PBS has a great lesson plan to use when discussing the need to develop an alternative form of fuel with your class.
The increase in the world’s population combined with declining fossil fuel supplies has created the need to develop an alternative form of fuel. In this video segment adapted from Curious, scientists are developing ways to create fuel using the earth’s greatest energy supplier, the sun. In order to harness this energy, scientists are attempting to recreate photosynthesis and store the hydrogen fuel released during the process.
Overview
Students will watch a video segment that discusses the world’s need to find a replacement for fossil fuels and scientists’ attempts to produce energy from the heat of the sun using a man-made photosynthesis process. Students will then answer questions by using their understanding of the text and details from the segment to support their answers.
Why is this an important concept?
Learners must be able to interpret various informational texts including those with a scientific basis (i.e., doctor’s reports, warning labels and nutritional information). In these instances students need to be able to use context clues to help them define words or phrases that are unknown to them. They also must be able to generate inferences based on the facts and data provided and use these inferences to determine the overall message of the text.