Creative Energy Classroom Fun by NEED Project

e Creative energY Classroom fun Activities Inside: • Energy is Doing Work • Captain Biomass and the Pooper Scooper Problem

Grade Levels: Int Primary Pri

Ele

Sec Intermediate

• Nonrenewable Energy Live! • Saving Energy on Screen

Elem

Elementary Secondary

Subject Areas: Science

Language Arts

Social Studies

Creative Arts

Public Speaking

Teacher Information

&Background Students often learn best when they are actively engaged, using both sides of their brains, moving their whole bodies, and using their senses to explore and interact with the world. Recently, we’ve noticed a push for more creative arts in schools. And we love it! Pairing science and the arts makes learning science fun for you and your students. Learning about solar energy is more engaging and entertaining when you’re acting out a story based on your favorite movie characters (cue the Star Wars theme music! FYI, you’ll find "A Star War – Battle for the Sun", in Energy on Stage). Across NEED curriculum, we offer activities that allow you to teach science in creative ways, using music, art, movement, and drama. Most of NEED's creative lessons take little planning or prep and can be completed with a few minutes here or there. Or, incorporate language arts skills such as research and creative writing, and expand these creative arts lessons across multiple days. Individual teacher guides offer options to meet your needs. This sampler includes several lessons covering the forms of energy, renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy, and energy conservation. Four individual teacher guides are included so you can choose which lessons to complete. While some of the activities in this sampler are brand new in 2019, they can all be found within NEED's library, and each title is referenced on the Teacher Information page for the activity. It may be helpful to read an activity’s original teacher guide, too, as it may aid in your classroom implementation. All guides are available to download from shop.NEED.org. Also, while completing these activities, it may come in handy to have informational text available for students to reference. NEED’s Energy Infobooks are available at four reading levels – primary, elementary, intermediate, and secondary. Infobooks are available to download from shop.NEED.org.

"Captain Biomass and the Pooper Scooper Problem" is a new addition to Energy on Stage. During this activity, your students will be making costumes and props and performing a play, working with younger students to teach them about a renewable source of energy, drawing a superhero, creating an art sculpture, learning the challenges faced by families who use human waste as a fuel source for cooking dinner, and exploring stinky STEM careers like a Waste Treatment Plant Operator. "Nonrenewable Energy Live!" is adapted from Energy Live! During this activity, your students will work in small cooperative groups to research a nonrenewable energy source and write their own lyrics to a familiar tune, sharing what they’ve learned. Students will also write band member interviews, create a persona for their musical group by designing album art, and enhance their performance with props and costumes. Finally, students will perform their hit songs and interviews for the class. "Saving Energy on Screen" is adapted from an activity called "This Week in Energy Conservation" found in NEED’s popular Energy Games and Icebreakers. During this activity, students will work in small groups to create viral videos sharing ways to save energy at home and on the road. Topics include water heating, lighting, and driving habits. Students will perform their video live for their audience – actual videotaping is optional. Visit shop.NEED.org to download these fun activities within their guides, and more. *Cover image: Students of Anne Beers Elementary School in Washington, D.C., performing a scene from "Conserverella" in NEED's Energy in Stage.

What creative things will students be doing as they learn about energy? They’ll be fully engaged - learning about energy and teaching others - as they sing songs, perform body motions, draw, design artwork, write original song lyrics, write interviews, write informational skits, create and perform a video, perform reader’s theater, and perform a play. Some lesson plans also include discussion questions, suggestions for additional "Kids Teaching Kids" activities, assessment ideas, and answer keys. “Energy is Doing Work” is a new addition to the NEED Songbook. During this activity, your students will be singing, inventing their own hand motions and body movements, teaching buddies during small group discussion, making observations and drawings during a scavenger hunt, and teaching and learning how energy makes change and does work for us. Students will learn that energy is found in many different forms, such as light, heat, motion, sound, and growth, and it powers machines.

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Energy is doing work TEACHER INFORMATION

&Background Using creative arts to teach energy is fun – for you and your students! The following activity uses singing, hand motions and body movement, small group discussion, observation, and drawing to teach and learn about energy.

"Energy is Doing Work" and other songs can be found in the NEED Songbook at shop.NEED.org.

Grade Levels Primary, grades K-2

Step One: Read and Learn Read the section, “Energy,” in NEED’s Primary Energy Infobook, or, “What is Energy?” in NEED’s Elementary Energy Infobook.

Elementary, grades 3-5

Time

Step Two: Get Creative and Get Active

1-2 class periods

Reinforce how energy helps us do everything by singing “Energy is Doing Work” with your students. Sing to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down.” After mastering the lyrics, work together to create simple hand/body motions to correspond with key words. For example, when singing “doing work,” tap fists on top of each other. Or, really get creative and learn the American Sign Language sign for each key word.

Materials Copies of Energy Scavenger Hunt, page 5

Step Three: Kids Teaching Kids Get together with your classroom buddies (or another class) and teach them your song and motions. Break into small buddy groups to talk about how energy makes change and does work for us. Energy is found in many different forms, such as light, heat, motion, sound, and growth, and it powers machines. Can students and buddies think of examples for each verse of the song? Finally, have buddy pairs do an energy scavenger hunt around the classroom. Search for objects making or using each form of energy. Draw a picture of each example on the worksheet provided. Allow time for each buddy pair to share their favorite drawing with the class.

Step Four: Assessment While sharing their favorite drawing, ask each buddy pair: 1. Where does (the object) get its energy? 2. What kinds of energy does (the object) make or use? Hint: Many objects make or use more than one form of energy, so while a drawing may be in the box “Light is energy,” the object might also make heat.

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Energy is doing Work Tune: "London Bridge is Falling Down"

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light

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heat,

light

and

heat,

light

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heat,

light

and

heat,

light

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2. Energy can make things grow Make things grow Make things grow Energy can make things grow Doing work

5. Energy can’t disappear Disappear Disappear Energy can’t disappear Doing work

3. Energy can make things move Make things move Make things move Energy can make things move Doing work

6. Energy is making change Making change Making change Energy is making change Doing work

4. Energy can run machines Run machines Run machines Energy can run machines Doing work

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Energy scavenger hunt

Buddies:________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Light is energy.

Heat is energy.

Motion is energy.

