Carnegie Mellon University
Hydroelectricity
Use a simple PowerPoint presentation to introduce you environmental studies class to hydropower. Hold a debate about the pros and cons of developing this form of alternative energy. Power up your class with this simple lesson on a topic...
Curated OER
GENERATE YOUR OWN HYDROPOWER
High schoolers build a water wheel, a simple galvanometer, and a simple hydropower generator, plus detect the electricity generated.
National Energy Education Development Project
Exploring Hydropower
In 2006, about 20 percent of the world's electricity was generated from hydroelectric power. In the presentation, scholars review the water cycle and gravitational energy to begin to understand how humans harness the power of water. They...
Curated OER
Itaipu Dam and Power Plant (Brazil and Paraguay)
Learners study South America's Itaipu Dam and Power Plant in order to gain an understanding that hydroelectric power is a major means of generating electricity throughout the world. They also look into the environmental impacts that...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity A
Here is a fun little exploration of the potential energy potential of falling water. Learners drop water from various heights using a straw, and they analyze the diameter of the splash. Pair this with two more activities of the same...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity B
For this second of three activities, energy engineers plan and create a hydropower dam as they learn how hydroelectric power plants generate electricity. A hydropower puzzle is also included, which can be worked on by teams that finish...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity C
Third in a set of lessons regarding reservoirs, dams, and hydropower, this involves a two-day hydropower plant simulation. Collaborative groups build, maintain, and finance the plant. The transparency of the reservoir setup can be...
Curated OER
Pros and Cons of Hydroelectric Power
Middle schoolers develop arguments for and against the construction of hydroelectric power plants. Poll the groups to determine which view dominates in the class and students write a summary of their conclusions.
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity A
Environmentally friendly engineering teams construct a water wheel and experiment with its speed and the resulting amount of weight it can lift. Consider following this activity with two more of the same title by the same publisher when...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Water Wheel
Middle school scientists construct a working water wheel from an aluminum pie pan. Because of the sharp edges on the cut aluminum, this activity is for mature learners only. You could have your class compete to see whose wheel can lift...
Curated OER
Water Supply and Water Uses
A large variety of topics are given in this PowerPoint about water. Some come from a scientific point of view, some regarding recreation, some for domestic use, and others from hydroelectricity. A teacher could choose to use this...
Curated OER
Water Power
Young scholars observe a model of a waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine into work. They work as engineers to create a model for a new waterwheel while considering...
Curated OER
Falling Water
Students drop water from different heights to demonstrate the conversion of water's potential energy to kinetic energy. They see how varying the height from which water is dropped affects the splash size. In seeing how falling water can...
Curated OER
Salmon Vs. Dams: the Dam Removal Debate on the Elwha River
Students role-play a meeting of the Elwha River council in which they present opposing views to council members on hydroelectric power and salmon fisheries resources. They brainstorm possible conflicts between various people in land-use...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Renewable Fuels
A single slide introduces each of the following renewable energy sources: hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, solar, tidal, and biomass. This provides a succinct overview that you can use as a visual aid when you first introduce alternative...
Curated OER
Eco-Kids: How Students Can Help Save the World
Fourth graders identify the different types of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. In this ecology instructional activity, 4th graders create models of wind mills and hydropower. They discuss the pros and cons of using alternative...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Working with Watermills
In collaborative groups, emerging engineers or environmental scientists plan and construct a water wheel or watermill that rotates for a total of three minutes. Everything you need to carry out this instructional activity is included:...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity B
Explore the world's water without leaving the classroom! For this second of three uncomplicated but wonderful activities, physical science learners feel the pressure of water. They discover that the deeper the water, the stronger the...
Curated OER
Radio Program Disc 1, Track 6
Students place the Ohio river in its historical and geographical context. They listen to the radio stories, and are asked what postive and negative influences does the Ohio River have on nearby communities>
Curated OER
Creating Energy From Water
Students study water and its energy. In this water energy lesson, students discuss hydroelectricity and make models of water turbines.
Curated OER
US Energy Geography
The maps display the statistics for energy consumption and power production, state by state. They are tremendous visual aids for your natural resources unit. Consider having your class compare energy consumption versus production, or...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity C
Can the force of falling water through a tube vary by altering the diameter of the tube or its height? That is what physical scientists aim to discover in this activity, the third in successively more revealing activities on the power of...
Curated OER
Wind Power and Your Community
Students acquire knowledge about hydropower, diesel power, wind power, and how they are currently used in the north. They share what they have learned through a jigsaw activity.
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
Perpetual Flow Activity
Set up a demonstration of how gravity can drive the perpetual flow of water during your hydro power unit. Science learners work in teams to make observations and formulate questions about how it works. They compare the model to what they...