Electricity is a vital resource for humans, but it comes with a cost to our environment. With the world's population constantly growing, it's important to explore alternative, sustainable energy sources to power our daily lives. In this series, you will learn about these sustainable energy sources and how they are helping us move towards a world powered by solar energy.

Energy

Affordable and clean energy

Infrastructure industrialization

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Sustainable consumption production

Responsible consumption and production

Cities

Sustainable cities and communities

compare a variety of energy sources (e.g., biomass, fission, fusion, ethanol) and evaluate their potential for large-scale use, as well as their benefits, risks and limitations

SCI.8.SC-8-ET-S-4

examine existing models of global population growth and the factors affecting population change (e.g., geography, diseases, natural events, birth/death rates). Propose and defend solutions to identified problems of population change

SCI.9-12.SC-H-I-S-4

Fossil fuels contain stored solar energy and are considered nonrenewable resources. They are a major source of energy in the United States. Solar energy, wind, moving water, and biomass are some examples of renewable energy resources.

SCI.5-8.4.P4.1b

investigate the political, economic, and environmental impact of global distribution and use of mineral resources and fossil fuels

SCI.9-12.E.7.1.3

choose and use resources for a particular purpose based upon an analysis and understanding of their properties, costs, availability, and environmental impact.

SMT.7-8.5.2.1

explain why making tradeoffs among characteristics, such as safety, function, cost, ease of operation, quality of post-purchase support, and environmental impact, is necessary when selecting systems for specific purposes.

SMT.9-12.5.4.1

Students demonstrate an understanding of the impact of technology by: evaluating the many and varying uses of technology within different geographic regions (e.g. geothermal, tidal, and wind power)

TEC.5-6.ET1.1 5-6.1c

Students demonstrate an understanding of the impacts of technology by: revising a current technological system and analyzing the global effects of the innovation (e.g. transition from fossil fuels to use of renewable resources)

TEC.9-12.ET1.2 9-12.2a

explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels; and

SCI.5.7.A

research and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and solar resources.

SCI.6.7.A

describe the formation of fossil fuels, including petroleum and coal;

SCI.11-12.ESS.12.B

evaluate the effects of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on the use of resources such as fossil fuels, water, and land; and

SOC.7.19.D

SCI.5.3.5.7.A

explore alternative power systems, including solar, wind, and biomass.

AGRI.11-12.4.G

explain the negative impacts of waste with respect to the individual, society, and the global population;

STEM.9-10.7.E

analyse selected national and global population issues and their implications for Canada

D1.Population Issues

identify major sources of energy used in Canada (e.g., fossil fuels, nuclear, hydro), and assess the viability of alternative energy options for various communities across Canada

C1.1 Managing Resources

analyse how different stakeholders view the trade-off between economic growth and concerns for the environment (e.g., with reference to coal-fired electrical plants to support manufacturing in China and concerns about air quality; debates about the economic and environmental impact of the North American energy pipelines and/or the continuing development of the Alberta oil sands; the expansion of farmland at the expense of rain forest; innovations such as genetically modified seeds/foods and their impact on ecosystems; firms that invest in the development
of non-renewable resources and those that fund
research on alternative energy)

C2.2 Economic Trade-offs and Decisions

analyse interrelationships between global population distribution, population density, and quality of life

B2.1 Population Disparities

analyse theories relating to the impact of global population growth on the carrying capacity of the earth (e.g., the Gaia hypothesis, I=PAT, limits of growth, the demographic transition model)

C2.2 Population Growth

assess the effects of an ecumene’s natural characteristics on the feasibility of various options for reducing the human impact on the environment (e.g., number of days of bright sunshine and feasibility of solar power, proximity to volcanoes and hot springs and feasibility of geothermal power)

C1.3 Working towards Sustainability

analyse global patterns and trends in the availability and use of various fossil-fuel resources, and assess the implications for the future development and use of fossil fuels and other energy sources

C3.3 Availability and Use of Natural Resources

explain how various human activities (e.g., burning of fossil fuels, deforestation) affect the carbon/oxygen cycle

D3.3 Ecological Processes

assess the importance of behavioural and ethical factors (e.g., reducing consumption, changing personal activities to reduce one’s environmental impact, giving priority to values such as environmental sustainability and intergenerational equity in decision making) in reducing the human impact on the environment

E3.1 Ecological Footprints

analyse trends in global and regional population growth (e.g., continuing global population growth, rapid population growth in underdeveloped countries, negative population growth and aging population in some developed countries) and their causes, and assess their social and economic impacts

