Promoting Energy Understanding in the Classroom
Authors: Spruill Mary 
Published: February 2015

Have you visited an elementary, middle, or high school classroom lately? Was there an atmosphere of excitement in the room? Were the students engaged in active learning, and tackling tough subjects and issues? More important, were they learning about energy? If you were in a Natl. Energy Education Development (NEED) Project classroom, you would have discovered all of these things. After 25 years, its innovative energy curriculum and programs reach more teachers and students every year.
The NEED Project was launched with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Energy with a goal to educate teachers and students about all types of energy and the issues that surround the exploration, production, use, and conservation of energy. Its mission is to promote an energy-conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, businesses, government, and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multisided energy education programs. Today, the program serves teachers and students in 45 states and U.S. territories.
The public’s understanding of energy is critical to both the industry and citizens. This program teaches the scientific concepts of energy and provides factual information about energy sources and use and about energy’s impact on the environment, the economy, and society. It includes curriculum materials, professional development, evaluation tools, and teacher recognition. Materials are available for all grade levels from kindergarten through high school. Educators can design classroom programs that spark the interest of their students and meet course objectives. To ensure that teachers and students are working with accurate information, materials are updated regularly, using the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Admin., as well as from a wide range of energy industry partners. The NEED curriculum begins with science. Students at all grade levels learn about the science of energy—heat, light, motion, sound, nuclear, and electricity—with age-appropriate, hands-on exploration that emphasizes the scientific process. Students explore the history of energy and the role energy plays in current events, and they consider the possibilities and challenges of the future.
The energy industry faces labor shortages in the coming years. Energy choices and challenges will become increasingly complicated as the nation and the world balance the need for energy supply with the importance of increasing energy efficiency and conservation. The world energy market grows daily, with new stakeholders, new resources, and greater challenges. The energy world is ever-expanding, and this program exists to prepare future leaders, train teachers to teach energy from a balanced perspective, and reach parents and community decision makers through energy outreach and education.
NEED teachers are among the best. Sometimes called “energy geeks” by their peers, these teachers recognize the value of teaching energy to their students. Energy is a natural fit in any classroom, in any subject area. In NEED classrooms, energy is integrated into science with hands-on experiments. In social studies, students consider land use and energy policy. Energy shows up in the language arts curriculum as a persuasive essay written by a student balancing the pros and cons of drilling in the Alaska Natl. Wildlife Refuge. In the technology classroom, students learn about hydrogen fuel cells. And energy is in the career center as students consider the energy industry as a viable option for employment after high school, community college, or college. Energy can be integrated easily into every classroom.