Why do We Need to Teach Kids about Renewable Energy?

Today, 80% of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels4. It is primarily what we use for
electricity, heat, and transportation. Fossil fuels are the raw materials for our gas, petrol, diesel,
and oil. The problem is, every stage of mining and using these fuels contributes to climate
change.

The extraction process of fossil fuels causes both air and water pollution. In some cases, all the
trees and vegetation in a location may be removed to access the materials underground.

The process of refining these materials into usable fuel produces greenhouse gas emissions.
These are the gasses that trap heat in our atmosphere, causing global warming. Transporting
these fuel and fuel product also contribute to the emission of greenhouse gasses.

And of course, when our cars, homes, and factories burn the resulting fuel for heat or electricity
further emissions are produced.

Renewable Energy is Growing in Importance

Various types of renewable energy are being explored to tackle the effects and growth of climate
change. They include solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, biomass, and other
emerging sources.

These are energy sources that can be used without depleting the resource e.g regardless of how
much energy we convert from the sun, our use will not impact its form.
If we do not redirect our energy needs to renewable energy, the predictions for our environment
are worrying2. We are expected to experience rising temperatures, heatwaves, droughts,
hurricanes, rising sea levels, and more concerning changes. This future being predicted will be
lived in by our children today.

Therefore, kids need to learn about renewable energy practices which could potentially salvage
their futures. They can grow up with these practices, as opposed to adults who have to adapt.

Also, research shows that when we teach kids about climate change, parents become more
climate concerned3. Some adults are resistant to climate education, but parents are usually willing
to listen to their children. Educating children about climate change will have a ripple effect on
the energy practices of their families. And also of their immediate community.

Teaching Renewable Energy for Kids at Home

When your kids get home from school, the last thing they want is more studying. This does not
mean that you should leave all the environment-focused lessons to their teachers. Especially
since data has shown that schools are not providing enough of these lessons1.

Like every other life lesson you’ve given them, your kids can learn the practical aspects of
renewable energy from you. All you need to do is to integrate renewable energy into your home
lives.

Conscious screen time

Online games, YouTube videos, and animations can be used to teach your kids about renewable
and non-renewable energy. A good resource is NASA’s Climate Kids page. It has everything
from games to videos, mysteries, and activities all on ‘Energy’ as a section. There are other
sections dedicated to other environmental concerns available too.
Get them involved in conscious local communities

Both the National Geographic Education and Alliance for Climate Education partner with
schools on creating conscious groups for kids. They bring environment-friendly activities to
communities and build a local presence there.

Your kids can benefit from being a part of such communities. These alliances usually happen
through schools, so ask/encourage your local schools to seek them out.

Have honest conversations with your kids

You don’t need all the science-y words to speak to your kids about renewable energy. Instead,
break the topic down to them using casual conversations. Explain how the world has been
dependent on non-renewable energy, why we’re thankful for it, and why we need to get off it.

Give details on some of the changes that these energy sources have caused in our environment.
Use some of the sources above to find visual representations if needed.

Set a good example

Get your kids interested in energy conservation and renewable energy by bringing these practices
into the home. You can’t ask your kids to turn off their lights while leaving yours on. You stand
to lose the intended impact. The same applies to renewable energy. For example, share with your
kids tips to save electricity at home.

If you’re only talking about it, but still fully depend on fossil-fueled sources of energy, they may
assume that your environmental concerns aren’t so bad after all.
Teaching Renewable Energy for Kids in School + Resources

Photo by Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash

This year, NPR/Ipsos conducted a national poll to determine how much climate education
students might be getting. Their results showed that less than half of K-12 teachers talk about
climate change [4]. Their top reason? Because it’s not related to the subjects they teach.

This reason may apply to you if you’re a non-science teacher. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
So here’s how to include renewable energy topics into your lessons, whether you teach math or
literature.
Assign reading assignments

If you teach English or a related topic, then reading assignments will be common in your class.
As such, you can introduce lessons about renewable energy this way. Besides the books on your
lesson plan, select a list of books on renewable energy for your kids to read. You can go through
these books firsthand to ensure that they are kid-friendly. You also want to ensure that the
students in your class’ age category can fully understand the intended message.

For a start, here are some books to check out:

 The Kids' Solar Energy Book by Tilly Spetgang and Malcolm Wells
 Brilliant!: Shining a light on sustainable energy by Michelle Mulder
 Oil Spill!: Let's Read-and-Find-out Science, Stage 2 by Melvin Berger
 The Toy and the Test Drive by Gillian King-Cargile and Kevin Krull
 Growing Up in Coal Country by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
 The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer, Anna Hymas
(Illustrator)

For younger ages, you can read these books in class and have an open discussion on what they
are about. Draw lessons and interpret the messages as you go.