E2.1 Population Growth and Demographic Change

analyse the environmental impact of a variety of household appliances and products (e.g., the energy consumption of various appliances; the effects of chemicals used in cleaning agents, paint, fertilizers, pesticides)

E2.3 Ecological Footprints

analyse the impact of exploration and colonization on colonizers and indigenous peoples during this period (e.g., the economic, social, and environmental impact of the exploitation of colonial resources; the threat of assimilation and loss of traditional culture; economic partnerships; loss of land and/or economic control among colonized people; conversion and loss of traditional religious/spiritual practices; resistance to colonial incursions; war, including civil war; death from new diseases; the impact of racism and discrimination)

C2.5 Communities, Conflict, and Cooperation

Identifying Purpose and Audience: determine, with support from the teacher, their purpose in writing and the audience for French texts they plan to create (e.g., to highlight the environmental impact of different kinds of transportation systems in a poster for a community conservation campaign; to email or text information about an upcoming school event to classmates and/or the teacher; to describe a favourite activity, animal, person, or place in an article for the class newspaper; to describe career opportunities for bilingual workers and related education/training requirements in a brochure for distribution at a job fair; to describe “special offers” in an advertising flyer)

Grade 8.D1.1

assess aspects of the environmental impact of different industries in two or more physical and/or political regions of Canada (e.g., hydroelectric development in Quebec, the development of the oil sands in northern Alberta, fishing in Atlantic
Canada, steel production in Nova Scotia, forestry
and fishing in British Columbia, coal-powered
electrical plants in Ontario, smelting in northern
Ontario, shipping in the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence
region)

Grade 4 Application: Industrial Development
and the Environment B1.2

describe some key actions taken by both industries and citizens to address the need for more sustainable use of land and resources (e.g., controlling industrial tailings; putting solar panels on houses or other buildings; ensuring responsible hunting and fishing practices; consulting with First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit communities about resource development in their territories), and assess their effectiveness

Grade 4 Application: Industrial Development
and the Environment B1.3

describe the environmental impact of the production, use, and care of various fibres and fabrics (e.g., the impact of farming cotton, hemp, bamboo, sheep, silkworms; of the production process for various synthetic fabrics and dyes; of dry cleaning)

Grade 11 Fibres, Fabrics, and the
Environment C2.4

describe strategies to reduce the environmental impact of the production of various fibres, fabrics, and finishes (e.g., purchasing garments made from organic cotton or hemp, using plantbased dyes, buying second-hand clothes, limiting the use of stain-resistant fabric)

Grade 11 Fibres, Fabrics, and the
Environment C2.5

apply their knowledge of the basic characteristics of various fibres and fabrics and their environmental impact when choosing appropriate fabrics for various fashion products

Grade 11 Fibres, Fabrics, and the
Environment C2.6

describe how the increased recognition of the need for resource conservation can affect decisions related to living spaces, and identify ways in which householders can conserve energy, water, and other resources (e.g., by using alternative sources of energy such as solar or geothermal power; by installing low-flow toilets and shower heads; by using recycled building materials; by retrofitting a building with more energy-efficient windows and doors and improving insulation; by using energy-saving appliances, programmable thermostats, dimmer switches, and LED lights; by recycling and composting)

Grade 11  The Impact of Social Factors C1.2

analyse the social and environmental impact of textile production and disposal (e.g., the social impact related to workers’ health issues or child labour; the environmental impact of the irrigation
of and use of pesticides on cotton, the production
process for petroleum-based textiles, the use of various
dyes and finishes, the disposal of non-biodegradable
textiles, the leaching of finishes from fabric disposed
of in landfill)

Grade 12 Global Textile Production C2.3

analyse the relationship between various economic, social, and political factors and food supply and production in a particular region or regions (e.g., debt-repayment requirements, demand for cash crops, oil prices, free-trade agreements, trade embargos or bans, controls on fishing and hunting, import-export restrictions to prevent or control outbreaks of disease)

Food Security D2.3

explain the effect of various economic, social, and political factors (e.g., debt-repayment obligations, demand for cash crops, oil prices, freetrade agreements, trade embargos or bans, controls on fishing and hunting, import-export restrictions designed to prevent or control outbreaks of disease) on food supply and production

Grade 12  Food Production and Supply D2.3

describe how consumer food choices affect the environment, locally and globally (e.g., demand for imported food increases the amount of energy used in transportation; choice
of overpackaged products increases the volume of
waste going to landfills; choice of fair-trade products
supports sustainable farming and small-scale farmers;
demand for local produce supports farmers’ markets
and reduces use of fossil fuels)