Growth is energy.

Sound is energy.

Machines are powered by energy.

ÂŠ2019 The NEED Project Creative Energy Classroom Fun

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Captain Biomass and the Pooper scooper problem TEACHER INFORMATION &Background In this lesson, students will use a variety of language arts skills and artistic skills to learn, and teach, about biomass as a source of energy. In addition to reading and performing a play about biomass, students will teach younger buddies, make art projects, think about world energy issues (social studies connection), explore STEM careers, and answer assessment questions. Some skills practiced in this lesson include reading, reader’s theater, drama performance, making costumes, scenery, and props, small group discussion, drawing and coloring, creating an original piece of art from natural and recyclable materials, critical thinking, online research, and using a graphic organizer. This play and similar plays on other topics can be found in NEED's Energy on Stage at shop.NEED.org.

Grade Levels Elementary, grades 3-5 Intermediate, grades 6-8 Secondary, grades 9-12

Time 1-7 class periods, depending on which activities you choose to complete

Objectives Students will be able to describe the flow of energy through a biomass system. Students will be able to describe processes that release energy stored in biomass and how we use that energy. Students will be able to assess the social and economic value of a biomass technology. Students will be able to describe biomass-related STEM careers.

Concepts Biomass is a renewable source of energy. Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals that were once alive. Wood, crops, food and yard waste in garbage, animal manure, and human waste are biomass. The energy in biomass comes from the sun. During photosynthesis, plants absorb the sun’s radiant energy and convert it into chemical energy. Biomass can be burned directly or converted to liquid biofuels or biogas that can be burned as fuels. When biomass burns, its chemical energy is released as heat. The heat is used to make steam to heat buildings, for industrial use, or to make electricity. Combustion directly burns solid forms of biomass like wood, crops, and garbage. A waste-toenergy plant burns garbage to produce heat. Fermentation changes biomass into ethanol, a liquid biofuel made from corn. Biomass can be converted into biodiesel, a liquid biofuel made from soybean oil. Bacterial decay changes biomass in a landfill into landfill gas. Bacterial decay changes biomass in an anaerobic digester into biogas.

Vocabulary

anaerobic chaos combustion decompose exaggerate hypnotize manure organic sewage

 Materials Miscellaneous art supplies to make props and costumes, glue for art sculptures Captain Biomass and the Pooper Scooper Problem, pages 9-13 My Biomass Superhero template, page 14 Exploring STEM Careers graphic organizer, page 15 Biomass Assessment sheet, page 16 Biomass Assessment Answer Key, page 17

Preparation

Make copies of the reader’s theater, Captain Biomass and the Pooper Scooper Problem, for each student. Make copies of My Biomass Superhero template for students/buddies. Make copies of the Exploring STEM Careers graphic organizer for each student. Make copies of the Biomass Assessment sheet for each student. ©2019 The NEED Project Creative Energy Classroom Fun

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Step One: Read and Learn Assign roles and read Captain Biomass and the Pooper Scooper Problem as a reader’s theater. For additional background, read the “Energy” and “Biomass” sections of your Energy Infobook. Discuss concepts and vocabulary as needed.

Step Two: Get Creative Assign character parts and have actors rehearse their lines. Assign a stage manager and director to run the show. Assign students to the art department to brainstorm ideas, collect materials, and make costumes, scenes, and props. Practice, practice, practice. SCENERY IDEAS ○○ Scene II - Backyard Treehouse – two chairs, table holding science lab equipment, paper leaves for a backdrop COSTUME IDEAS ○○ Robot – wears a grey sweat suit, hat made of foil, walks/moves with jerky robot-like motion ○○ Lunch Ladies – wear hair nets, aprons, rubber gloves ○○ Captain Biomass – wears a garbage bag cape PROP IDEAS ○○ Smellvin’s handheld robot controller – rectangular tissue box covered in foil with antennas sticking out ○○ Cafeteria “landfill” – cut a piece of cardboard into a mound shape, glue on lunch items such as a paper napkin, plastic container, plastic fork, drawing of a sandwich and apple core, milk carton, straw, chip bag, candy wrapper, etc. ○○ Trash can ○○ Georgia and Hannah’s invention – garbage bag filled with air, tape on a sign that says “biogas digester,” paper towel tube connecting bag to a drawing of a Bunsen Burner with a flame ○○ Rope to wrap around Robot ○○ Large posters or drawings – show how photosynthesis works, how a landfill makes landfill gas, how a biodigester makes biogas, etc. (hold posters up during the play to reinforce what the audience is learning) ○○ Signs with vocabulary words or key words like biodiesel and ethanol (hold signs up during the play to reinforce what the audience is learning) ○○ Cue cards or funny signs like “The Next Day” or “EWWW Gross!” (hold signs up during the play to make them laugh)

Step Three: Kids Teaching Kids Perform the play for your classroom buddies or another class at school. Break into small groups. Have students lead a discussion with their buddies about biomass. ○○ What is biomass? (Biomass is made from plants and animals that were once alive.) ○○ Is biomass a nonrenewable or renewable source of energy? (Biomass is a renewable source of energy.) ○○ Name some examples of biomass found in a forest? (wood, logs, bark, branches, leaves, pine needles) ○○ Name some examples of biomass found on a farm? (corn, corn cobs, corn stalks, wheat stalks, hay, soybeans, cow manure) ○○ Name some examples of biomass found around your yard? (grass clippings, leaves, branches, yard waste, fruit that fell off a tree, dog poop) ○○ How is biomass used for energy? (burn biomass to make heat, turn biomass into ethanol or biodiesel, bury biomass in a landfill to make landfill gas, burn biomass in a waste-to-energy plant, put biomass in an anaerobic digester to make biogas) Create a biomass superhero. Give each buddy the superhero template to decorate. Allow time for small buddy groups to share their superheroes with each other. ©2019 The NEED Project Creative Energy Classroom Fun

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Create biomass art. Send buddy groups out around the school to collect biomass materials. Search outside, in the lunchroom, classroom, office, etc. Once they have collected materials, have each group create a piece of art, perhaps a sculpture or a collage. Allow time to share their art piece with the class and point out their favorite biomass item and where they found it.

