6.4 Plants in Your Gas Tank… Farmers Fueling Our Future
This middle school lesson (“Plants in Your Gas Tank…Farmers Fueling Our Future!”) explores agriculture’s role in producing alternative energy, including wind energy and biofuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, and methane. Through interactive activities (a Go Get It information-gathering exercise, a fill-in worksheet, and group-created bubble-map graphic organizers), students learn how crops, wind turbines, and agricultural byproducts can reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It is part of the Middle School Food and Agricultural Literacy Curriculum (Natural Resources Science: Alternative Energy).
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- As a result of this unit the students will… Describe alternative energy sources utilized in the United States.
- As a result of this lesson the students will … Explore agriculture's role in the production of alternative energy.
- Time required
- Instruction time for this lesson: 45 minutes.
- Grade level
- Middle School
- Materials
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- Piece of fruit
- Overhead projector/transparencies
- MS.NR.6.4.AS.A – Cut out and ready to be taped on students' backs
- MS.NR.6.4.AS.B – one per student
- MS.NR.6.4.TM.A – one per teacher
- MS.NR.6.4.TM.B – one per teacher
- Tape
- Self-adhesive chart paper or large roll paper – one per group
- Assorted markers – 4-6 per group
- Pencils – one per student
- MS.NR.6.4.ASSESS.A – one per student
- Lesson Number
- MS.NR.6.4
- Precepts
- D. Character; D4. Respect others
- Key Terms
- Biofuel
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Standards
- BS.01.01.02.aInvestigate current applications of biotechnology in agriculture.
- CS.01.04.04.cDemonstrate respect for others.
- NL-ENG.K-12.12Applying Language Skills
- NL-ENG.K-12.3Evaluation Strategies — Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts.
- NS.5-8.5Science and Technology
- PST.01.01.01.aIdentify renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and pathways of delivery.