Grade 12 Food Production and the
Environment  D3.1

identify the environmental impact of producing and using natural and manufactured construction materials (e.g., deforestation and loss of animal habitat; release of arsenic from pressuretreated wood and formaldehyde from orientedstrand board [OSB] and medium-density fibreboard [MDF]);

Grade 10 Technology and the Environment D1.2

identify ways of reducing the environmental impact of a structure (e.g., ground-source heating and cooling, improved insulation, building-envelope systems, technologies to reduce light and noise pollution, energy-conserving lighting, non-toxic building materials, use of local materials);

Grade 10 Technology and the Environment D1.3

assess models and/or prototypes on the basis of prescribed criteria (e.g., aesthetics, ergonomics, safety, efficiency, environmental impact).

Grade 10 Making and Testing Models and
Prototypes B3.3

 What is Renewable Energy?

Energy sources can be renewable or finite. Most energy used by industrial societies is derived from fossil fuel sources. Such sources are inherently limited on the Earth and are unevenly distributed geographically. Renewable energy sources vary in their availability and ease of use.

SCI.6-8.3.4.A

When waves interact with materials, the energy they transfer often leads to the formation of other forms of energy. These interactions, which depend upon the nature of the material and the wavelength of the waves, can be used to create practical devices (e.g., sonar and ultra sound imaging, solar cells, remote control units, and communication devices).

SCI.9-12.3.3.D

Discuss the many ways in which the Sun influences Earth including the role of gravity, coronal mass ejections, and electromagnetic radiation including gamma photons.

SCI.12.1.1.14

SCI.12.4.1.4

Identify ways people depend on and interact with the physical environment (e.g., farming, fishing, hydroelectric power).

SOC.K-3.17.C.1a

evaluate consumer actions (e.g., reuse, reduce, recycle, choosing renewable energy sources, using biodegradable packaging materials, composting) and analyze how these actions impact the environment (e.g., conserving resources, reducing water, air, and land pollution, reducing solid waste, conserving energy, greenhouse effect, slowing global warming) by: describing the influence of environmental factors that positively and negatively affect health

WORK.9-11.VS-H-CD-S-6.a

evaluate consumer actions (e.g., reuse, reduce, recycle, choosing renewable energy sources, using biodegradable packaging materials, composting) and analyze how these actions impact the environment (e.g., conserving resources, reducing water, air, and land pollution, reducing solid waste, conserving energy, greenhouse effect, slowing global warming) by: researching local, state, national and international environmental issues that address consumption for conservation and waste management practices

WORK.9-11.VS-H-CD-S-6.b

Students will compare consumer actions (reuse, reduce, recycle, choosing renewable energy sources, using biodegradable packaging materials, composting) and analyze how these actions impact the environment (e.g., conserving resources; reducing water, air, and land pollution; reducing solid waste; conserving energy).

HE.9-12.PL-HS-3.1.4

Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.

SCI.1-ESS1-1

Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.

SCI.5-PS3-1

Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth.

SCI.5-ESS1-1

Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

SCI.MS-ESS2-4

Students know the Sun is a source of heat and light.

SCI.K-2.E.2.A.1

Students know the Sun rises every day, and the Moon can rise during the day and/or the night.

SCI.K-2.E.2.B.2

Students know the Sun and Moon appear to move across the sky.

SCI.K-2.E.2.B.3

Students know the Sun is the main source of energy for planet Earth.

SCI.3-5.E.5.A.1

Students know the processes of the water cycle, including the role of the Sun.

SCI.3-5.E.5.A.2

Students know the solar system includes the Sun, planets, and moons.

SCI.3-5.E.5.B.2

Students know stars are like the Sun, but they are so far away that they look like points of light.

SCI.3-5.E.5.B.3

Students know the Sun is many thousands of times closer to Earth than any other star, and billions of times closer than the far end of the Milky Way Galaxy.

SCI.6-8.E.8.B.5

Students know the Sun is the major source of Earth’s energy, and provides the energy driving Earth’s weather and climate.

SCI.9-12.E.12.A.1

Identify the same sounds in different spoken words (“What sound is the same in sit, sip, and sun?”)— Phoneme Identity

LA.K.R.1.e

using or creating a model of the Earth, sun and moon system to show rotation and revolution.

SCI.7-8.ESS2 (7-8)-8a

explaining night/day, seasons, year, and tides as a result of the regular and predictable motion of the Earth, sun, and moon.

SCI.7-8.ESS2 (7-8)-8b

identifying the sun as the major source of energy for life on earth and sequencing the energy flow in an ecosystem.

