Hydroelectric (Water) Power
Readiness
TEKS Objective
Identify alternative energy resources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biofuels.
Essential Understanding
The student knows Earth's surface is constantly changing and consists of useful resources.
Science Background
Hydroelectric Power: tvakids.com (website) - Excellent information, provided through text and images, on hydroelectric energy.
Hydroelectric Power
tvakids.com
Hydropower: Energy Kids (website) - Pictures, text and animations help students to understand the sources of hydropower, the importance of energy created by moving water, and the impacts of harnessing waterpower.
Hydropower
Energy Kids, US Energy Information Agency, www.eia.gov
Signature Lesson
Energy from Water, Free for the Taking: tvakids.com (PDF) - Students identify waterpower as an alternative source of energy by building a model that demonstrates how moving water provides energy. (Find the activity on pages R-47 through R-54.)
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Water Works: Bureau of Land Management (website) - Students build and experiment with their own water wheels to learn how water can provide power to do work.
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Renewable Energy and Sustainability: InfinitePower.org (PDF) - Students are introduced to the concept of renewable energy and investigate/discuss new ways of generating energy to help our planet become environmentally healthy.
Renewable Energy and Sustainability
www.InfinitePower.org
Hydro-Power: Energy Quest (website) - Students build a simple water turbine and observe how the potential energy of water can be harnessed to produce mechanical energy.
Hydro-Power
Energy Quest, California Energy Commission, www.energyquest.ca.gov
Assessment Ideas
Have students write persuasive newspaper editorials promoting the adoption and use of hydroelectric energy in the community. Students should defend their arguments by including information learned through all the lessons on alternative energy resources.
As a possible second step, hold a mock town hall meeting in which students advocate for different alternative energy sources. Structure the activity to suit the needs of your class. It could be a simple discussion, or an assignment for which students make posters and flyers, and dress in costume. In any case, have students discuss and debate various alternative energy sources. Conclude by holding a class vote to determine which type of alternative energy the town will adopt.
For a hands-on assessment, have students design their own water wheels using recycled materials.
Literature Connections
Hydroelectric Power, Sherman, Josepha. (ISBN: 0-7368-2472-3)
Water: Simple Experiments for Young Scientists. White, Larry (ISBN: 0-761-30090-2)
A Refreshing Look at Renewable Energy with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Krohn, Katherine E. (ISBN-10: 1429639024)
Energy and Power. Harlow, Rosie and Morgan, Sally (ISBN: 0-753-45502-1)
Hydroelectric Power: Power from Moving Water (Energy Revolution). Roger, Marguerite (ISBN-10: 0778729346)
Hydroelectric Energy (Power Up!). Orr, Tamra B. (ISBN-10: 1602790493)
TEKS Navigation
Grade 5
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