Step Four: Connections & Careers Explain to students that biomass can be a great resource in other cultures and geographical areas with limited resources. Explain that biogas is created by decaying matter. Show a video clip or describe to students that in some areas of the world, families rely on burning charcoal or wood for cooking. They may live without access to electricity, running water, or even a place to use the bathroom. Discuss the difficulties these families face every day accessing sources of energy, the environmental drawbacks of their use, and health problems related to this lifestyle. (constant need to collect firewood, deforestation, expense of charcoal, lack of safe/private bathrooms, human waste contaminates the water supply and leads to spread of diseases, emissions, and pollution) Show students a video clip or describe to students that an off-grid biodigester system may help a family generate free, clean-burning biogas from their waste. A biodigester produces biogas for cooking and fertilizer that helps crops grow. There are many digesters on the market today. One company making a positive impact is HomeBiogas. As a class, check out their website, www.homebiogas.com, to: ○○ Learn how the system works. ○○ Check out the bio-toilet. ○○ Figure out how much a complete system costs to buy. What is the payback period? Does this system seem like a wise investment for a family living in Africa? ○○ Would a biodigester work at your house? ○○ What are some benefits of using a home-sized biogas digester system? ○○ What are some drawbacks to using a home-sized biogas digester system? Have students use the "Characters" list from the Captain Biomass play to find each character's future career. Students should choose one career to learn about. Use online resources such as Science Buddies (https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-engineering-careers) or the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/) to research the career. Complete the graphic organizer. Assign students to small groups. Each group member will represent a different career. Allow time for each student to share his/her career graphic organizer within the group. As a class, have a closing discussion about biomass related STEM Careers. Suggested questions: ○○ Were any of the careers new to you? ○○ Share the most surprising, interesting, or awful job duty you learned about. ○○ Which jobs have the highest pay per hour? ○○ Do any of the jobs require a college degree or technical training? ○○ Do any of the jobs allow you to work outside instead of sitting at a desk? ○○ What is the difference between a Chemist, a Chemical Engineer, and a Chemical Technician? ○○ Do people in your community work in these careers?

Step Five: Assessment Distribute the assessment to students. Discuss answers in small group format or as a class. Organize an Energy in the Arts night to show off student work in this sampler.

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Captain biomass and the pooper scooper problem Characters NARRATOR 1: Dramatic voice, introduces and closes the story, future Water & Liquid Waste Treatment Plant & System Operator NARRATOR 2: Dramatic voice, introduces and closes the story, future Methane Gas Generation System Technician GEORGIA: Hannah’s best friend, loves science and a bit of mischief, future Environmental Engineer HANNAH: Georgia’s best friend, loves science and a bit of mischief, future Chemical Engineer WOODY: One of the Forester twins, loves camping and roasting marshmallows, future Plant Scientist TWIGGY: One of the Forester twins, loves camping and roasting marshmallows, future Chemical Technician DAISY: One of the Flower sisters, loves to ride go carts, future Biodiesel Engine Specialist ROSE: One of the Flower sisters, loves to ride go carts, future Biofuel Technology & Product Development Manager LILY: One of the Flower sisters, loves to ride go carts, future Chemist MR. GRUMP/CAPTAIN BIOMASS: Cranky science teacher, turns into a superhero when fingers snap, future dog walker and pooper scooper SMELLVIN: Inventor of contraptions, loves homework, future Robotics Engineer ROBOT: Smellvin’s high tech invention, the non-verbal Pooper Scooper 2000, future Power Plant Distributor and Dispatcher LUNCH LADY 1: Lazy cafeteria worker, future co-author of Meatloaf Surprise, a Lunch Lady Cookbook LUNCH LADY 2: Lazy cafeteria worker, future co-author of Meatloaf Surprise, a Lunch Lady Cookbook SCIENTISTS: Class or Cast

Scene I - Introduction NARRATOR 1: Unless you live under a rock, you know the epic tales of famous superhero Captain Underpants. NARRATOR 2: He was created by George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two young friends who love to pull pranks at school and write comic books in their backyard treehouse. These hilarious stories are usually stinky and rude. NARRATOR 1: What you probably don’t know, is that Captain Underpants isn’t the only school superhero in town. Let’s meet Georgia and Hannah, two young friends who love to behave at school and do science experiments in their backyard treehouse. NARRATOR 2: One of their science experiments accidentally… NARRATOR 1: sort of on purpose… NARRATOR 2: hypnotized their cranky old science teacher, Mr. Grump. Now, whenever they snap their fingers, Mr. Grump transforms into a superhero science teacher, Captain Biomass. NARRATOR 1: Science is fun again. That is, until Captain Biomass gets sprinkled with water, then he turns back into Mr. Grump. NARRATOR 2: So, sit back and enjoy this epic tale of superhero Captain Biomass. And don’t worry, this story gets stinky, too.

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Scene II – Backyard Treehouse GEORGIA: Are you excited about the Invention Convention tomorrow at school? HANNAH: It’s so cool that we’re focusing on bioenergy this year. But, I’m a little nervous. I heard Smellvin Smeedly invented a robot pooper scooper to clean up after his dog. GEORGIA: Oh, boy! Somehow his inventions always lead to chaos. HANNAH: Hopefully the robot is just a display because nobody wants to smell dog poop at school. GEORGIA: Well… we do need poop for our biogas digester. (Hannah and Georgia giggle together.) HANNAH: Okay, let’s practice our presentation. (Georgia and Hannah stand up. They use loud, confident voices, as they are giving an important speech.) GEORGIA: Biomass is a renewable source of energy. It is an organic material, made from plants and animals that were once alive. HANNAH: The energy in biomass comes from the sun. During photosynthesis, plants absorb the sun’s radiant energy and convert it into chemical energy. GEORGIA: Wood, crops, food, and yard waste in garbage, animal manure, and human waste are all biomass. We can use their stored chemical energy as sources of fuel. HANNAH: To release the chemical energy in biomass, it needs to be burned. The process of burning something is called combustion. Some biomass is burned in its solid state. Some biomass needs to be converted into a liquid or a gas fuel before it’s burned. Whenever biomass burns, its chemical energy is released as heat. WOODY and TWIGGY: (Voices call from off stage, in unison) Georgia! Hannah! Are you up in the treehouse? GEORGIA: It’s Woody and Twiggy, the Forester twins. We’re in here. (Woody and Twiggy enter.) TWIGGY: Could you help us with our project for the Invention Convention? HANNAH: Sure, tell us about your invention. WOODY: Our Mom is a lumberjack. We invented a laser beam that splits logs so she won’t have to chop wood with an axe. Our invention works great. TWIGGY: The problem is, after it’s cut, our pile of wood just sits there. It doesn’t give off any energy. GEORGIA: Have you ever sat near a campfire? WOODY: Sure, we love to roast marshmallows over the heat of a fire. TWIGGY: Oh! To get the energy out of the wood we need to burn it! HANNAH: That’s right. People have burned wood to heat homes and cook food for thousands of years. Until the mid-1800s, wood was the main source of energy for the world. GEORGIA: These days, most homes use natural gas and electricity for heating and cooking. HANNAH: But in developing countries, families still depend on wood as a main source of fuel. GEORGIA: In the United States, it’s mostly industry and electric power producers who burn wood and wood waste as fuel. WOODY: What’s wood waste? HANNAH: It’s the material leftover after paper mills make paper or manufacturers make products from wood. Tree bark, sawdust, wood chips, and scrap lumber are wood wastes. GEORGIA: When burned, they give off heat. The heat is used to produce steam and electricity, or it’s used to heat buildings. HANNAH: Remember that burning biomass can pollute the air, so you probably shouldn’t burn your wood pile inside the school.

