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Electric Grid and Climate Change
Provided by: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative |Published on: June 15, 2022
Lesson Plans Grades 9-12
Synopsis
- This lesson about electric grids, electrical loads, and the sources and distribution of electricity in the United States includes an electrical load-balancing game, discussion, podcast, history article, worksheet, and interactive exploration activities.
- This lesson helps students understand that electrical grids need to be balanced and learn about the sources of energy or fuel used to create electricity in power plants.
Subjects: Physics, History
Authors: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Region: North America, United States, Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The podcast features an interview with energy management expert Harvey Michaels, who explains the inefficiencies in the electrical grid and offers solutions for decarbonizing power production.
- The load-balancing game offers a memorable and kinesthetic way for students to understand how electric power plants balance producing and distributing the right amount of energy.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students who have access to computers and the Internet can use Version A of the electricity use data exploration activity using the EIA's Hourly Electric Grid Monitor. Students without access to technology can use Version B, which includes images of the maps.
Differentiation
- This lesson includes several elements that can be spread out over a week or teachers can choose to assign some elements of the lesson (e.g., podcast, reading) for homework.
- After exploring information about their local power grid, students could make a poster, infographic, or short video/presentation to explain what they learned and propose ideas for making their local power grid more efficient and sustainable.
- Science classes could use this lesson when discussing circuits, resistance, energy conversions, properties of materials, or renewable energy.
- Other resources on this topic include this video on how to fix the unreliable power grid, this video on exploring the future of macrogrids and microgrids, and this video on the prospect of geothermal-powered energy grids.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Founded in 2014, the Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) is MIT’s institute-wide effort to mobilize the substantial scientific, engineering, policy, and design capacity of the MIT community to contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental challenges of global import. ESI pursues multidisciplinary research, education, events, and partnerships to help move society toward an environmentally and socially sustainable future. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts on MIT’s main campus, ESI is powered by a lean staff working closely with students and faculty across the full spectrum of disciplines. Led by architecture professor John E. Fernandez, a leading scholar in the emerging field of urban metabolism, ESI is advised by students, faculty, alumni, and thought leaders from many sectors of society.
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