Pedagogical Material on Energy Issues from Germany

Please notice: The pedagogical material, which we introduce to you at this page, is in German language.

Primary school (Year 1 to 4)

Fireworks & dancing sparks

The book will help children to get to know about the phenomenon of fire. It also contains a lot ideas for activities - games, songs and dances, experiments, stories and customs related to the subject of fire.

Sybille Günther. Ökotopia. Münster. 2nd Edition 2003. 140 pages ; 27 x 22 cm. ISBN: 3-931902-85-4

The Electricity workshop

The file contains work materials for an electricity project for years 3 to 4. The teaching methodology is presented briefly. The majority of the file is made up of copyable work materials for the children - e.g. on the subject of electricity in general, electricity from the powerpoint, simple circuits with batteries and bulbs. The book contains invention tasks, experiment instructions etc.

Iris Bender. Verlag an der Ruhr. Mühlheim 2002. 66 pages. 22 x 30 cm. ISBN: 976-3-86072-679-2

Enjoy the sun - find out about energy

Materials on the subject of energy and energy saving for primary schools. The brochure provides various lesson ideas, practical examples are shown and copyable work sheets are provided, e.g. on the following subjects: Light and shadow, sun collectors, wind power, energy generation, energy saving, heating and correct ventilation in the classroom. This is supplemented by an introduction on teaching methodology and background information on sustainable development.

Hessisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Landesentwicklung (Hrsg.). Wiesbaden. 3rd Edition 2003. 75 pages. 30 x 21 cm.

Electricity & magnetism

Teachers can use this booklet to carry out a project on the subject of electricity and magnetism in their class. The booklet also contains background information for teachers, lots of copyable task/ work sheets for children, including useful information about the degree of difficulty of the tasks. The subjects covered include energy generation, conversion of electrical energy into other forms of energy, the risks of electricity and saving energy.

Karin Krafft; Anja Rahm. Buch Verlag Kempen. 1st Edition 2005. 80 pages. 30 x 21 cm. ISBN: 3-938458-30-5

Air - light - heat - fire

This booklet shows how children in years 1 and 2 can research the phenomena of air, light, heat and fire. There is an introduction to cover the subject and teaching methodology. Most of the space is taken up by copyable work materials, e.g. the following subjects: Light and shadow, day and night, hot and cold, temperature (measurement), what we use for heating, air for breathing, dangers of fire. The difficulty of the tasks is specified.

Alice Undorf. Buch Verlag Kempen. 2nd Edition 2006. 60 pages. 30 x 21 cm. ISBN: 3-938458-11-9

Secondary level I (Year 5 to 10)

The Energy saving school - learning aim: To act in an environmentally conscious way

With this volume, "The energy saving school" from the "Subjects and materials" range, the Federal Centre for Political Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung - BPB) would like to encourage teachers to help make a contribution to sustainable development in the sense of the UN Rio Conference, and to take practical steps to make their schools energy saving. For this aim, the brochure contains specialist information (Agenda 21 , resource use in schools), thoughts on teaching methodology, suggestions for teaching plans with various variants, teaching materials (transparencies, work sheets and info in copyable black and white versions, and finally media, addresses.

Ulrich Graf; Volker Koch; Heinz-Dieter Schulz. Decker Druck. Neuss. 2004. 188 pages. 30 x 21 cm.

New ways to use energy

This subject file for years 9/10 includes material from PING - an initiative by the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein for practice of integrating scientific basic education. It contains copyable work sheets for class use, which are prepared with a good methodology. The subject of energy is handled based on the requirements of teaching plans, showing that practical energy projects in schools need not be a laborious extra event, but rather can take place as part of normal teaching.

Koordinationstelle für Organisation, Revision und Beratung, Kiel. Development version June 2000. 30 x 22 cm

Climate Detectives at School

This booklet is intended to encourage schools not just to cover climate change as a global phenomenon in teaching, but to make an active contribution to climate protection within the school itself, thus giving pupils skills that will have a lasting effect on the way they live. First of all a "climate check" is carried out, where the pupils look at different subject areas depending on their age group. The subject of energy is evaluated in particular depth; the climate check on energy is intended for pupils in years 9/10. The book contains background information, notes for linking in with subject teaching, work instructions and good examples for teachers. It also contains a CD-ROM with checklists and work materials for pupils. Additional material is presented at www.umweltschulen.de/klima, with a section in English.

