Indiana Science HS-ENV2-4
The Standard
Analyze and interpret the data on the benefits and disadvantages of the different sources of energy including fossil fuels, nuclear energy, hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal and biofuels.
Indiana Academic Standards for Science (2023) · Flow of Matter and Energy
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students read data for fossil fuels, nuclear power, hydroelectric power, wind, solar, geothermal power, and biofuels. They compare emissions, cost, reliability, and environmental effects. They use the data to explain tradeoffs.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given a data table, a student can identify low-emission sources and sources that can supply power on demand. They can recommend an energy mix for a town, cite two figures, and explain a drawback.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may call biofuels and hydroelectric power pollution-free because they are renewable. They may treat nuclear power as a fossil fuel or assume wind and solar produce steady power.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Show solar at 40 g CO2e/kWh with no night output, gas at 490 with steady output, and nuclear at 12 with steady output. Ask students to choose one for overnight power, cite two table facts, and name one drawback.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups seven energy-source cards with emissions, cost, and output data; have them sort the cards by emissions and note a tradeoff for each.
Ask: Which two sources would power our town during a cloudy, calm week? Defend your choices with figures from the class table.
Play a matching game with seven impact cards, including dam habitat loss and nuclear waste, and the energy sources that cause them.
Find your state's electricity mix on an EIA chart, then compare its top two sources using the class emissions and reliability table.
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Printable HS-ENV2-4 Worksheet
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