Hoover Middle School

6th Grade Science - Energy Summit

Created by K Crossley & L Wong, 4/28/10; updated 4/18/12

You will be researching different sources of energy:  fossil fuels (coal, petroleum and natural gas); nuclear; solar; wind; biomass; geothermal, or hydroelectric.  Based on your research, you will be recommending an alternative source of energy that can effectively be transformed into a form of energy that can meet our energy needs.  You will create a bibliography of at least 3 different sources using NoodleTools and share it electronically with your science teacher. You must use at least one database article.

Databases – Use the keyword chart below to find the best terms to find information about your energy source.

  World Book Encyclopedia  - An encyclopedia is always a good place to begin your research.  Here you will find basic information that will help you decide how to continue your research.  Use the search box to find your topic.
NoodleTools:  Encyclopedias are considered a reference source – not duplicated from a printed work.  Do NOT provide a URL. 

SIRS Discoverer – Click on SIRS Discoverer to go into this database.  Click on “Subject Heading” and then use the search box to find the best articles.
NoodleTools:  Click on “Source and Summary.”  Use that information to figure out where SIRS Discoverer found this article and cite that source (magazine, newspaper, encyclopedia, etc.)  Retrieved from an online database.  For an encyclopedia article:  yes, duplicated from a printed work.  Do NOT provide a URL. 

E-Library - Use the search box to find your topic.  Some articles will begin with “Why don’t you try” and they give different headings for your topic.   If you get a large display with a photograph, click on “Expand this document” to see the whole thing.
NoodleTools:  Look at the icon next to your article title on the search page.  That will tell you if the article is from a newspaper, book, magazine, etc.  Then look at the top of your article and sometimes the bottom to find the information you need to create your citation.  To see the correct citation click on “Citation View” in the bar above the article title.  Do NOT provide a URL. 

Gale E-Book:  UXL Encyclopedia of Science – Use the search box and the search terms in the chart below to find articles about your topic.  If your topic is in an article about other energy sources, look for the topic you searched in red bold print within the article.
NoodleTools:  Look at the top of the article under “Source” to find information for your citation.  Cite as a reference source – online – other – yes, I will provide publication details.  “Editors” are NOT listed as authors.  Database is Gale Virtual Reference Library.  Do NOT provide the URL. 

Websites – Be careful to look at the sponsoring organization of the website to see if they have any bias about their topic.
NoodleTools:  Cite as websites. DO provide a URL for websites. 

Different Forms of Energy 

1. California Energy Commission:  The Energy Story – Explains many kinds of energy sources.  Scroll down to the Table of Contents to link to your research topic.  You have read excerpts from this website in class. 
2. US Environmental Protection Agency: How does Electricity Affect the Environment? – Here you can explore the environmental impacts of your energy source.  Click on your source to read more about it’s level of environmental impact. 
3. How Stuff Works: Energy Production Library – Use the search box to find articles on your topic or scroll down to find articles about your energy source. 
4. US Department of Energy:  Energy Sources – Look under subtopics and click on your energy to find out more info. 
5. US Department of Energy:  Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy – Click your renewable energy source on the far right.  
6. US Energy Information Administration: Energy Kids – Read all about energy and energy sources here.  Save the games and activities to do at home! 
7. Tennessee Valley Authority:  TVAKids - How TVA Makes Electricity – Read about 4 sources of energy here. 
8. Environmental Literacy Council:  Energy – Read this general article, then look on the right for links about some energy sources. 
9. Energy Resources – Click on tabs on left to find your energy source, how it works, and its advantages and disadvantages. 
10. American Petroleum Institute:  Energy Carriers: The Fuels in Our Lives – Look for the charts telling how much electricity is produced by different energy sources, and the cost per kilowatt hour. 
11. National Renewable Energy Laboratory:  Maps – Here you can find maps of the possible resources available in the United States. 
12. Pepco:  Renewable Energy – Read about renewable energy being marketed by Pepco in our area. 
13. US Energy Information Administration:  Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook – You can find information about current costs of different energy sources here.  Warning:  This is NOT easy to understand. 

Biofuel or Biomass 

14. Australian Academy of Science: Biomass the Growing Energy Resource – Read here about what biomass is, and how it can be used as an energy source. 
15. US Department of Energy:  Biomass FAQs – Information on biofuels.  Look for links to other articles. 
16. National Renewable Energy Laboratory:  Biomass Energy Basics – Learn more about biomass.  

Coal 

17. American Coal Foundation: Coal Energy Facts - Learn about coal and converting coal into electricity. 
18. Science Daily:  The Cost of Coal on the Environment – Read about the environmental costs of using coal. 

Geothermal 

19.  Canadian Centre for  Energy Information:  Geothermal – Read about geothermal energy, its advantages and challenges. 
20. US Department of Energy: Geothermal Technologies Program – Geothermal energy and the types of power plants that use geothermal energy. 

Hydroelectric 

21.   US Geological Survey:  Water Science for Schools – This explains how hydroelectric power works. 
22. Idaho National Laboratory:  Hydropower Facts – Here you can find out how hydropower works, the types of hydropower facilities, and plant costs and production expenses for hydropower. 
23. Idaho National Laboratory: Undeveloped Hydropower Potential by State – Click on any state to see how much hydropower is being generated in that state AND is considered possible, but is not developed.   

Natural Gas 

24. NaturalGas.org: Natural Gas and the Environment – Learn about natural gas and its effects on the environment. 
25. American Petroleum Institute: Adventures in Energy – Learn about oil and natural gas. 
26. Offshore-Environment.com: Natural Gas in the Marine Environment – This explains one environmental impact of natural gas. 

Nuclear Energy 

27. Nuclear Energy Institute – Find info about the use of nuclear power, environmental factors and other facts. 
28. Thinkquest:  Nuclear Energy – Read about nuclear energy, its advantages and disadvantages here. 

 Oil and Petroleum 

29. American Petroleum Institute: Adventures in Energy – Learn about oil and natural gas. 
30. USEIA Energy Kids:  Oil (Petroleum) – Learn all about oil, including how it is refined and the environmental impact of oil production. 

Solar Energy 

31. Facts-About-Solar-Energy.com – Click on the tabs on the left to find out about solar energy, its advantages and disadvantages.  Warning:  Watch out for ads!  
32. Solar Energy International:  Answers For Older Kids – Scroll down to find questions.  Click on your question of interest to find the answer.  

Wind Energy 

33. American Wind Energy Association:  Wind Web Tutorial – Use the buttons on the right side to explore wind energy, including how it works, its costs, and environmental impact. 
34.   American Wind Energy Association: Fact Sheets – Look at the links below to see fact sheets related to wind energy. 
35. Science Daily: Wind Farms Impact Weather – Get headphones to listen to the video clip which starts automatically BEFORE opening this website.  Read the article for more info.