Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

5 minutes

Tune In: 3-2-1 bridge

25 minutes

Find Out: Canvassing concerns

20 minutes

Take Action: Powerful post

10 minutes

Reflection: 3-2-1 bridge

Learning intentions

Students will:

analyse concerns about renewable energy sources
create resources to address misinformation and disinformation.

Success criteria

Students can:

sort concerns into truth, misinformation and disinformation
design an infographic or post to educate others about clean energy.

Tune In: 3-2-1 bridge

Step 1

Use the start of the thinking routine 3-2-1 bridge to assist students in reflecting on their current understanding of renewable energy sources.

Using sticky notes, ask students to record:

3 thoughts/ideas
2 questions
1 metaphor/simile

Find Out: Canvassing concerns

Step 1

Ask students to choose 1 of the following renewable energy resources: solar, wind, hydro or geothermal. In groups of 4 or 5, students should work together to identify a list of people's concerns about this energy source. You may suggest that students aim for 10 concerns in this timeframe (aim for 20 minutes). These concerns can be a mixture of truth, misinformation, and disinformation.

Some sites and research articles to assist with this research are:

Website	What is it?
National Geographic Kids - "Renewable Energy"	This article overviews different renewable energy types and mentions some challenges, like wind turbines affecting birds and bats.
Kids Discover - What’s Good and What’s Bad - Wind Energy	This article explores some environmental concerns about wind turbines, like their impact on wildlife.
Skeptical Science	A summary of global warming and climate change myths, sorted by recent popularity vs what science says.
Britannica Kids	This site offers age-appropriate articles on various energy sources and environmental topics.
Science for Kids (Ducksters)	Ducksters provides easy-to-read information on various science topics, including renewable energy.
Energy Kids (U.S. Energy Information Administration)	This website offers comprehensive, student-friendly information about energy sources, including renewables.
Tiki the Penguin Energy Guide	A colourful, engaging site that discusses environmental issues, including renewable energy, in a way that's accessible to children or those students requiring differentiated learning.

Step 2

For the remaining 5 minutes, ask students to use a key to sort these concerns into 3 groups: truths, misinformation or disinformation.

Take Action: Powerful post

Step 1

Instruct students to choose a concern from their list above and create a short social media post on paper, or digitally on Canva, that addresses people's concerns about this energy source with factual information. Reinforce the need for factual language and referencing of quality sourcing for their post to debunk any mis- or disinformation that has taken place.

See the example below:

Step 2

Display these in the classroom or digitally share them with their peers.

Learning support: Create a simple poster representing a catchy headline with 1 fact about clean energy.

Learning extension: Challenge students to create a series of interconnected posts that form a ‘myth-busting’ campaign, addressing multiple misconceptions about their chosen clean energy source.

Learning opportunity: Organise a ‘Fact-Check Fair’ class where students present their social media posts and engage in peer reviews, discussing the effectiveness of each other's debunking strategies.

Reflection: 3-2-1 bridge

Step 1

Provide students with a new sticky note, and use the second part of the thinking routine 3-2-1 Bridge by asking students to record any new thinking they now have around the topic of renewable energy sources by recording:

3 thoughts/ideas
2 questions
1 metaphor/imile

Step 2

For the ‘bridge’, ask students to reflect on their thinking with a partner by explaining how their new responses connect to their initial responses.

Misinformation’s Impact on Energy Decisions

Go to

Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables

In this lesson