Power to the People (lesson plan)
Students read and evaluate descriptions of how people live "off the grid" using solar power and come to understand better the degree to which that lifestyle is or is not truly independent of technological, economic and cultural infrastructure and resources. In the process, students develop a deeper appreciation of the meaning of "community" and the need for human connection.Exploring Alternative Energy Sources (lesson plan)
Students research articles related to energy cost and consumption and use data to determine the economic effects of rising energy costs on the average household. Topics include energy supply concerns, energy costs, and environmental impacts of energy usage. The project culminates in a simulation and an extension opportunity for the students to create their own educational energy awareness content.Modeling Solar Grid Integration with Mathematics (lesson plan)
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the students to the challenges of integrating solar energy to the electricity grid with the use of numerical simulations.Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp (lesson plan)
Students will be challenged with an optimization problem for the fictitious town of Solutionville that has decided to replace coal, their current source for electricity, with more sustainable energy sources. In designing Solutionville’s sustainable energy future, students must consider not only the geographic constraints of various renewable energy options–wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, and solar energy– but they must also meet specific energy production requirements and budgetary constraints.