In this lesson, students explore how Wisconsin generates electricity, comparing electricity sources based on how much they are utilized, if they are produced in Wisconsin or imported, if they are renewable or non-renewable, and if they emit greenhouse gases.
The 15-20 minute lesson includes a teacher guide, presentation slides, and printable graphics.
Use the biomass/biogas special case to prompt a deeper discussion about why a source can emit carbon dioxide and still be sustainable.
For a class with Spanish-speaking multilingual learners, divide students into groups by English fluency level and use a mix of English and Spanish materials to encourage language development.
Although this resource is based on Wisconsin, it can easily be adapted to other states by replacing information about Wisconsin's electricity generation with local data.
Extensions:
Have students investigate where their own school or community's electricity comes from, and propose concrete actions to make their electricity procurement more sustainable.
Have students, in their groups, choose another place in the world and research its electricity sources to then compare them with those of Wisconsin.
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