National Energy Education Development Project

Energy Awareness Month - October 2008

Each year, the United States Department of Energy designates October as Energy Awareness Month.

During Energy Awareness Month many schools undertake energy efficiency and conservation activities. These classroom activities connect well to student homes as many families approach the winter heating season. Using energy wisely makes sense - both for the environment and for economics. In October, consider teaching about the energy sources we use using NEED activities, and other special items created for Energy Awareness Month, and ways to use that energy more efficiently.

New for 2008 - The National Ocean Industries Association Activity Book, compiled in partnership with NEED, helps students understand many aspects of energy development and production on the nation's outer continental shelf. The Activity Books are available in class-sets. To request a class-set or multiple class-sets, please contact NEED at info@need.org.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Activities

Celebrate Energy Awareness Month by learning more about how you use energy and how to make your energy choices more energy efficient. Consider using these energy efficiency tools to help reduce energy costs at home and at school. Primary Student Home Survey, Primary Level School Survey, Intermediate Level School Survey, and Secondary School Survey.

Saving Energy for Students and Families - In Indiana and Kentucky, Duke Energy and the Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Development sponsor home energy efficiency kits and programming for teachers and students. The Saving Energy Teacher and Student Guides provide teachers and students with simple lessons to understand energy efficiency and conservation around their home using low-cost energy efficiency measures. In Illinois, ComEd provides the home energy efficiency kits to students in NEED classrooms. The ComEd Saving Energy Teacher and Student Guides provide an opportunity to learn more about energy efficiency in Illinois.

The Saving Energy Expo was created to provide students with an expanded opportunity to learn about energy efficiency technologies while improving research and presentation skills. Similar to Energy Expo and Transportation Fuels Expo, this new addition to the NEED portfolio leads students through research on efficiency technologies.

The NEED Project supports ENERGY STAR®'s 2008-2009 Change a Light, Change the World Campaign. We've set a goal of 1,000 Pledges, which will save 282,000 kWh of energy and prevent 409,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. Every light changed is a step in the right direction. Join us in making a difference, sign the Pledge today!

Download a new, expanded version of NEED's Change a Light Teacher's Guide (2.24mb pdf) which includes curriculum and activity ideas for implementing the Change a Light, Change the World Campaign in your classroom and community.

Sign the Energy Conservation Contract to pledge to be more efficient about energy use at home and on the road!

Transportation Fuels - The Future is Today and What Car Will You Drive? help improve air quality, energy efficiency and more. This Teacher Guide helps teachers and students learn more about the future of transportation fuels.

Thanks to support from the U.S. Department of Energy, The National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, and 4-H, NEED produced the Light and Lighting Module, a Heat and Heating Module, a Science of Motion Module and a Chemical Energy Module for use in the 4-H Afterschool program.

Discoveries for Everyone

A partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, National Ocean Industries Association, The U.S. Minerals Management Service and the NEED Project is making available the Discoveries for Everyone activity book. NOIA's mascot Shellby the Starfish guides students through neat word searches, crossword puzzles and more in the NOIA Activity Book - created in partnership with NEED, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Minerals Management Service.

Want a class-set of activity books for your class? Email NEED to request a set. Include name, school name, street address, city, state, and zip.

NOIA Offshore Activity Book

Drilling for Oil - hands-on lessons for students

Oil and Gas Activities

Exploring an Oil Rig - a story for students to read and illustrate

Under the Sea - a story for students to read and illustrate

More great places to look for energy information this month:

U.S. Department of Energy

Minerals Management Service Kid's Page

Energy Information Administration Kid's Page

Energy Resources and More

NEED Energy Infobooks and Infobook Activities for learning more about our nation's energy resources.

Other Great Classroom and Outreach Activities

Thanks to Donna Quillen of Prospect Elementary School in Monroe, North Carolina for developing Greek Mythology and the Forms of Energy. It is a great way to bring energy into the language arts classroom.

This Mine of Mine coal education activity.

Projects and Activities great outreach opportunities.

U.S. Energy Geography
A series of resource maps for students to develop an understanding of energy production and use

Want more info or want to suggest other curriculum that should be posted here?

Tell us about your Energy Awareness Month Activities info@need.org.

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The NEED Project
8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, Virginia 20110
Phone:703.257.1117; Fax:703.257.0037