SCI.5-6.LS2 (5-6)-6a

give examples of applications of atomic and nuclear phenomena using the standard model such as nuclear stability, fission and fusion, radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, semiconductors, superconductors, solar cells, and nuclear power and examples of applications of quantum phenomena.

SCI.9-12.P.8.D

describe and compare renewable and non-renewable energy derived from natural and alternative sources such as oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and wind;

SCI.11-12.E.6.B

model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves around the Sun, causing changes in seasons;

SCI.8.3.8.7.A

relate the positions of the Moon and Sun to their effect on ocean tides.

SCI.8.3.8.7.C

recognize that the Sun is a medium-sized star located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy and that the Sun is many thousands of times closer to Earth than any other star; and

SCI.8.3.8.8.B

recognize that the Sun provides the energy that drives convection within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds;

SCI.8.3.8.10.A

describe the role of spatial technologies in facilitating the sustainable use of natural resources (e.g., natural resource extraction; use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources; business and industrial practices involving forests, minerals, fisheries, wetlands, and/or lakes), with a focus on their local community or area

C1.4 Creating and Supporting Sustainable Spaces

analyse and compare various sustainability initiatives and practices for energy production in different regions of the world (e.g., global initiatives, such as the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All program; regional initiatives, such as the European Union’s biofuels directive; national and provincial initiatives, such as Australia’s solar credits program and Ontario’s microFIT program for renewable energy)

C2.2 Resource Use and Sustainability

follow established safety procedures for working with electricity (e.g., ensure hands are completely dry when working with electricity; be aware of electrical hazards at home, at school, and in the community

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.1

design and build series and parallel circuits, draw labelled diagrams identifying the components used in each, and describe the role of each component in the circuit

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.2

use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills (see page 12) to investigate the characteristics of static electricity

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.3

design, build, and test a device that produces electricity (e.g., a battery built from a lemon or potato; a wind turbine)

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.4

use technological problem-solving skills (see page 16) to design, build, and test a device that transforms electrical energy into another form of energy in order to perform a function (e.g., a device that makes a sound, that moves, that lights up

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.5

use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including current, battery, circuit, transform, static, electrostatic, and energy, in oral and written communication

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.6

use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes (e.g., using scientific and technological conventions, create a labelled diagram showing the component parts of the device they created to transform electrical energy into another form of energy and perform a function

Grade 6 Developing Investigation and
Communication Skills  2.7

identify and discuss solutions that have been developed to address key technological problems or meet human needs in various areas of technology (e.g., catalytic converters, CPU heat sinks, solar cells, regenerative brake energy systems, wind turbines, convection ovens, internal defibrillators, scent-free and hypoallergenic products);

Grade 9 Problem Solving and Project
Management B1.3

                     Farming Electricity

Biodiversity

Life on land

Oceans

Life below water

Climate change

Climate action

health

Good health and well-being

Plants use the energy from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce sugars (photosynthesis). Plants can use the food (sugar) immediately or store it for later use.

SCI.6-8.6.2.B

Hereditary/genetic information in chromosomes is contained in molecules of DNA. Genes are sections of DNA that direct syntheses of specific proteins associated with traits in organisms. These consist of various combinations of four different nucleotides that encode this information through their sequences.

SCI.9-12.7.1.A

Mutations in DNA of organisms normally occur spontaneously at low rates, but can occur at higher rates (i.e., exposure to pathogens, radiation and some chemicals). Most mutations have no effect on the organism, but some may be beneficial or harmful depending on the environment.

SCI.9-12.7.1.C

Recognize that the process of photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts of producers. Summarize the basic process in which energy from sunlight is used to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water (photosynthesis). Indicate that this food can be used immediately, stored for later use, or used by other organisms.

SCI.7.6.2.1

The major source of atmospheric oxygen is photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and oxygen is released during photosynthesis.

SCI.5-8.4.L6.2b

Nearly all the atmosphere is confined to a thin shell surrounding Earth. The atmosphere is a mixture of gases, including nitrogen and oxygen with small amounts of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases. The atmosphere is stratified into layers, each having distinct properties. Nearly all weather occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere.

SCI.5-8.4.P2.1a

Substances enter the atmosphere naturally and from human activity. Some of these substances include dust from volcanic eruptions and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor. These substances can affect weather, climate, and living things.

SCI.5-8.4.P2.2r

human influences including deforestation, urbanization, and the production of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

SCI.9-12.E.4.2.2.d.2

investigate that most producers need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food, while consumers are dependent on other organisms for food; and

SCI.4.9.A

demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in Texas Education Agency-approved safety standards; and