Unit 8 — Energy and Renewable Resources
Description
Students explore energy sources including wind, water, and sun. They investigate how energy works, design and build devices that harness renewable energy, and learn about sustainable solutions. Projects include building windmills, designing bird feeders based on biomimicry, and understanding energy transformation. Students collect data on device performance and efficiency.
Essential Questions
- What is energy and how does it move?
- How can we harness natural energy sources?
- What makes a renewable energy solution effective?
Learning Objectives
- Define energy and identify different energy types
- Explain how renewable resources work
- Design and build a device that harnesses energy
- Test energy devices for efficiency and output
- Collect data on device performance across trials
- Analyze results to identify factors affecting efficiency
- Present findings about renewable energy solutions
Supplemental Resources
- Straws and paper for windmill blades
- Cups and containers for water activities
- Rubber bands and strings for securing parts
- Graph paper for recording wind speed or rotation data
- Markers for labeling blade designs
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Earth and Space Sciences
Physical Sciences
Data and Analysis
Engineering Design
Ethics and Culture
Interaction of Technology and Humans
Crosscutting Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Digital Literacy
Measurement
Number and Operations in Base Ten
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Science and Engineering Practices
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Students engage in scientific and technical writing throughout STEM investigations. They document observations, create digital reports of findings, communicate design solutions, and record data using word processing and presentation tools. Students develop vocabulary through exploration of natural and engineered systems.
Students apply mathematical skills to analyze and interpret data from STEM investigations. They measure distances, record heights of plants, create graphs and line plots, calculate area and perimeter of structures, and use mathematical reasoning to solve design problems. Students employ data collection strategies and statistical analysis.
Students examine environmental challenges, climate change impacts, and sustainability through design projects. They investigate how communities address problems, propose solutions to local and global issues, and understand the relationship between human activity and the environment. Design challenges connect to civics, environmental stewardship, and entrepreneurship.
Formative Assessments
- Observations of wind and water movement
- Predictions about energy device performance
- Prototype testing and troubleshooting
- Data collection on rotation speed or output
- Comparisons of different design variables
Summative Assessment
Functioning windmill, solar device, or water-powered model; performance data collected across multiple trials; written analysis of efficiency
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a hands-on demonstration with teacher questioning, photo or video documentation of device building and testing, or a labeled diagram with oral explanation of how their energy device works. Simplified data collection tools with visual supports or pre-made charts may be provided.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
During hands-on design and building phases, provide visual step-by-step supports such as labeled diagrams or picture-based build guides to help students process spatial and procedural information. For data collection, offer pre-formatted recording sheets with sentence frames or symbol choices so students can document trial results without the barrier of open-ended writing. Allow students to demonstrate understanding of energy concepts through oral explanation, drawing, or physical demonstration rather than written analysis alone. Extended time and frequent check-ins during prototype testing will help students stay on track and receive timely feedback.
Section 504
Provide extended time during device testing and data collection phases so students can complete multiple trials without feeling rushed. Preferential seating near the demonstration area during observations of wind and water movement supports focus and reduces distraction. Ensure all written directions for building tasks are also communicated verbally and posted visually in the workspace.
ELL / MLL
Introduce and reinforce the unit's key vocabulary — such as energy, renewable, efficiency, rotation, and transformation — using visual word banks, labeled illustrations, and real objects or demonstrations before and during instruction. Provide simplified, clearly sequenced building directions alongside visual diagrams so students can follow procedures without relying solely on English text. Encourage students to discuss observations and predictions with a partner, including in their home language when possible, before sharing with the group.
At Risk (RTI)
Connect new energy concepts to familiar experiences, such as feeling wind or observing sunlight, to build accessible entry points into the unit. Reduce the complexity of initial design challenges by narrowing the number of variables students need to consider at one time, allowing them to experience early success before adding layers of complexity. Pre-formatted data tables and sentence starters for the written analysis will lower barriers to participation while keeping students engaged in the core thinking of the unit.
Gifted & Talented
Challenge students to investigate the relationship between multiple design variables — such as blade angle, material weight, or surface area — and their effect on device efficiency, going beyond a single working prototype to compare and optimize across designs. Encourage students to research real-world applications of the energy source they modeled and connect their findings to broader questions about sustainable infrastructure or energy equity. Students may also explore the engineering tradeoffs involved in scaling renewable energy solutions, drawing on data from their own trials to support a more nuanced analysis.