6th-8th Grade: Electricity and Climate Change


Electricity and Climate Change: Wind Energy Challenge

      

Available to schools located in:

Sonoma and Mendocino counties

Classroom Lesson Summary:

This lesson explores the connection between the electricity we rely on every day and Earth's rapidly changing climate. Students learn about the nonrenewable and renewable forms of energy used to generate electricity in California and the state's progress toward its goal of transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2045. Students work in small groups on a hands-on STEM challenge to generate electricity with wind and a small turbine. 

Teachers can choose between two 50-minute classroom visits or one 90-minute block to complete the lesson. 

STEM Wind Challenge:

Teams work together to generate electricity by designing and creating wind blades capable of spinning a small generator. 

Essential Questions:

  • Where does our electricity come from in California?
  • How is electricity generation connected to global warming and climate change? 
  • Can you work in a team to design and create a wind blade that spins a generator fast enough to make at least 2.5 volts of electricity.

Objectives:

  • Students become aware of the connection between electricity generation and global warming.
  • Students become aware of the need to move to renewable energies as sources of electricity generation.
  • Students work in groups to complete a STEM challenge. 
  • Students reflect on the design and engineering process.

Resources:

Prepare for the Lesson - use these resources to introduce concepts of the presentation. 

After the Lesson

Vocabulary Lists 

NGSS Connections

  • MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity - One solution to human-caused climate change is transitioning from generating electricity with fossil fuels to renewable energy.  
  • MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-3 Engineering Design - Students design, construct, and test a wind blade fitted on a small wind turbine to generate at least 2.5V of electricity with a box fan. 

Questions? Contact: Trisha.meisler@scwa.ca.gov

Water and Energy Education programs are FREE thanks to funding from these partners:

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