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TWIGGY: Too bad, it would have been fun to roast marshmallows during the Invention Convention. WOODY: Thanks for your help, we’ll see you tomorrow! (Woody and Twiggy exit.) SCIENTISTS: Burning wood, gives off heat. Biomass energy, can’t be beat! HANNAH: Alright, back to our presentation. GEORGIA: (Stands and speaks using her “giving a speech” voice.) Industry uses biomass to make products. The transportation sector uses biomass by consuming ethanol and other biofuels. Power companies use biomass to generate electricity. DAISY: (off stage) Georgia! Hannah! Are you up in the treehouse? HANNAH: It looks like the Flower sisters are here. Come on in. (Daisy, Rose, and Lily enter.) ROSE: We made two go-carts for the Invention Convention. They run on biofuels. Would you like to take them out for a spin? GEORGIA: Definitely! But tell us about the biofuels first. LILY: Agricultural crops are biomass. They can be burned as fuel. Or, crops can be converted into a liquid biofuel, like ethanol or biodiesel. DAISY: In the United States, most ethanol is made from corn. The starch in corn is broken down into sugar. Then, in a process called fermentation, the sugar is changed into alcohol. ROSE: In other parts of the world, sugar cane, switch grass, and sugar beets are used to make ethanol. LILY: Scientists are studying how to make ethanol from fast growing grasses and trees, from agricultural waste such as corn cobs, and from wood wastes like sawdust, and wood chips. DAISY: We have a fireplace that hangs on the wall. We pour ethanol into it. When we light the fireplace, the ethanol burns making light and heat. ROSE: Ethanol is mixed into gasoline. It is burned in the engines of most cars and trucks on the road. LILY: And it powers one of our go-carts. The other runs on biodiesel. DAISY: Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, and even used cooking oils and grease. ROSE: In the United States, most biodiesel is made from soybean oil. LILY: Biodiesel is blended with diesel fuel. It can be burned as a heating oil or burned in the diesel engines of buses, trucks, and tractors. HANNAH: Or that go cart! Should we go take a ride? DAISY: Let’s go! (Everyone exits.) SCIENTISTS: Burning biofuels, gives off heat. Biomass energy, can’t be beat!

Scene III – At the Invention Convention (Mr. Grump stands in the center of the stage. Georgia, Hannah, Smellvin and the Robot stand to one side, Lunch Lady 1 and 2 stand on the other.) MR. GRUMP: (speaks in a very grumpy voice) I guess I have to welcome everyone to Biome Compostowitz Elementary School’s annual Invention Convention. I’m not sure why you bothered to be here… Our theme this year is bioenergy. As if any cares about dead plants or animal poop… GEORGIA: Mr. Grump seems extra grumpy today. MR. GRUMP: The children worked very hard on these inventions. Copied them off the internet probably… Thank you for coming. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out… (Mr. Grump stomps off the stage.) ©2019 The NEED Project

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HANNAH: Hey, Smellvin. How did your robot turn out? SMELLVIN: I invented the Pooper Scooper 2000. It does a lot more than just scooping poop. I’ll show you. (Smellvin turns to the Robot, pushes a button on the hand-held control device, and uses a commanding voice.) Robot, throw a baseball. (Robot pretends to wind up a pitch and throw a baseball. Then stands back at attention.) GEORGIA: Wow! That’s so cool. Does it do anything you tell it to do? SMELLVIN: He isn’t very good at eating my vegetables at dinner, but we’re working on it. LUNCH LADY 1: (in a loud voice, to catch everyone’s attention) The students of Biome Compostowitz Elementary School make a lot of trash. We’re tired of carrying garbage bags to the curb. LUNCH LADY 2: Our invention is the Lunch Lady Landfill. It holds the garbage in the middle of the cafeteria. HANNAH: I think we better check this out. WOODY and TWIGGY: (run across the stage holding their noses) Ewww – it smells so gross in here! (Georgia, Hannah, Smellvin and Robot walk over to Lunch Lady 1 and 2 and hold their noses.) SMELLVIN: Ladies, what you have here is MSW. Municipal Solid Waste. Also known as garbage. And it stinks! LUNCH LADY 1: Even though it’s stinky, garbage can be a good thing. LUNCH LADY 2: At a waste-to-energy plant, garbage is burned as fuel. Heat from the fire makes steam to heat buildings, for industrial uses, or to make electricity. SCIENTISTS: Burning garbage, gives off heat. Biomass energy, can’t be beat! LUNCH LADY 1: Garbage in a landfill makes energy, too, during a process called bacterial decay. GEORGIA: Bacteria that stay alive without any oxygen are called anaerobic bacteria. They live naturally in landfills. HANNAH: The bacteria feed on plant and animal materials, decomposing them. As food waste, leaves, grass clippings, wood, and materials like paper and cardboard decompose, it produces a biogas rich with methane. SMELLVIN: It’s called landfill gas. It is collected, cleaned, and burned to generate electricity. LUNCH LADY 2: Just think, yesterday’s meatloaf surprise could be lighting our kitchen someday. GEORGIA: Unfortunately, there’s no anaerobic bacteria here. This is just a stinky pile of garbage. HANNAH: Smellvin, can your robot scoop this up? SMELLVIN: Of course! The Pooper Scooper 2000 is the greatest invention of all time. (Smellvin turns to Robot, pushes a button on the hand-held control device, and uses a commanding voice.) Robot, take out the trash. (Robot pantomimes scooping up garbage and putting it into a trash can while the conversation continues.) GEORGIA: Let’s show everyone our invention. It’s an anaerobic digester for our treehouse. LUNCH LADY 1: How does it work? HANNAH: Anaerobic bacteria don't need oxygen to survive. These bacteria live inside the digester. They feed on dead plant and animal material - including animal manure and human waste! LUNCH LADY 2: That’s so gross! GEORGIA: Human waste is a biomass resource. Some cities have sewage treatment plants that use anaerobic digesters during the waste treatment process. The biogas produced is burned to heat the digesters or to make electricity to use at the facility. HANNAH: Some dairy farms use anaerobic digesters to make biogas from their cows’ manure. Livestock farms can also collect biogas from cow manure decaying in holding ponds. They burn the biogas to heat water and buildings, or to generate electricity to use on the farm. (Robot moves about the room, pantomimes picking up a ball, winding up, and throwing it across the room.)

