LESSON PLAN

Your Name: Emalie Pyke

Title of Lesson: Renewable vs. Nonrenewable
Grade: 4
STANDARDS

Concept 3 Organisms and Environments

o Understand the relationships among various organisms and their environment
PO 2. Differentiate renewable resources from nonrenewable resources.
PO 3. Analyze the effect that limited resources (e.g., natural gas, minerals)
may have on an environment.
PO 4. Describe ways in which resources can be conserved (e.g., by
reducing, reusing, recycling, finding substitutes).
LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students will analyze the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy
sources by exploring what they are, how they are derived, where they come from, and why are
they effective to our environment. After learning the material, the students will create a concept
map of renewable energy sources and a concept map of nonrenewable energy sources. The
students will use futures thinking to predict what will happen to our environment if we use
nonrenewable energy and what will happen to our environment if we use renewable energy.
After analyzing the affects, the students will use values thinking to express their opinion on the
best possible solution for our environment.
OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to explore the difference between renewable energy and nonrenewable
energy sources by making a diagram for each. Students will draw connections to our
environment currently and how renewable energy and/or nonrenewable energy can affect it in
the future by using futures thinking. Students will also use values thinking to express their
opinion on the best possible solution for our environment
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

Students will complete two diagrams, one with renewable energy sources and one with
nonrenewable energy sources. Each diagram must have 4-5 examples to get full credit.
o 5pts - Renewable Energy Sources Diagram
o 5pts - Nonrenewable Energy Sources Diagram

Students will write three paragraphs with 4-5 sentences each using futures thinking and
values thinking.

o 10 pts - Paragraph 1, students will write one paragraph predicting the

environments outcome if the population uses strictly nonrenewable energy
sources.
o 10 pts - Paragraph 2, students will write one paragraph predicting the
environments outcome if the population uses strictly renewable energy sources.
o 10 pts - Paragraph 3, students will write one paragraph express their opinion on
the best possible solution for our environment and what energy sources is most
effective and why.
PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
Prior to this lesson, students need to know what the word energy means and how energy is used
in daily lives, around the world, and in multiple settings. Students will be given five minutes to
collaborate with a peer on what energy is, where is comes from, and how we use it. With an
understanding of the overall importance and use of energy students will have a better
understanding when trying to differentiate between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.
MATERIALS

Concept Map
Paper
Pencils
Paragraph Outline
VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS

Renewable Energy - any naturally occurring, theoretically inexhaustible source of energy,

as biomass, solar, wind, tidal, wave, and hydroelectric power, that is
not derived from fossil or nuclear fuel.

Nonrenewable Energy - any natural resource from the Earth that exists in limited supply and
cannot be replaced if it is used up; also, any natural resource that cannot
be replenished by natural means at the same rates that it is consumed
TEACHING PROCEDURES
1. The teacher introduces the lesson by having the students brainstorm what they think
renewable energy sources are with a partner.
2. The teacher will use an attention grabber and have the class come back together as whole.
During this time the teacher will give the students the definition of renewable energy and
nonrenewable energy as well as examples.
a. Renewable energy is any naturally occurring energy that does not derive from
fossil fuels and is continuously replenished. Renewable energy will never run out
(like the sun). Some examples of renewable energy includes wind, solar, tidal
waves, and biomass ("What is Renewable Energy?, 2014).

b.

Nonrenewable energy is the complete opposite. It comes from sources that

cannot be replenished and will eventually run out in our life time or even many
lifetimes. Some examples of nonrenewable energy include fossil fuels, coals,
petroleum, and natural gas ("Non Renewable Energy, 2014).
c. The teacher will write down these examples on the board in random order and not
assigned to renewable energy or nonrenewable energy. The students must take
notes in their notebook.
3. After explaining what these two types of energy sources are, the teacher will go into
depth on the process of how these energy sources are formed.
a. Nonrenewable energy comes from a long process of photosynthesis, which is
when plants absorb sunlight they create energy. When the plants die they drift to
the bottom of the ocean or sea and still contain energy that is stored inside of
them. Over time, several sediments pile on top of the plants causing high pressure
and heat underground. During this process fossil fuel begins to form ("Non
Renewable Energy, 2014).
b. Renewable energy is a process that takes natural sources that will never run out
and turns them into electricity. The electricity is then stored and transported into
homes for forever use ("What is renewable energy?", 2014).
c. The teacher will draw examples of this process on the board and have students
take note in their notebooks.
4. Now it is time to explain where these energy sources come from. During this section the
teacher will explain where nonrenewable energy and renewable energy come from with
several examples as to why they are located in specific areas.
a. Nonrenewable energy can be found all over the world underground.
i. Fossil fuel can be found deep within the ocean floors, coal and petroleum
can be found underneath rock formations, and natural gas is trapped
underground in reservoirs ("Non Renewable Energy, 2014).
b. Renewable energy can be found all over the world from the top of the sky to the
bottom of the ocean.
i. Biomass fuel is a renewable energy source that is converted into energy by
burning materials like wood, waste, and plants. The heat produced by
burning these materials will be used to turn shafts, which is turned into
electricity.
ii. Wind, "has huge amounts of kinetic energy, and this can be transferred
into electrical energy using wind turbines. The wind turns the blades,
which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity.
The electricity is sent through transmission and distribution lines to a
substation, then on to homes, business and schools" ("What is renewable
energy?", 2014).
iii. Solar energy comes directly from the sun and can
produce electricity through solar cells and solar panels. Solar cells are
devices that convert light energy directly into electricity energy. Solar
panels have a longer process and do not convert right into electricity.
"Instead they heat up water directly. A pump pushes cold water from a
storage tank through pipes in the solar panel. The water is heated by heat
energy from the Sun and returns to the tank. They are often located on the

