Science: Lesson 4 – Developmental sequence
What are people's major energy needs? (Teachers)

Key ideas:

• Different communities can use a variety of energy sources.
• For each source of energy there is an impact in obtaining and using it.
• Impacts may be local, global, environmental and economic.

Introductory activity to engage

• Workers include miners, engineers, trade workers, drivers, environmental rehabilitation officers, accountants, managers, chemists, labourers, geologists, surveyors, … ;

• local area may need local generators e.g. solar panels, supply may be supplemented, … ;

• stored chemical energy, heat, moving turbines, electrical energy.

Developmental activities to explore, explain, elaborate

• Issues surrounding coal fired power stations: cheap, local plentiful constant supply of coal and of energy from generator, mining sites, rehabilitation, transport, water and air quality, currently operating sites, government supports them …

• Issues surrounding hydroelectric: catchment area land issues, water quality and supply downstream, loss of productive land above and below damming, massive redirection of water and pipes to effect this, locals divided, expensive for government, cheap in operation; needs strong support from influential groups.

• Greenhouse gases produced from burning coal. By comparison, Mt St Helen's eruptions in Washington (state) is believed to have been responsible for a significant global temperature change for a year or more …

Culminating activities to reflect and evaluate

• People (students) need to use the experiences of the past to inform future decisions and create a source of wisdom rather than focus blame on past generations.

• Students need to articulate actions and consequences and discuss them logically and with insight.

• Glossary environmental rehabilitation, power generation, greenhouses gases, hydroelectric, chemical energy, turbines, nuclear energy.

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