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GEORGIA: We’re going to put dog poop and food waste in our digester. The biogas it makes will fuel our Bunsen burner in the treehouse science lab. SCIENTISTS: Burning biogas, gives off heat. Biomass energy, can’t be beat! HANNAH: On no! Look what the robot is doing. It’s scooping up garbage and throwing it at the parents! GEORGIA: Smellvin! Do something! SMELLVIN: (Pushes the button on the hand-held controller, voice sounds frantic) I can’t get it to shut off! It has a life of its own! HANNAH: I think we need some help here. Let’s get Captain Biomass. (Georgia and Hannah do an exaggerated SNAP! with their fingers. Captain Biomass rushes onto the stage.) CAPTAIN BIOMASS: Fa La Laaa!!!! Your robot wrangler to the rescue! (Captain Biomass wraps a rope around Robot pining its arms to its side.) CAPTAIN BIOMASS: (while walking Robot off stage) I’ve got a recycling bin with your name on it! SMELLVIN: Whew, that was a close one. Good thing Captain Biomass was here to save the day. GEORGIA: I guess we should turn him back into Mr. Grump again. HANNAH: Or…, we could just wait until the Invention Convention is over. (Everyone giggles and nods in agreement and walks off stage together – except Smellvin. Smellvin sneaks off the stage after his robot.)

Scene IV – Conclusion NARRATOR 1: You may be wondering, “What happened to our superhero after the Invention Convention?” NARRATOR 2: Captain Biomass smelled so bad after wrangling the robot that he went home and took a shower. That turned him back into cranky old Mr. Grump. NARRATOR 1: Smellvin secretly gathered the pieces from the Pooper Scooper 2000 out of the recycling bin. He is busy working on his next great invention, the Veggie Eater 2000. NARRATOR 2: But before we can tell you that story, we have to tell you this story. NARRATOR 1: Woody and Twiggy got sick to their stomachs eating too many roasted marshmallows. The Flower sisters got a speeding ticket for zooming around the neighborhood on their biofuel go-carts. And, the lunch ladies earned an award for their meatloaf surprise. They are thinking about writing a cookbook. NARRATOR 2: Up in the backyard treehouse, Georgia and Hannah are using biogas for their Bunsen burner. Science experiments are underway. They may… NARRATOR 1: or may not… NARRATOR 2: be working on a long-lasting, super-duper, water-proof, science teacher hypnotizing potion.

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my biomass superhero Create a Biomass Superhero: 1. Write your superheroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name under the boots. 2. Draw a face, hair, mask, hat or other superhero accessory. 3. Draw a biomass logo inside the chest plate. 4. Color the costume. 5. In the space around the drawing, describe how we use biomass.

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Exploring stem careers Career:___________________________________________________________________ Median Salary or Hourly Wage:

Education Level or Degrees Required:

Describe the Work Environment:

Special Training, Personal Qualities, or Skills Required:

Three Things this Person Does on the Job:

Interesting Fact or Job Duty:

Citation:__________________________________________________________________________________ ÂŠ2019 The NEED Project

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biomass assessment 1. What is biomass?

2. Choose one of the following scenarios and describe how energy flows through the system. Draw pictures to represent each step of the process. Describe how energy moves from the sun to one of the Flower sisters’ go carts. Describe how energy moves from the sun through a waste-to-energy plant to heat your school. Describe how energy moves from the sun to Georgia and Hannah’s Bunsen burner.

3. List four ways to release the energy stored in biomass.

4. Choose four different examples of biomass and write them in the chart. For each, describe the process that releases the energy stored in the biomass and how we use that energy TYPE OF BIOMASS

PROCESS THAT RELEASES ENERGY

HOW IS THE BIOMASS ENERGY USED?

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biomass assessment - Answer Key 1. What is biomass? Biomass is a renewable source of energy. Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals that were once alive. Wood,crops, food and yard waste in garbage, animal manure, and human waste are biomass. 2. Choose one of the following scenarios and describe how energy flows through the system. Draw pictures to represent each step of the process. Describe how energy moves from the sun to one of the Flower sisters’ go carts. Answers may vary. One solution for ethanol is: radiant energy in the sun, photosynthesis in growing corn plants stores chemical energy, fermentation process changes corn kernels into liquid ethanol, go cart engine burns the chemical energy in ethanol as fuel. One solution for biodiesel is: radiant energy in the sun, photosynthesis in growing soybean plant stores chemical energy, soybean oil refined into liquid biodiesel, go cart engine burns the chemical energy in biodiesel as fuel. Describe how energy moves from the sun through a waste-to-energy plant to heat your school. Answers may vary, but one solution is: radiant energy in the sun, photosynthesis in the growing grass stores chemical energy, yard is mowed/grass clippings in garbage bags, a waste-to-energy plant burns the garbage - chemical energy in grass transforms to heat, heat makes steam, steam heats the school building. Describe how energy moves from the sun to Georgia and Hannah’s Bunsen burner. Answers may vary, but one solution is: radiant energy in the sun, photosynthesis in growing wheat stores chemical energy, wheat made into dog food, dog eats the dog food (chemical energy in) and the dog poops (chemical energy out), dog poop in an anaerobic digester goes through bacterial decay producing biogas, Bunsen burner burns the chemical energy in biogas to produce a flame for heating. 3. List four ways to release the energy stored in biomass. combustion/burning, fermentation, conversion to liquid fuel or biogas, and bacterial decay 4. Choose four different examples of biomass and write them in the chart. For each, describe the process that releases the energy stored in the biomass and how we use that energy Answers will vary. Some examples include: TYPE OF BIOMASS