Tilman Langner. Umweltbüro Nord e.V. (Hrsg.), Stralsund, 2011. 80 page brochure + approx. 100 pages of checklists on CD-ROM. ISBN: 978-3-00-028955-2

Energy saving projects in schools

Saving energy means releasing money for other important things! If you budget energy, you are protecting the future for your children! Our useful energy sources are not inexhaustible. Using wind energy sensibly, instead of wasting it, protects the environment! This book intends to show how this can work practically and how pupils and teachers can be encouraged to adopt these positive ideas. For this reason the book contains background information, project ideas and copyable work materials for an energy project. Climate protection, energy consumption and renewable energies are also covered.

Jonas Laning; Achim Schneider; Dorothee Tiemann. Verlag an der Ruhr. Mühlheim an der Ruhr. 2000. 120 pages. 30 cm. ISBN: 3-86072-452-5

Win-Win: Save cash - rescue polar bears

The brochure describes a project for saving energy, which was initiated by the Gymnasium am Römerkastell in Alzey, and which aims to achieve energy savings in the families of the pupils. The children make an agreement with their parents, to deal with energy saving in the household, and they then receive half of the money saved as a supplement to their pocket money. This booklet describes the origin and progress of this project. Reports of the experiences of children, copyable work documents, diverse and detailed information (e.g. how can I initially research realistic usage data as a basis for the win-win agreement?) and literature and Internet links make the booklet a practical guide for everyone who is interested in the win-win idea and wants to put it into practice themselves.

Lutz Quester. Pädagogisches Zentrum Rheinland-Pfalz (Hrsg.). Bad Kreuznach. 2009. 70 pages. 30 x 21 cm. ISSN: 0938-748X

Fifty/fifty school package - energy saving in schools

How can schools save energy and also benefit financially? A whole range of cities and local councils in Germany offer their schools "Fifty/fifty" - a scheme that offers schools a portion of the money saved by economical use of energy to use as they wish. The brochure is intended to support this process. The first stage is to draw up the organisation of a school energy saving project. Then the teaching modules are introduced (e.g. "Energy in school" and "Awareness raising in school"); these are available as teacher information and copyable work materials for pupils. Emphasis is also placed on concrete examples of the implementation of "Fifty/fifty" (e.g. implementation of an energy saving week, setting up an "energy saving account" or climate correction of the energy use values). The booklet also contains an appendix with checklists, an example agreement between education authorities and schools and literature references.

Florian Kliche. Unabhängiges Institut für Umweltfragen e.V. Berlin. 2009. 70 pages. 30 x 21 cm. ISBN: 978-3-935563-22-2

Energy saving in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia

An extensive work in three volumes, covering the following subject areas: Organisation and teaching methodology, technology, material.

Ministerium für Wirtschaft und Mittelstand, Technologie und Verkehr des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (Hrsg.). Düsseldorf. 1999. 90 pages. 30 x 21 cm.

Renewable energies: Work book for pupils

This material can be used to cover the subject of renewable energies in schools. The "Journey into the future" to renewable energies includes scientific, geographical and social aspects. It is intended to teach modern scientific skills. The pupils should be enabled to play a responsible and sensible part in current and future life in society. The material consists of a work book for pupils and an information volume for teachers. It is also available in English and French.

Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (BMU). Bonn. 2nd Edition. 2008. 102 pages. 30 x 21 cm. Available free from the publisher.

The materials are not copyable, for use in teaching you should order a class set. Orders or download: www.bmu.de/bildungsservice/

Natural gas and sun in school

A teaching unit

In view of the effects our current extremely high consumption of energy have on the environment and climate, it is important that schoolchildren look at the options for climate-friendly energy use. This particularly includes energy saving, efficient energy use, changing heating systems to low CO2 fuels and use of renewable energy sources. The school itself offers a wide range of possibilities for practical and action-oriented examination of this subject.

Hartmut Oswald. UfU Berlin. 1st Edition 2004. 47 pages. 30 x 21 cm. ISBN: 3-935563-08-6

Energy in teaching - natural gas

Natural gas is, at least in the short-term, still a significant and relatively environmentally friendly source of energy, as less CO2 is released during combustion than from oil and particularly from coal. The carefully compiled collection of material is intended to facilitate coverage of natural gas as an energy source in schools. It contains five folders each with a book of material, a working aid for teaching and colour transparencies for the overhead projector. The following subject areas are covered: CH4 and more / Energy from the earth / Energy on the market / Energy in the home / Energy in change.

Elmar Elling. Wirtschafts- und Verlagsgesellschaft Gas und Wasser mbH. Bonn. 2001. 30 x 21 cm. ISBN: 3-89554-124-9

Geothermal energy - energy from the hot planet

A journey of discovery through an inexhaustible energy supply. The booklet contains materials and information for pupils and teachers.

