These activities can be used as one-time discussions or educational tools in chapter meetings, classroom presentations, meetings with teachers, stakeholders, and more. Teachers can also use them as lesson plans in English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Advisory, and more. Select any of the activities, they don’t need to be completed in order. They will help address educational gaps on your campus. They’re designed to take 10-15 minutes but can be adjusted as needed. Anyone can lead these activities, you don’t have to be an expert in the topics!
Activity One: What are Fossil Fuels and Why Should We Stop Using Them? (Click to open)
Step 1:
Ask participants to write/discuss what they already know about fossil fuels and what questions they have about fossil fuels. Show the image and read the following definition from the US Department of Energy:
“Fossil energy sources, including oil, coal and natural gas, are non-renewable resources that formed when prehistoric plants and animals died and were gradually buried by layers of rock. Over millions of years, different types of fossil fuels formed. Today, fossil fuel industries drill or mine for these energy sources, burn them to produce electricity, or refine them for use as fuel for heating or transportation. Over the past 20 years, nearly three-fourths of human-caused emissions came from the burning of fossil fuels.”
Step 2:
Share the following video from the BBC:
Discuss:
- What stood out to you in this video?
- What would you enjoy most about a world without fossil fuels?
- The video talked about increasing the use of renewable energy worldwide by 2020. Do you think we have made enough progress? Why/why not?
Step 3:
Take Action Options – Invite participants to: (Choose one or more as time allows)
- Write/discuss a “pitch” explaining why fossil fuels are a problem and why we need to transition off of them
- Write/discuss their hopes and fears about fossil fuel emissions impacting their school/community
- Write/discuss which human rights are impacted by climate change (specifically increased fossil fuel emissions)
- Calculate their carbon footprint
- Sign your petition
Additional resources to dive deeper:
Activity Two: What is Renewable Energy? (Click to open)
Step 1:
Share this definition of renewable energy from the US Energy Info Administration:
Renewable energy is energy from sources that are naturally replenishing such as wind, sunlight, and water. Use the below graph on 2020 US energy consumption to give examples of which renewable energy sources we use in the US.
Step 2:
Learn more about four of the main renewable energy sources. Begin looking at the ”Renewable Energy Fast Facts” on the STF toolkit then dive deeper by clicking on each type of energy source. This activity can be done in groups, as a tabling event, in a classroom presentation, in a chapter meeting, and more! Here are the four types of renewables to explore:
- Energy Source 1: Solar
- Energy Source 2: Wind
- Energy Source 3: Water
- Energy Source 4: Geothermal
Step 3:
Take Action Options – Invite participants to: (Choose one or more as time allows)
- Write/discuss how renewable energy sources compare to fossil fuels
- Write/discuss their hopes and fears about climate change considering renewable energy
- Write/discuss personal climate stories
- Write/discuss which human rights are impacted by climate change and/or how they can be protected by transitioning to renewable energy
- Draft a pitch for talking to school decision-makers or parents about the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy
- Sign your petition
Activity Three: Why Solar Energy? (Click to open)
Step 1:
Describe our campaign to participants: We’re advocating for our school to transition to 100% renewable energy, using solar energy. Explain where your school is in the process of advocating for renewable energy on campus.
Step 2:
Pros and Cons of Solar Energy: Discuss as a group or write ideas individually depending on the occasion
Say: Some people might ask us why we’re advocating for solar energy. It’s important that we have an answer prepared. We’re going to create a Pro-Con chart for solar energy, listing the benefits and any drawbacks you can think of. We know that nothing is perfect, even solar energy, and we want to be prepared to offer a good reason why we advocate for solar energy. For example, some of you may have heard that making solar panels burns fossil fuels. We need to be educated on solar so we can answer critics and questioners!
Need ideas? Share this Forbes pro-con list for home solar installation to help participants think through all of the pros and cons of using solar energy. Keep in mind that some of the examples from this article will apply to your school while others may not.
Step 3:
Take Action Options – Invite participants to: (Choose one or more as time allows)
- Write/discuss their “pitch” explaining why your school should transition to renewable energy. Use these sentence frames to help prepare a “pitch”:
- “While solar energy is not perfect, it is the best option because…”
- “Many people get stuck on the fact that solar is ___________, but they miss the reality that solar is _________…”
- “Our school should transition to solar energy because…”
Other take action ideas:
- Write/discuss their hopes about getting solar at their school
- Write/discuss which human rights are impacted by climate change, considering how solar energy can protect certain rights
- Make a personal climate pledge
- Sign your petition
Additional resources to dive deeper: