Energy Lesson 4 : Non-Renewable Energy Choices and Impacts

Students answer these essential questions:

What are the characteristics of energy resources? Which energy resources have the greatest potential in Michigan? What are the economic, social, and environmental advantages and disadvantages of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources? How do the advantages and disadvantages of non-renewable and renewable resources compare?

Students will be able to:

1. Describe and evaluate the economic, social, and environmental advantages and disadvantages of different energy resources.

2. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of non-renewable and renewable energy resources.

Subject/Target Grade

Science and Social Studies: Upper Elementary- Middle School

Materials

Per small group

––Michigan Energy Student Resource Articles

Per student

–– Sources of Electricity Student Activity


Michigan Science Performance Expectations

MS-LS2-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

4-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.

Michigan Social Studies Grade Level

Content Expectations

6 – P3.1.1 Clearly state an issue as a question of public policy, trace the origins of the issue, analyze various perspectives, and generate and evaluate alternate resolutions.

6, 7 – G6.1.1 Contemporary Investigations – Conduct research on contemporary global topics and issues, compose persuasive essays, and develop a plan for action.

4 – H3.0.8 Describe past and current threats to Michigan’s natural resources; describe how Michigan worked in the past and continues to work today to protect its natural resources.

4 – G5.0.1 Assess the positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical environment of the United States.

4 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in the United States that influence the daily lives of its citizens.

3– G5.0.1 Locate natural resources in Michigan and explain the consequences of their use.

3 – G5.0.2 Describe how people adapt to, use, and modify the natural resources of Michigan.

3 – E1.0.1 Explain how scarcity, opportunity costs, and choices affect what is produced and consumed in Michigan.

3 – E1.0.2 Identify incentives (e.g., sales, tax breaks) that influence economic decisions people make in Michigan.

3 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in Michigan that influence the daily lives of its citizens.

3 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in Michigan and evaluate alternative resolutions.

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