PROCESS THAT RELEASES ENERGY

HOW IS THE BIOMASS ENERGY USED?

wood and wood processing wastes - bark, combustion - burned as a fuel sawdust, wood chips, wood scrap, and paper mill residues

to heat buildings, to produce process heat for industry, or to generate electricity

agricultural crops and waste materials

burned as a fuel to produce heat

combustion - burned as a fuel

corn, sugar cane, sugar beets, the grains fermentation - converted to liquid biofuel burned as a fuel or blended into motor sorghum and barley ethanol gasoline and burned in gasoline engines soybean oil or vegetable oils, animals fats, conversion - to liquid biofuel biodisel restaurant grease

blended with diesel fuel and burned in diesel engines

paper, cardboard, food waste, grass combustion - burned as a fuel clippings, leaves, wood, leather products in the garbage

burned at waste-to-energy power plants to make steam to generate electricity or heat buildings

paper, cardboard, food waste, grass bacterial decay - converted into landfill gas burned as a fuel or used to generate clippings, leaves, wood, leather products in electricity the landfill human sewage, and manufacturing wastes bacterial decay - converted into biogas in burned to heat the anaerobic digester - wood waste from papermills and food an anaerobic digester during the waste treatment process, or to processing waste generate electricity dairy cow manure, livestock manure ©2019 The NEED Project

bacterial decay - converted into biogas in burned as a fuel to heat water or buildings, an anaerobic digester or to generate electricity

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nonrenewable energy Live! TEACHER INFORMATION

&Background

 Materials

Learning about a nonrenewable source of energy is a lot more fun – and memorable – when you sing about it! This activity is adapted from Energy Live!, a cooperative learning activity in which student groups research energy sources, then write and perform their own energy songs, introductions, and band member interviews. Students also create a persona for their musical group by designing album art and enhance their performance with props and costumes. During the performances, a leader acts as the host of the show and reads the prepared interviews.

Copies of Student Guide, page 19 Copies of Propane performance sheet, page 20 Miscellaneous art supplies to make album art, props and costumes (poster board, construction paper, etc.) Copies of infosheets from NEED’s Energy Infobooks (optional)

The songs in this activity focus specifically on nonrenewable sources of energy. Download the complete Energy Live! teacher guide from shop.NEED.org.

Grade Levels Elementary, grades 3-5 Intermediate, grades 6-8 Secondary, grades 9-12

Time 3-4 class periods

2Preparation This activity has been designed for use with NEED’s Energy Infobooks. The infobooks are written in four reading levels and contain infosheets devoted to each of the sources of energy. Each infobook can be downloaded as a PDF from shop.NEED.org. Choose which nonrenewable energy sources you’d like to cover (petroleum, natural gas, coal, and/or uranium). Make copies of those infosheets so that each student in the group has a copy. Make copies of the sample Propane performance sheet and the Student Guide for each student. Divide students into groups based on the number of sources you wish to cover. It is suggested that students work in groups of three to five students.

Procedure 1. Introduce the activity to students by singing the sample song about propane energy. Explain that they will work in small groups to “jam out” about a nonrenewable source of energy. Each group will create a song, interview, and album art. 2. Pass out the Student Guide page and the Propane performance sheet and review all the necessary components students must complete. Depending on the age of your students, you may wish to go through the sample song as a class, again, pointing out all of the group responsibilities. This may be necessary for younger or less independent learners. a. Read the Propane performance sheet as a class. Sing the familiar sample song as a class. b. Explain that students will create a song of their own, set to any appropriate tune of their choice. Just like the sample, their new song should be similar in rhyme and rhythm to that of the original tune they select, while telling the audience important information about their topic. Underline or highlight each of the important facts in the sample song. c. Point out that the sample group has a name, hit single, and an album title. Explain to students that they will need to create these for their group, too. Their groups will also need to create a piece of album art to represent their hits. d. Look at the sample introduction and interview. Point out that these pieces also tell important facts about propane energy in a creative way. During their interviews, both the questions and answers will be used to share important information about their topic. Explain that the interviews are like radio or TV interviews they may hear or see for their favorite artists. 3. Assign students to their groups and set timelines for work completion using the Student Guide. Remind students they will be performing their songs for the class. 4. Monitor group work and check on progress. If necessary, you may require students to submit lyrics or interviews for approval as they work. Be sure students are completing their work checklists. 5. Provide time for students to complete work and practice before presenting their songs, interviews, and album art. 6. Select a host for the show, if you will not be hosting yourself. The host must coordinate student performances and interview the groups. Invite an audience to come jam with your class.

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STUDENT GUIDE Write and Perform a Song About an Energy Source A  by a set of instructions means there is an assignment that must be completed and checked by your teacher. Write all of the assignments neatly, and check them for spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Here is a checklist of your assignments: List facts about your energy source/topic. Write a song. Write an introduction for your musical group. Write an interview. Design album art.

Let’s Go! Step One—Learn About Your Energy Source Working as a group, read your infosheet and underline or select the most important facts in each section. You will use these facts in your group’s name, song, and interview. Try to find 10–20 facts and write them down on a piece of paper.

Step Two—Name That Group! Select a name for your musical group, using the information you have learned. Be clever, creative, and original!

Step Three—Pick That Tune! Think about songs you can use as a guide. You can use a rock song, pop song, rap, folk tune, nursery rhyme, or theme from a television show or commercial. Take the first lines from a few songs and try to make up lyrics of your own. Pick the tune that is the easiest to use.

