Renewable Energy Student Lab
Provided by: The Climate Initiative|Published on: October 3, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Physics, Geography, Engineering
Authors: The Climate Initiative
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States, North America > United States > Maine
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This interactive resource houses three learning sections where students can explore numerous linked articles, videos, and maps to learn about renewable energy, energy use, and how one school in Maine is helping their community be more sustainable.
- In addition to the interactive maps and linked content, students will explore The Ecology School, a location under construction in Maine that will serve as an environmentally-friendly and self-sufficient venue for students to learn about what it looks like to live sustainably.
- A Learning Lab (teacher guide) that includes six lessons can be used with this studen lab to create an entire renewable energy unit for your class.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- These interactive presentations are engaging collections of valuable learning resources!
- Students learning about The Ecology School will get to see a modern version of living sustainably, possibly challenging some preconceived notions about going "off the grid."
Additional Prerequisites
- Students who click the green graphic in the virtual classroom will need to enter an email to read the article.
- The "Climate Strong" link in the virtual classroom is broken.
- On the map, the pin on Greenland is a broken link.
- The "click to learn soils" and "click to meet the farmer" links on the third presentation are broken.
Differentiation
- Students who are exploring the resources independently may benefit from a worksheet or from guided notes to ensure they are viewing all necessary resources and understanding key concepts.
- Students reading lengthy articles in the virtual classroom can do this reading in groups or pairs.
- Younger students or classrooms where technology is not 1:1 can complete these learning labs as a class, with the teacher displaying the presentation.
- Consider using some of these resources to connect to physics concepts about electricity generation through different means and electricity transport through wires.
This resource is an interactive website where students can learn all about renewable energy, energy use, and ways to reduce energy consumption. The interactive classroom has many resources for students to learn more information. Below the resources students can learn about energy use around the world and go on an interactive "tour" of The Ecology School and learn more about saving energy. Some of the Ecology School links are out of date. The amount of resources could be overwhelming to some, however this is a great page for students to get an overview of renewable energy and energy use. All resources have been assessed. The information presented is accurate and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
