Coal Comes to Anytown: A Public Meeting
Description
In this activity, students will participate in a mock public meeting to determine a site for a new energy facility in their community. The occasion for the meeting is public concern over a power company’s proposal to build a coal-fired generating plant near your town.
Time Required: three to four 45-minute class periods (one for the introduction and two to three for the hearing, plus one to two weeks for independent research)
Language: English
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• understand that all electricity-generating facilities have both positive and negative impacts on the communities in which they are located
• experience the difficulty of finding an energy source that meets the needs and demands of different interests in a community
• gain an appreciation of the importance of citizen participation in energy decision making
• practice decision-making skills and prepare oral presentations aimed at persuasion
Teachers Notes
*Complete lesson plan, student handout and teacher information can be found on page 67 of the attached web link
Other Tools
• large map of your county • one role card for each student—you can write these on index cards • Renewables for the Nation handout for each student (pg. 64) • Energy Source Information handout for each student (pg. 65)
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Administration:Edit Resource
Source:Union of Concerned Scientists
Resource Type:Lesson Plan
Subject(s):Science, Geography, Social Studies, Environmental Studies,
Topic:Energy Generation, Energy Use and Conservation, Governance,
Level:Secondary
Grade: 9 10 11 12
Web Pages Used
Rating
Comments
"An excellent role play lesson. I would suggest that each energy advocate should also outline the economic impacts for the region." (Posted By: Kathy Worobec)
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