Step Four—Write That Tune! Using your list of facts, begin writing your group’s song and name it. Your energy song must tell at least five facts about your energy source.

Step Five—Write the Group Introduction Write a three to four sentence introduction that the host will read to the audience before your grand entrance. Your introduction should present several important facts about your energy source, as well as the name of your song and album.

Step Six—Write a Four-Question/Answer Interview Working as a group, write four questions and answers for the interview. Keep in mind that both the questions and answers should say something about your energy source. If you need help, look at the sample interview or your list of facts.

Step Seven—Design Album Art Using the name of your group and your hit single, brainstorm cover designs for your album. Assign one member of your group to bring the sketch to life. Use a poster for your final album art.

Step Eight—Props, Costumes, and Scenery Create a look for your group. Props, costumes, and simple scenery will help get your point across to your audience. For example, members of a solar group could wear yellow clothing and sunglasses or, you may choose to make props that parody your group/artist name. Brainstorm ideas for props and costumes. Once you’ve settled on a plan, assign various jobs to group members.

Step Nine—Rehearse Again and Again and ... Rehearse your performance as many times as possible. Things to consider: Is the group loud enough so everyone can hear and understand the song? Are the costumes and props appropriate? Do they make sense for your source and song? Are you enthusiastic in your delivery? Can you add dance steps or arm movements? Does everyone know his or her part? Do not read the lyrics during your performance!

The Final Step—Your Performance The big day is here! Your group’s performance is next. When it’s your turn to perform, the host will introduce you using the introduction that your group wrote. You should display your album art, name your hit song, and perform your song. After your performance, the host will ask you the interview questions that your group wrote. Have a great time! ©2019 The NEED Project

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PROPANE Introduction (The scene is a band stage. The host of the show addresses the audience.) PAULY POWER: This next group is a relative newcomer to the energy music scene, but they’re in great demand down on the farm and in backyards around the country. Let’s hear it for Propanic, singing their hit single “Tanks for the Memories” from their new album, “High Compression.” (Propanic performs its song to the tune of “Yankee Doodle.”)

Original Lyrics

Parody Lyrics

Yankee Doodle went to town Riding on a pony Stuck a feather in his cap And called it macaroni

Drill for propane underground With oil and natural ga-as Colorless and odorless It cooks your food real fast

Yankee Doodle keep it up Yankee Doodle dandy Mind the music and the step And with the girls be handy

Put a little pressure on And tanks will keep it handy For farms and homes and industries Propane’s a real dandy

Interview PAULY POWER: You’re relatively new on the music scene, aren’t you? SQUEEZE: Yes, we are. We were discovered in 1912, and, as you know, most energy groups have been around for a lot longer than that—some for thousands of years. PAULY POWER: I’ve heard that you guys perform well under pressure. Is that right? PIPER: That’s exactly right. When we’re under pressure, we’ve got a cool liquid sound and when we turn the heat up, we’re a real gas. PAULY POWER: Do you perform all over the country? FARMER: Well, to tell the truth, we’re really a country music group. Farmers like us. We do have a small but loyal following in town, too. We play a lot of small concerts in people’s backyards, for barbecues and all. PAULY POWER: I hear parents really like you. Why is that? PRO: Because we sing really clean lyrics, we don’t pollute the airwaves very much. PAULY POWER: Tanks a lot, Propanic.

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SAVING ENERGY ON SCREEN

TEACHER INFORMATION

Materials

&Background

Copies of Saving Energy Tips for each group Miscellaneous art supplies to make props and costumes Video creation app or software

During this activity, your students will work in small groups to create viral videos sharing ways to save energy at home and on the road. Topics include water heating, lighting, and driving habits. Students will perform their video live for their audience – actual videotaping is optional.

2Preparation Make copies of the Saving Energy Tips page and cut into strips for each topic group. Divide students into groups of three to five students. Assign each group a topic. Gather miscellaneous art supplies students may use to construct props and costumes for their videos.

Procedure 1. Do your students dream of being the next YouTube™ star? Explain that they will work in small groups to create a viral video (skit) teaching others ways to save energy. Each group will be assigned a topic with a list of six tips. Their job is to find a creative way to share the six tips with their audience during a two-minute video. If necessary, discuss with students what makes a video “go viral.” Stress that while the video can be funny, clever, or outrageous, it must teach the audience the six energy saving tips. Provide groups an allotment of time to develop, rehearse, and record their video. They can create props or costumes during this time, too. Each group will play their video for the class. 2. Divide the class into their groups and distribute the tip worksheets. Monitor timing for work and presentations.

Extensions Hold the annual YouTubey Awards. After each video is presented, other groups have one minute to try to list the six energy tips from the video they just watched. Next, the presenting group reveals their tips. Each group grades themselves using the honor system, getting one point for every tip they remembered correctly. Tally the scores of all the groups watching the presentation and award this amount to the presenting group. This gives the presenters an incentive to do a thorough job conveying their facts and information to the audience. The group with the highest score after all the presentations is the winner. Present them with a YouTubey Award for best viral video. Make your own awards, for example, draw the letter U on a toilet paper tube. Ask students to create PSA videos. This activity can be expanded to create actual public service announcement videos. Develop, practice, and record the videos, then air them on your school or local TV station for Energy Awareness Month, NEED Week, or Earth Day.

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"Saving Energy on Screen" is adapted from the creative and competitive learning activity, "This Week in Energy Conservation", found in NEED’s Energy Games and Icebreakers. "This Week in Energy Conservation" is designed as a television show with studentcorrespondents reporting on a variety of energy conservation topics. For the original, and additional saving energy topics that can be used to create more viral videos, download Energy Games and Icebreakers from shop.NEED.org.

Grade Levels Elementary, grades 3-5 Intermediate, grades 6-8 Secondary, grades 9-12

Time 45 minutes

Saving energy tips Hot Water Heating Saving Energy Tips: Do not let hot water run needlessly. About 18 percent of all the energy we consume in our homes is used to heat water. Use cold water instead of hot water when running the garbage disposal and when rinsing dishes before they go in the dishwasher. Using cold water saves energy. Repair leaky faucets promptly. A leaky faucet can waste gallons of water in a short period of time. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month. Wash and rinse clothes in cold water. Operating a washing machine takes very little energy. Most of the energy used by clothes washing machines goes to heating the water. Use low-flow shower heads. These easy-to-install devices save energy and still provide more than adequate shower pressure. Lower the water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees. Most hot water heaters are set for 140 degrees or higher. You can save on your energy bill by lowering the temperature. Insulate hot water storage tanks and water pipes connected to the water heater.

