Celebrate Energy Awareness Month - October 2010

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. 

NEED and its partners offer lessons and other activities specially selected for energy awareness in the month of October. 

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Activities

In many states, utilities work with NEED to provide home energy efficiency kits to students and their families. In the classroom, students learn about energy and principles of conservation and efficiency, then take the kits home and install efficiency measures in their homes. The Teacher Guide andStudent/Family Guide has many lessons for learning about Energy Efficiency at Home. 

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.

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 addition to the NEED portfolio leads students through research on efficiency technologies. 

The NEED Project supports ENERGY STAR®'s 2010 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 which includes curriculum and activity ideas for implementing the Change a Light, Change the World Campaign in your classroom and community.  Check out the Make a Cool Change Refrigerator/Freezing Recycling Teacher Guide and the Make a Clean Change Washer Recycling Guide!

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. These Teacher Guides helps teachers and students learn more about 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. 

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.

Want other great lessons to combine with use of the activity book or for older students?

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

Visit the EIA Energy Kids site and find all the great resources organized in a fun new way!

More great places to look for energy information this month:

U.S. Department of Energy
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement Kid's Page
Energy Information Administration Kid's Page
Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program

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.

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.