Visit a renewable energy plant

Your students can get a first-hand experience of how renewable energy works from a field trip.
Schools often organize at least one of these during the school year. As a teacher, you can bring
up the suggestion of a trip to a renewable energy plant for a change. There, your students will not
only see energy production in action, but they can also find the right answers (from experts) to
any questions they may have.

A quick online search will show you renewable energy locations in your city or state. Most of
these places have an allowance for visitors interested in learning. They are often willing to
educate others using tours, videos, and other information. There’s also the option of virtual
tours. IVANPAH, a solar electricity generating plant offers one.
Visting solar and other renewable energy installations can help educate kids as to the advantages of
renewable energy. This picture shows students in Reno visiting the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Museum
and Cultural Center. The Black Rock solar array that played a role in organizing the visit partially powers
the center. Photo Credit: BlackRockSolar via Flickr under CC BY 2.0.

Give a talk

You’ll know never to underestimate the power of your voice and how it can impact younger
people. Many people have admitted that their interests and career choices were shaped by a
teacher’s talk at one point in their younger ages. Of course, you don’t need expert knowledge to
do this.

For example, you can use your personal experiences and speak on some popular issues in the
media e.g. polar bears losing their homes. Explain to them how the energy we use affects the
environment. Then explain the available solutions, and how we can make the shift to these
solutions.
Show a movie

Movies help provide visual illustrations of the things you teach. The words “pollution” and
“climate change” may not mean much to a kid who has no idea what those things look like.
Seeing these things will make a better impact.

A number of kid-friendly movies exist which you can use to further your renewable energy
lessons. Please preview these movies before showing them in class. Here are some
recommendations:

 Before the Flood by Fisher Stevens

 Fuel by Josh Tickell
 An Inconvenient Truth by Davis Guggenheim
 The 11th Hour by Leila Conners
 Years of Living Dangerously by James Cameron

Build DIY energy projects together

Reading about renewable energy and how it works can get boring, especially for younger
children. Creating small DIY projects for your students to explore is a more hands-on process.
There are small-scale renewable energy products that you can introduce to class activities or
projects. Check out ScienceBuddies and YouTube to find renewable energy project ideas for
your kids.

Set the example at school

Schools use a lot of electricity. Keeping the lights on, heating in winter, and powering all that
learning takes energy. IT also costs a lot of money.

As a teacher concerned about the environment and climate change you can proactively help your
school become greener. Consider your school’s energy conversation, looking to ways to save
electricity at school.
There are also a number of benefits in your school switching to solar. Still using polluting fossil
fuels from the grid at school. Consider making the switch to solar.

Other Sources for Teachers

The NPR/Ipsos national poll shows that more teachers are interested in teaching about climate
change and energy [4]. 4 in 5 parents wish they would. For teachers taking their first step into
this field, here are some helpful resources to help your students learn. Therefore, these resources
will also be helpful for parents who homeschool their child(ren).

 National Geographic’s Education Section

 Alliance for Climate Education
 Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
 Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Biointeractive Classroom Resources
 CLEAN: Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network
 Google’s Your Plan, Your Planet Teaching Guide
 The Morningside Centre for Teaching Social Responsibility K-12 Lessons

Conclusion

We should get kids involved in conversations and practices surrounding renewable energy. The
future of the renewable energy system lies with today’s kids- to use, improve, and advance. Of
course, by taking the right steps, we can raise a generation that is not yet (and will avoid being)
dependent on non-renewable energy. This is, perhaps, the best strategy against the gloomy
predictions of the future of the earth.

Pin Me:
1 NPR Education, 2019: Most Teachers Don't Teach Climate Change; 4 In 5 Parents Wish They Did

2 USGCRP, 2017: Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume I [Wuebbles, D.J., D.W.
 Fahey, K.A. Hibbard, D.J. Dokken, B.C. Stewart, and T.K. Maycock (eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program,
Washington, DC, USA, 470 pp, doi: 10.7930/J0J964J6.
3 Children can foster climate change concern among their parents. Danielle F. Lawson, Kathryn T. Stevenson, M. Nils

Peterson, Sarah J. Carrier, Renee L. Strnad & Erin Seekamp. Nature Climate Changevolume 9, pages458–462 (2019)
4 World Energy Statistics 2018. IEA. International Energy Agency

By Jennifer Okafor, BSc.

Jen’s a passionate environmentalist and sustainability expert. With a science degree from Babcock University
Jen loves applying her research skills to craft editorial that connects with our global changemaker and
readership audiences centered around topics including zero waste, sustainability, climate change, and
biodiversity.

Elsewhere Jen’s interests include the role that future technology and data have in helping us solve some of the
planet’s biggest challenges.

Photo by Léonard Cotte on Unsplash

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