Humans rely on electrical energy, but power outages can disrupt lives in many ways. Students begin by exploring where electricity comes from and how it travels through the power grid to homes and schools. They investigate why power sometimes goes out, discovering that extreme weather — like storms or heat — and fire danger are major causes. They also connect planned outages to wildfire prevention during extreme conditions.
Students learn how burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change, leading to more extreme weather and frequent outages. They explore California’s energy sources, identifying those that contribute to climate change and those that don’t, while recognizing that every energy source has tradeoffs. Students investigate how communities can make wise, equitable energy decisions that address everyone’s needs. By exploring solutions, students see how communities can adapt, mitigate impacts, and build resilience, empowering them to think critically about energy and climate action.
“From my students: ‘Thank you for teaching us this lesson because if you didn’t it would be bad for our environment.’ ‘This was awesome! Can you do more? Thank you!’ ‘Thank you for helping us in taking care of the environment.'”
“This did a great job of piquing students’ interest and sparking opposing points of view, which created lively discussions on the topic.”
“There is something for all different kinds of learners. We are moving spaces, drawing, talking in big and small groups, writing. Some of my kiddos who would have been disengaged quite possibly the entire time were engaged in at least two or more parts of this lesson.”
“I truly enjoyed teaching this. It has been heartwarming to see them care about other living things and the environment.”
“What I find interesting is that students are discussing the material outside of class time. I heard students discussing the ideas before class in the hallways and even during lunch periods.”
“Students really wanted to share their food traditions and look into how climate change might affect their food traditions.”
“This is engaging because it uses real data about the state students live in and shows changes within their lifetime, like the rise of warehouses and trucking during the pandemic.”
“I heard comments like, ‘I didn’t realize how much climate change affects my community,’ and, ‘This project made me think about what I can do to help.'”
“Using the maps and seeing things like schools and how close they are to hazards is really cool. They may not be super connected personally, but they can put themselves in the shoes of other kids and try to relate. I know it’s working because I have a kid that just watches Netflix all day, every day and he pulled out his earbud and participated!”
“They’ve never thought about stuff like this before, and now they’re sharing it. One girl said this was the only class that she went home and talked to her parents about.”
“When you’re out in the workforce, you’re trying to solve problems that don’t have a clear, immediate answer. So doing stuff like this helps give students practice.”
“The kids become more engaged because now they are actually actively doing things. They’re really having to look for themselves. It’s not given to them on a platter, but all the resources are right there.”
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