roofs of buildings where they can receive the most sunlight"("What is

renewable energy?", 2014).
iv. During this section the teacher can show This Renewable Energy Part
1 and Renewable Energy Part 2, which are two videos that explain stepby-step how each renewable energy source produces electricity for human
use.
5. The teacher will explain the drastic effects nonrenewable energy has on our environment
in a negative way and the drastic effects renewable energy has on our environment in a
positive way.
a. Using nonrenewable energy sources is very harmful to our environment. When
using nonrenewable energy they must be burned, which releases carbon dioxide
into our atmosphere. This carbon compound can be harmful to not only the air
quality, but also water and land pollution. Just because it is easy and least
expensive to extract does not mean it is safe to use ("What is Non-Renewable
Energy?", 2014).
b. Renewable energy is not harmful to our environment. It does not produce carbon
dioxide, they do not pollute they environment, and will never run out for our
entire lifetime and many to follow. For more in depth information and specific
examples on renewable and nonrenewable energy the teacher can
visit eSchoolToday (website picture and link found on resource page).
6. Now that the students have a clear understanding on what renewable and nonrenewable
energy sources are, where they come from, and the process behind it they will each be
given a piece of paper.
7. The students are to fold the paper in half and label one section Renewable Energy
Sources and the other section Nonrenewable Energy Sources
8. The students are to come up with a minimum of four to five examples of energy sources
for each diagram.
9. After 15 minutes the students should have two well-organized diagrams. The teacher will
then pass out a paragraph outline sheet to help guide the students focus when generating
paragraphs.
10. Students will write two paragraphs with 4-5 sentences each using Futures Thinking.
They will use their paragraph outline sheet to help guide what should go in each sentence.
The students will have a total of 20 minutes to complete both paragraphs.
a. Paragraph 1, students will write one paragraph predicting the environments
outcome if the population uses strictly nonrenewable energy sources. The students
will need to back up their reasoning with the information they just learned
b. Paragraph 2, students will write one paragraph predicting the environments
outcome if the population uses strictly renewable energy sources.
11. Students will write one paragraph with 4-5 sentences using Values Thinking. The
students will have a total of 10 minutes to complete this activity.
a. Paragraph 3, students will write one paragraph expressing their opinion on the
best possible solution for our environment and what energy sources is most
effective and why.
12. After the students complete their paragraphs the teacher will open up a discussion on what
the students think renewable energy is now and what nonrenewable energy is. The
students will explain the difference and how they effect our environment.

RESOURCES
(n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nonrenewable
resource
(n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/renewable
resource
Renewable Energy Resources: Part 1. (2013). Retrieved November 7, 2014,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhEGS1zsApo
Renewable Energy Resources: Part 2. (2013, November 3). Retrieved November 7, 2014,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W6S3FA-C6U
What is Non-Renewable Energy? Sources of non-renewable Energy. (2014). Retrieved
November 7, 2014, from http://www.eschooltoday.com/energy/non-renewableenergy/what-is-non-renewable-energy.html

WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION

Using Futures Thinking, students are able to assess and analyze the consequences that might take
place if we, as a community disregard any renewable energy sources and live strictly off of
nonrenewable energy sources like fossil fuels. The students must write one paragraph expressing
their prediction if our world did not utilize renewable energy sources. Using Futures Thinking,
students are able to assess and analyze the aftermath of using renewable energy sources and how
our environment will be cleaner and more efficient. Students take these two assessments and
apply it to their own values by using Values Thinking. Students are to express their opinion on
renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and predict how they will implement either in their
future lifestyle. At the end of the writing activity, the teacher opens the class up to a group
discussion that will emphasize how our choices today can have a drastic influence on what life
we have in the future.