Lighting Saving Energy Tips: Make sure lights are turned off in rooms where you don’t regularly go, such as the basement or attic. Consider installing indicator lights to tell you when those unseen lights are on. Use outdoor lights only when needed. Consider using an automatic timer that switches off outdoor lighting in the morning. Use fluorescent lights, CFLs, or LEDs whenever possible. A fluorescent light lasts 10 times longer and uses 75 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb. LEDs use even less energy and last even longer! Dust bulbs and light fixtures frequently because dirt absorbs light. Clean fixtures and bulbs give you more light. Reduce light in non-working areas. Lighting needs vary with each task. Over-lighting an area wastes lots of energy. Adjust your lights accordingly. Turn down three-way light bulbs to the lowest setting when watching television. Dimmer light reduces glare on the TV and saves energy. Use one large bulb, instead of several small ones, in areas where bright lights are needed. Concentrate lighting in study areas and in stairwells where it’s needed for safety.

Driving Habits Saving Energy Tips: Drive the speed limit and don’t exceed it. Driving faster than 50-60 mph decreases gas mileage. Slow down to save fuel. Do not overfill the gas tank. To avoid spilling gasoline, consider your tank full when the automatic valve shuts off. Eliminate unnecessary or frequent starts and stops. Aggressive driving can lower highway gas mileage by 33 percent. Be a carpooler, and share a ride. Carpooling can save energy, reduce pollution, and make your car last longer. Do not let an automobile idle for more than one minute when waiting for someone. Idling equals zero miles per gallon in fuel economy. Eliminate unnecessary trips, and plan trips carefully. Combining errands can use less gasoline than several independent trips. Use public transportation. Try to substitute another means of transportation (bus, subway, bicycle, walking) for your automobile at least once a week.

Creative Energy Classroom Fun

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Creative Energy Classroom Fun

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National Sponsors and Partners 2019 Exelon Women’s Leadership Summit Association of Desk and Derrick Clubs Foundation Alaska Electric Light & Power Company American Electric Power Foundation American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Apex Clean Energy Armstrong Energy Corporation Association for Learning Environments Robert L. Bayless, Producer, LLC Baltimore Gas & Electric BG Group/Shell BP America Inc. Blue Grass Energy Bob Moran Charitable Giving Fund Boys and Girls Club of Carson (CA) Buckeye Supplies Cape Light Compact–Massachusetts Central Alabama Electric Cooperative Citgo CLEAResult Clover Park School District Clovis Unified School District Colonial Pipeline Columbia Gas of Massachusetts ComEd ConocoPhillips Constellation Cuesta College Cumberland Valley Electric David Petroleum Corporation David Sorenson Desk and Derrick of Roswell, NM Desert Research Institute Direct Energy Dominion Energy, Inc. Dominion Energy Foundation DonorsChoose Duke Energy Duke Energy Foundation East Kentucky Power EduCon Educational Consulting Edward David E.M.G. Oil Properties Energy Trust of Oregon Ergodic Resources, LLC Escambia County Public School Foundation Eversource Exelon Exelon Foundation Exelon Generation First Roswell Company Foundation for Environmental Education FPL The Franklin Institute George Mason University – Environmental Science and Policy Gerald Harrington, Geologist Government of Thailand–Energy Ministry Grayson RECC Green Power EMC ©2019 The NEED Project

Greenwired, Inc. Guilford County Schools–North Carolina Gulf Power Harvard Petroleum Hawaii Energy Houston LULAC National Education Service Centers Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Illinois International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Renewable Energy Fund Illinois Institute of Technology Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico Jackson Energy James Madison University Kansas Corporation Commission Kentucky Office of Energy Policy Kentucky Environmental Education Council Kentucky Power–An AEP Company Kentucky Utilities Company League of United Latin American Citizens – National Educational Service Centers Leidos Linn County Rural Electric Cooperative Llano Land and Exploration Louisiana State University – Agricultural Center Louisville Gas and Electric Company Midwest Wind and Solar Minneapolis Public Schools Mississippi Development Authority–Energy Division Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Foundation National Fuel National Grid National Hydropower Association National Ocean Industries Association National Renewable Energy Laboratory NC Green Power Nebraskans for Solar New Mexico Oil Corporation New Mexico Landman’s Association NextEra Energy Resources NEXTracker Nicor Gas Nisource Charitable Foundation Noble Energy North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality North Shore Gas Offshore Technology Conference Ohio Energy Project Oklahoma Gas and Electric Energy Corporation Oxnard Union High School District Pacific Gas and Electric Company PECO Pecos Valley Energy Committee People’s Electric Cooperative Peoples Gas Pepco Performance Services, Inc. Petroleum Equipment and Services Association Permian Basin Petroleum Museum Phillips 66

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Pioneer Electric Cooperative PNM PowerSouth Energy Cooperative Providence Public Schools Quarto Publishing Group Prince George’s County (MD) R.R. Hinkle Co Read & Stevens, Inc. Renewable Energy Alaska Project Resource Central Rhoades Energy Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council Robert Armstrong Roswell Geological Society Salal Foundation/Salal Credit Union Salt River Project Salt River Rural Electric Cooperative Sam Houston State University Schlumberger C.T. Seaver Trust Secure Futures, LLC Seneca Resources Shell Shell Carson Shell Chemical Shell Deer Park Shell Eco-Marathon Sigora Solar Singapore Ministry of Education Society of Petroleum Engineers Sports Dimensions South Kentucky RECC South Orange County Community College District SunTribe Solar Sustainable Business Ventures Corp Tesla Tri-State Generation and Transmission TXU Energy United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey University of Kentucky University of Maine University of North Carolina University of Rhode Island University of Tennessee University of Texas Permian Basin University of Wisconsin – Platteville U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Department of Energy–Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy U.S. Department of Energy–Wind for Schools U.S. Energy Information Administration United States Virgin Islands Energy Office Volusia County Schools Western Massachusetts Electric Company Eversource