This interactive map from the United States Energy Information Administration features electricity infrastructure and resources in the United States, including different types of power plants, pipelines, and transmission lines.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The legend and information presented are simple to understand.
It differentiates the various types of power plants including battery storage, biomass, coal, geothermal, hydroelectric, natural gas, nuclear, petroleum, pumped storage, solar, and wind.
Additional Prerequisites
The map can be overwhelming if all the layers are viewed at once, so students can toggle items off using the legend on the right.
There are two different base maps (road map and satellite) that can be changed by clicking on the bottom right corner of the map.
Students can capture images using the icon on the bottom left.
Differentiation
Students can select "View Full Details" for a summary of the map's information.
Students can zoom in and focus on their specific state or region.
Science and social studies classes can use this resource to compare the renewable and nonrenewable energy sources in their state.
This resource is an interactive map of the United States showing the existing electricity infrastructure, including electricity generation plants and the electrical grid. This resource is easy to use and the interactive legend is easily understood. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science and Engineering
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-2 Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
Social Studies
Geography
Geography 1 (F1): Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world, and geographic influences on life in the past, present, and future by using the geographic grid and a variety of types of maps, including digital sources, to locate and access relevant geographic information that reflects multiple perspectives.
Geography 1 (F1): Students understand the geography of the United States and various regions of the world and the effect of geographic influences on decisions about the present and future by analyzing the local, national, and global geographic data on physical, environmental, and cultural processes that shape and change places and regions.
Geography 1 (D3): Students understand the geography of the United States and various regions of the world and the effect of geographic influences on decisions about the present and future by describing the major regions of the Earth and their major physical, environmental, and cultural features using a variety of geographic tools, including digital tools and resources.
