Middle School

Energy Efficiency Lessons

Lesson 1: Energy Efficiency and Conservation
In this lesson, students will be introduced to what energy efficiency and conservation are and why they are relevant to their lives. Students will analyze their energy diaries (done the day before as homework), discuss energy efficiency versus energy conservation, and discuss the impact of energy choices.

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Lesson 2: Planning an Energy Audit
In this lesson, students will learn about energy audits and plan their energy audit of the classroom. During the activity, students will identify places in the room where energy flow occurs. Students will then be assigned to their energy audit groups, and the teacher will introduce them to the tools they will use and the data they will collect during the energy audit.

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Lesson 3: Classroom Energy Audit
In groups, students will audit their classroom by collecting data on the lights, appliances, phantom loads, water, and heating. Students will collect data on both the energy usage and energy conservation behaviors that take place in the classroom.

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Lesson 4: Energy Analysis
Utilizing the Auditor’s Workbook, students will estimate the financial cost, savings, and green house gas emissions of their classroom. This lesson utilizes student data that was collected in Lesson 3 of this unit.

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Lesson 5: Energy Audit Report
As a summative assessment of this unit, students will individually write up a report on their energy and financial saving recommendations to the principal of Energize High. Each report will address:

- energy efficiency options (except the heating and phantom loads group).
- energy conservation options.
- how to lessen environmental impact.
- people’s different values at Energize High.
- the potential savings and return on investment.

Students will use the energy audit report form to write their report.

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Solar Energy Lessons

Lesson 1: Getting to Know Solar Energy
In this lesson, students will learn about solar energy and ways that we can convert that energy into electricity. They will be exposed to real-world applications of solar power and they will be able to use a multimeter to measure the power output of a solar panel.

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Lesson 2: Making the Most of Solar PV: Location
In this lesson, students will learn about solar energy and ways that we can convert that energy into electricity. They will use small solar photovoltaic (pv) panels to investigate how well a solar panel produces electricity indoors versus outdoors, and exposed versus covered.

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Lesson 3: Making the Most of Solar PV: Direction
In this lesson, students will conduct an experiment to find out if the direction that they orient a solar pv panel will affect the voltage that the panel produces. Then students will consider the apparent daily movement of the sun in the sky to determine the best average direction for positioning a solar pv panel.

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Lesson 4: Making the Most of Solar PV: Panel Tilt
This lesson builds on Lesson 2 (Making the Most of Solar pv: Panel Direction) – students will conduct an experiment to find out how the tilt of a solar panel can affect its energy generation, and then they will use a provided data set to draw conclusions about how to tilt a solar panel for optimal energy output.

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Lesson 5: Solar Energy: Online Investigations
In this lesson, students will use real online data to learn about solar photovoltaic (pv) systems at schools in Michigan. Students will learn about environmental benefits of solar energy as well as cost savings for a solar pv system. Finally, they will learn to write a basic solar assessment report.

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Lesson 6: Solar Powered Gadgets
In this lesson, students will evaluate real-world examples of solar-powered gadgets, and then they will design their own creative application of solar pv technology. Students will be encouraged to use what they have learned about optimal placement and positioning of solar pv systems in their designs.

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Wind Energy Lessons

Lesson 1: Wind Energy
In this lesson, students will learn what a wind turbine is, how it works, and why one might want to use one.

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Other Lessons :
You can find other great wind energy lessons at the WindWise website.

Teacher Reviews

"Excellent presentations! Well thought out, organized and executed. One of the best workshops I have attended in years!"
-Middle/High School Teacher

"My students enjoy any practical, real-life application of science concepts. This is a great hands-on way to increase awareness about alternative energies!"
-Middle School Teacher

Lesson Photos

Light Audit

Electricity Audit

Solar Energy