Energy and water use is an important issue now and for future generations. If you are looking for ways to supplement your child's distance learning and help them prepare for the future, check out our curated collection of free activities and lessons.
Our collection is designed to promote discussions on energy and water efficiency and to encourage students to practice smart energy and water decision making. As we come across new lessons and activities, we will post them here.
Activities and lessons
U.S. Department of Energy
The Department of Energy manages the United States' nuclear infrastructure and administers the country's energy policy.
Test Your Grid IQ (Middle-High School)
Do you know your synchrophasors from your microgrids? Test your knowledge of the electric grid with this interactive quiz.
What is the Smart Grid (Middle-High School)
Videos about modernizing the grid for the 21st century.
Regional Water Providers Consortium
RWPC is a group of water providers in the Portland Metropolitan area who work together to educate kids and adults on important water issues like "how to save water" and "where to get water if there's an emergency."
Water and You
Activity booklet with games for elementary-age kids.
What Do You Know About H2O?
Activity booklet with games for middle school-age kids.
NASA Climate Kids
An educational website with activities, resources, and games to teach kids of all ages about Earth's systems, water cycle, weather and climate. While the activities are appropriate for younger students, middle school students will also be challenged as they interact with some of the games. Some of our favorite lessons and activities:
What's the difference between weather and climate? (Video)
Watch this video to find out--and to learn about how NASA satellites are keeping an eye on conditions on Earth!
How do we Know the Climate is Changing?
Learn how scientists use NASA satellites to collect information about Earth's land, atmosphere, ocean and ice.
10 Interesting Things about Water
Spoiler alert! Water could be the key to finding life on other planets!
EPA WaterSense for Kids
Kids learn why it's important to save water and some simple ways to do it. After reviewing the website, kids can use the information they learned to take the Test Your WaterSense Quiz.
Water Footprint Calculator
Fun, interactive way to estimate your total water use and get tips for saving water.
PBS Learning Media
Lost in Transmission (Video, Grades 6-12):
Ever wonder why power lines sag on hot days? Learn about energy lost to heat during transmission over power lines.
Experimenting with a Lemon Battery (Video, Grades 3-8):
Learn about electrical current and how it's possible to power a clock with a lemon.
Exploring Conductivity: Kid Circuits (Video, Grades 3-8)
Kids become electron conductors to reconnect a broken electric circuit. How many kids can the electrons pass through and still power the clock?
Electricity Trek (Video, Grades 4-6)
Follow electricity from its generation at a hydroelectric plant to your home, while learning some of the vocabulary about electricity.
Electricity & Magnetism (Video series, Grades 8-12)
Introduction to electricity with overviews of current and static electricity. Learn about electricity's place among the fundamental forces of the universe and discuss how it influences our daily lives.
Bonneville Power Administration
Here in Eugene, most of our power comes from the Bonneville Power Administration's multiple hydroelectric projects in the Northwest. BPA has lots of great materials that focus on renewable energy sources, including hydropower; climate change; environment fish and wildlife and energy efficiency.
How electricity flows from nature to your home (Videos, guides and lesson plans, Elementary - Middle School)
