Starting with Sustainability Lesson Set: Energy and Daily Choices
Starting with Sustainability Lesson Set: Energy and Daily Choices
Starting with Sustainability Lesson Set on Energy and Daily Choices is a series of activities for youth to explore the choices people make about energy every day and how we can each change our habits to use less energy and reduce waste. This lesson set includes educator and youth-facing lessons that include a reading and literacy component, investigations, hands-on activities, quotes from STEM professionals, and opportunities for creativity. Supporting supplemental materials include slide decks and worksheets. The materials were inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and draw on content from the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guide series found at https://ssec.si.edu/global-goals.
Smithsonian Science for Global Goals uses a Discover, Understand, Act framework to guide youth from ideas about real-world problems to actions. The Discover section contextualizes global issues within local communities by encouraging young people to recognize their existing knowledge. In the Understand section, youth gather data on real-world problems through natural and social science research. Finally, youth apply their learning through self-determined actions to help solve problems for their local and global communities.
Full Lesson Slides (Includes Discover, Understand, and Act Activity Slides)
Download the Full Lesson Slides PowerPoint
Standards Connections
Download the Standards Connections PDF
Discover Activity Slides
Download the Discover Activity Slides PowerPoint
Energy Use Checklist Worksheet
Download the Energy Use Checklist Worksheet PDF
Energy Use Investigation Slides
Download the Energy Use Investigation Slides PowerPoint
Understand Activity Slides
Download the Understand Activity Lesson Slides PowerPoint
Personal Transportation Investigation Worksheet
Download the Personal Transportation Investigation Worksheet PDF
Shared Transportation Investigation Worksheet
Download the Shared Transportation Investigation Worksheet PDF
Item Origin Investigation Slides
Download the Item Origin Investigation Slides PowerPoint
Avoid, Shift, Improve Worksheet (optional, for extension)
Download the Avoid, Shift, Improve Worksheet PDF
Act Activity Slides
Download the Act Activity Slides PowerPoint
Action Planner Worksheet
Download the Action Planner Worksheet PDF
Energy! Guide
Download the Energy! Guide PDF
Climate Resilience! Guide
Download the Climate Resilience! Guide PDF
Sustainable Communities! Guide
Download the Sustainable Communities! Guide PDF
Learn more about Smithsonian Science for Global Goals
Visit the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals website
Check out more Starting with Sustainability Lesson Sets
Visit the Starting with Sustainability Lesson Sets Landing Page
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