animals that are being harmed by global warming.

Choose one of the animals listed below (circle your choice) and do some research to answer the questions that follow:

• Polar bear • Pika • Akikiki • Emperor Penguin • Panda

Research Questions Answers

1. Who am I?

(Describe my

characteristics.)

2. Where do I live?

(Post a picture of

your animal on the

world map provided

by the teacher.)

3. What do I eat?

4. How do I get my

food?

5. How is global

warming

negatively

affecting me?

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Energetic Slogans

A slogan is an efficient way to communicate a message. In Renewable Energy, some of the messages Bill Nye communicates could be

considered slogans. For example, “Energy… it does work for us…” and “Renewable Energy… It’s Safety Smart®!”

Develop your own slogans related to the following topics, and then incorporate them into a work of art (e.g., a poster, poem, plaster or clay

model, interlocking models, etc.):

Topic Slogan

Fossil Fuels

Solar Energy

Wind Energy

Hydroelectricity

Biomass

Geothermal

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Renewable Energy

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Word Jumble

Unscramble the letters to make words that are related to renewable energy. Use the circled letters to make a sentence that

also relates to renewable energy.

SENTENCE Made From Circled Letters:

Clue: The first two words are used very frequently in the program (check the Wordle!), and the last two words are what we’re all about!

E R Y L D O H E T R T Y I C C I

N E Y I

S Y S

S E L T I A N U S A B

O M S I B S A

A R L S O R O P E W

D I W N O P R W E

E M H E T G R L A O

W L N F G I O A R T W E

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Word Jumble Answer Key

SENTENCE Made From Circled Letters:

E R Y L D O H E T R T Y I C C I

H Y D R O E L E C T R I C I T Y

R E N E W A B L E E N E R G Y I S

S A F E T Y S M A R T

S E L T I A N U S A B

S U S T A I N A B L E

O M S I B S A

B I O M A S S

A R L S O R O P E W

S O L A R P O W E R

D I W N O P R W E

W I N D P O W E R

E M H E T G R L A O

G E O T H E R M A L

W L N F G I O A R T W E

F L O W I N G W A T E R

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Quiz

True or False? Circle T or F

1. Energy can never be created or destroyed. TF

2. Fossil Fuels are renewable. TF

3. Burning fossil fuels has increased the amount of greenhouse gasses

in the atmosphere. TF

4. Renewable energy can be renewed as quickly as we use it. TF

5. Renewable energy produces greenhouse gasses. TF

6. The sun is a source of renewable energy. TF

7. Wind power is a new renewable energy source. TF

8. Wind energy has nothing to do with the sun. TF

9. Hydroelectricity is often generated at dams. TF

10. Niagara Falls generates enough hydroelectricity to power 1 million

light bulbs. TF

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Quiz Answer Key

True or False?

1. Energy can never be created or destroyed. T

2. Fossil Fuels are renewable. F

3. Burning fossil fuels has increased the amount of greenhouse gasses

in the atmosphere. T

4. Renewable energy can be renewed as quickly as we use it. T

5. Renewable energy produces greenhouse gasses. F

6. The sun is a source of renewable energy. T

7. Wind power is a new renewable energy source. F

8. Wind energy has nothing to do with the sun. F

9. Hydroelectricity is often generated at dams. T

10. Niagara Falls generates enough hydroelectricity to power 1 million

light bulbs. F

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Renewable Energy

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Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1 A word that means indefinitely reliable is _____.

4 Gasses in the atmosphere that reflect heat back down are

called _____ gasses.

6 The spinning Earth and the sun’s heat generate _____.

9 Fossil fuels are _____ sources of energy.

12 Solar panels _____ the sun’s energy to a form we can use.

15 Currently the fastest growing source of renewable energy.

17 Geothermal energy harnesses energy from decaying _____.

18 The _____ is a source of renewable energy.

19 Solar panels convert the energy from photons into _____.

DOWN

2 _____can never be created or destroyed.

3 This fossil fuel is used in many vehicles.

4 This energy is generated from decaying uranium atoms in

the Earth’s core.

5 This is generated at dams.

7 These are used to capture solar energy.

8 Three ways to cut down on fossil fuels are to reduce, reuse,

and _____.

10 This is a source of renewable energy.

11 These energy sources produce no greenhouse gasses.

13 The blades of this capture some of the wind’s energy.

14 This means “buried.”

16 Biomass captures energy from the sun that is stored in

decomposing _____.

1 2

4 5

9 1

12 13

14 15

17 18

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Crossword Puzzle Answer Key

1 2

4 5

9 10

12 13

14 15

17 18

SU S T A I NA BL E

GR E E N HOU S E

NO N R E N EW A B L E

CO N V R T

ATOMS

WI N

SO L A

SU N

EL E CT RI C I T Y