"Take an energy excursion through a world of data to gain a better understanding of how we energize our globe."
Summary
The Energizing Our Planet lesson accustoms students to reading and interpreting graphs and interactive charts by exploring energy topics such as global primary energy sources, global modern renewable energy, and global fossil fuels. After studying graphs from the web publication Our World in Data, students answer questions regarding different trends and their interpretation of these trends. This approach not only challenges students to read and interpret graphs, it provides insight to students on how we energize our globe and addresses common misconceptions. This lesson also highlights current events, exploring topics such as why a particular country has the highest oil production and why other countries soar in regard to renewable energy capacity. Overall, this comprehensive lesson serves to strengthen students’ understanding of the various energy sources and provides the challenge of reading graphs, a significant requirement in STEM high school courses.
Learning Outcomes
The Energizing Our Planet lesson helps students gain a deeper understanding of global energy topics
- Introduction to global primary energy consumption (1800-2020): gain inference on global primary energy consumption, measured in terawatt-hours, through several interactive graphs
- What are the direct primary energy sources and how do their consumption trends change over time around the world?
- Introduction to global renewable energy consumption: understand trends on global renewable energy consumption, measured in terawatt-hours, through several interactive graphs
- What are renewable energy sources and how do their consumption trends change over time around the world?
- Introduction to global fossil fuel consumption: gain insight into patterns of global, non-renewable energy consumption, measured in terawatt-hours, through several interactive graphs
- What are non-renewable energy sources and how do their consumption trends change over time around the world?
