WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the launch of a new educational Website that provides more than 350 lesson plans and activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy for grades K-12. DOE’s new “Get Smart About Energy!” Website includes hands-on activities that address energy fundamentals, energy efficiency, sources of energy, and the environmental impacts of energy use, and all the activities and lesson plans are aligned with the National Science Education Standards. Teacher guides are included with many of the lessons, and all the materials are free and reproducible. The Website is designed to help to equip today’s students with the knowledge and resources so they can develop cutting-edge energy technologies in the future. The “Get Smart About Energy!” site is available at www.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/.

The new Website is part of DOE’s EnergySmart Schools Program, which also promotes energy efficient schools. According to DOE, K-12 schools spend more than $8 billion annually on energy, making energy the second highest operating expenditure for these schools after personnel costs. To help lower those costs, the EnergySmart Schools Program promotes the building of new schools that exceed code by 50 percent or more, as well as retrofits to existing schools that improve energy efficiency by 30 percent or more. The program is endorsed by the National School Boards Association and offers tools and resources to assist school decision makers in planning and financing energy-efficient high-performance schools. The program also offers education and training for building industry professionals. For more information on the EnergySmart Schools Program, visit www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energysmartschools/.

Publication date: 10/29/2007