Werner Bußmann. Geothermische Vereinigung – Bundesverband Geothermie e.V. Berlin. 3rd Edition. 2009. 51 pages. 30 x 21. ISBN: 978-3-932570-60-5

Power for the future : From energy saving to Agenda - 21 - project

Workshop material from the training program "Agenda 21 in school" from the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Among other content, the booklet contains instructions for school participation and a "world climate conference" - an example of global learning.

Brigitte Bömer; Klaus Jebbink. Schäfer Digitaldruck. Düsseldorf. 2003. 71 pages; 30 x 21 cm

The solar plot: A case for the green team

Not teaching material, but rather an exciting thriller for young readers, dealing with strange goings on around the solar unit at a school.

Nicolas Roth. In collaboration with Greenpeace. Bertelsmann. Munich. 1st Edition 2004. 127 pages. 18 x 13 cm. ISBN: 3-570-21124-X

What we need - the energy book

Why is energy policy the same as foreign policy? How much energy do we consume in a day? What are the arguments for and against phasing out atomic energy? How much energy is used for a rock concert? How could a village in the Black Forest win its fight against its energy supplier? These and other questions are covered in the magazine in short articles. Suitable as background information for dealing with the energy industry in politics classes.

Magazine fluter. Magazin der Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, No. 19. 2006

Solar energy for schools: A guide for setting up your own solar panel system

Informative and well produced report on the project, "SolarSchools2000", with a lot of practical notes for schools that want to tap into solar energy.

Allianz Stiftung zum Schutz der Umwelt. Munich. 2003. 28 pages; 30 x 21 cm

Upper Secondary Education (Grades 11 and 12/13)

From Knowledge to Action – Didactical Modules – Ressources Energy (RE)

What role does resource and energy consumption play for sustainable development? What forces are continuing to propel resource and energy consumption? How can efficient handling of the resources of our planet be promoted? – In the first part of the materials folder, background information is provided on all these questions.

In the second part, 19 modules are outlined; this should enable teachers to create lesson plans in the sense of education for sustainable development. Among other things, they deal with solar energy for the very poor, ecological furniture design, the production chain of a pair of jeans, the resource efficiency in SMEs and the resource consumption of services. Participants are actively encouraged using methods such as brainstorming, scenarios, role play and disputes. These modules are suitable for groups of up to 30-40 people. They require about 3-4 hours each to complete. They can be used in adult education or as projects in upper secondary education classes.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains both parts as a PDF document.

The material is part of an extensive series of material on sustainable development. This includes “Twelve Books on the Future of the Earth,” (to date) six didactical modules of “From Knowledge to Action” and other materials. For more information, visit www.mut-zur-nachhaltigkeit.de/

Stiftung Forum für Verantwortung, ASKO EUROPA-STIFTUNG, Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen gGmbH, Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie GmbH (Editor). 2008. 215 pages. 29.8 x 21 cm in ring binder. ISBN: 978-3-941509-03-0

Vocational schools

Wind power? Simple! Two sets of instructions for constructing small wind turbines

This booklet contains construction instructions for wind turbines, using exclusively old materials. The entire work is technically demanding; the construction is described in detail, including many detailed drawings and craft tips. Suitable for private hobbyists or trainees in relevant manual or technical professions.

Christian Kuhtz; Georg Böhmke; Jens Grawert. 81 pages; 21x15 cm. ISBN 3-924038-67-8 Book 1 in the series "Ideas instead of waste". Further books: www.einfaelle-statt-abfaelle.de/

Background information, organisation, general

Energy meetings for caretakers - a current and group-oriented training program

The material shows how caretakers can encouraged to be dedicated partners for energy savings in schools. The technical basis is no longer entirely current, but the book is still recommended, because it is a pedagogical work that provides a very good and practice-oriented description of this important and difficult target group.

Hessisches Ministerium für Umwelt, Energie, Jugend, Familie und Gesundheit (Hrsg.). Wiesbaden 1997. 30 pages, 30x21 cm

The solar cook book

A book for everyone that wants to cook with solar energy and experience the fascination of solar energy. The book contains background information, detailed construction instructions, and recipes for cooking and baking etc.

Solarkocher Baugruppe (Hrsg.). Energiewende Verlag. Eschringen. 1995. 96 pages; 21x21 cm

The material instructions come mainly from the fund of the Stralsund environmental library. Most of the materials listed here can be borrowed from us - within Germany, including inter-library loans.

Contact, registration and conditions of use: www.umweltschulen.de/bibo/

More information on energy and climate protection at umweltschulen.de

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