NEW Lesson Plans from the California Green Schools Program

What better way to teach students about energy efficiency than by using lesson plans created and tested by teachers in the Green Schools Program! The following lesson plans cover a wide variety of subjects such as Physical Science, Math, Social Studies, and Language Arts. In addition, each lesson includes a recommended grade level, making it easy for you to pick the appropriate lessons for your classroom.

In Things That Use Electricity, students work together to identify items that use electricity, and the role they play in every day life. Students conclude by illustrating these objects, while simultaneously practicing their pronunciation to build phonemic awareness. This lesson, written by Liz Henkels of Deer Canyon Elementary School in Alta Loma Unified School District, CA, is appropriate for students in grades K-2.

In What is Electrical Energy, students learn about electrical energy, and the difference between common items that use electricity, and those that do not. In understanding how and when energy is used, students gain awareness of ways to save energy. This lesson, written by Amy Whitehead of Sundance Elementary School in Beaumont Unified School District, CA, is appropriate for students in grades K-3.

In How Saving Energy Keeps the Earth a ‘Cool’ Place to Live, students are introduced to concepts such as electromagnetic radiation and the greenhouse effect. In addition, students gain an understanding of the correlation between burning fossil fuels and greenhouse gas concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere, and how energy conservation can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The lesson, appropriate for junior high and high school students, was written by Mark Ziesmer of Sultana High School in Hesperia Unified School District, CA.