Science · Grade 6 · Electricity: Powering Our World · Term 2

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy

Students differentiate between renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their environmental impacts.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• MS-ESS3-4

About This Topic

Renewable and non-renewable energy sources form the backbone of electricity generation, and students distinguish them by their availability and sustainability. Renewables, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, replenish naturally over short periods and produce minimal pollution during use. Non-renewables, including coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium, exist in finite supplies and often release greenhouse gases or radioactive waste when generating electricity. Students evaluate how fossil fuels contribute to air pollution, acid rain, and climate change, while considering renewables' challenges like land use for wind farms.

This topic aligns with the electricity unit by connecting energy production to environmental systems and human impacts. Students predict long-term consequences, such as resource depletion and ecosystem disruption from heavy non-renewable reliance, building skills in evidence-based evaluation and systems thinking essential for informed citizenship in Canada.

Active learning excels with this content because abstract environmental costs become concrete through models and role-plays. When students simulate power plant operations or debate energy policies in groups, they experience trade-offs firsthand, deepening understanding and motivating advocacy for sustainable choices.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable energy sources with examples.
2. Evaluate the environmental costs and benefits of using fossil fuels for electricity generation.
3. Predict the long-term consequences of relying heavily on non-renewable energy sources.

Learning Objectives

• Classify energy sources as either renewable or non-renewable, providing at least two examples for each.
• Analyze the primary environmental impacts associated with the generation of electricity from fossil fuels.
• Compare the long-term sustainability of renewable energy sources versus non-renewable energy sources.
• Evaluate the trade-offs involved in transitioning to a greater reliance on renewable energy for electricity generation in Canada.

Before You Start

Introduction to Energy Sources

Why: Students need a basic understanding of what energy is and that it comes from different sources before they can differentiate between types.

Basic Concepts of Pollution and Environmental Impact

Why: Understanding how human activities can affect the environment is foundational to discussing the impacts of energy generation.

Key Vocabulary

Renewable Energy	Energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed, such as solar, wind, and hydro power.
Non-Renewable Energy	Energy derived from sources that exist in finite quantities and are consumed much faster than they can be regenerated, such as coal, oil, and natural gas.
Fossil Fuels	Natural fuels such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms. They are a primary source of non-renewable energy.
Greenhouse Gases	Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, such as carbon dioxide and methane. Their release from burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change.
Sustainability	The ability to maintain or improve the quality of life in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Renewable energy sources never harm the environment.

What to Teach Instead

Renewables like hydroelectric dams can flood habitats and alter rivers. Hands-on watershed models in small groups let students visualize these trade-offs, comparing them to fossil fuel pollution through peer discussions.

Common Misconception

Fossil fuels will last forever because Earth is huge.

What to Teach Instead

Reserves are finite and depleting rapidly with demand. Graphing historical consumption data in pairs helps students project exhaustion timelines, revealing urgency through collaborative predictions.

Common Misconception

All energy sources produce electricity the same way.

What to Teach Instead

Processes differ: fossil fuels burn to boil water, solar uses panels directly. Station rotations with physical demos clarify distinctions, as students note unique environmental outputs.

Active Learning Ideas

Card Sort: Classify Energy Sources

Prepare cards listing energy sources like solar, coal, wind, and hydro, plus pros and cons. Students in small groups sort cards into renewable or non-renewable piles, then justify placements based on environmental impacts. Groups share one example with the class.

30 min·Small Groups

Formal Debate: Best Energy for Ontario

Assign pairs to argue for either renewable or non-renewable dominance in Ontario's grid, using evidence on costs and impacts. Pairs prepare 2-minute speeches, then whole class votes and discusses predictions for 2050.

45 min·Pairs

Model Station: Energy Impacts

Set up stations with simple models: burn sugar for fossil fuel smoke, fan with pinwheel for wind, lamp with solar cell. Small groups rotate, observe and record pollution levels and efficiency.

40 min·Small Groups

School Energy Audit

Whole class surveys school electricity sources via labels and bills. Students tally renewable vs non-renewable use, graph results, and propose one switch like LED lights.

50 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Engineers at Ontario Power Generation work with hydroelectric dams, like the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Station, to harness the power of water, a renewable resource, for electricity.
• Environmental consultants assess the impact of new wind farm developments in communities across Alberta, balancing clean energy production with land use and wildlife considerations.
• Policy makers in Ottawa debate carbon taxes and incentives for electric vehicles, aiming to reduce Canada's reliance on gasoline, a non-renewable fossil fuel, and mitigate climate change.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with a list of energy sources (e.g., solar panel, coal mine, oil rig, wind turbine, natural gas plant). Ask them to categorize each as renewable or non-renewable and briefly explain their reasoning for two of the sources.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'If Canada decided to power all its homes and businesses using only renewable energy tomorrow, what are two challenges we might face, and what are two benefits we could expect?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to support their points with evidence.

Exit Ticket

On an index card, have students draw a simple diagram illustrating one environmental impact of using fossil fuels for electricity. Below the diagram, they should write one sentence explaining the connection between the diagram and the energy source.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of renewable and non-renewable energy sources taught in Grade 6?

Renewables include solar panels that capture sunlight, wind turbines that harness air movement, and hydroelectric dams using flowing water. Non-renewables cover coal and natural gas burned in power plants, plus nuclear fission from uranium. Ontario examples like Niagara Falls hydro highlight local relevance, helping students connect global concepts to their province.

How do fossil fuels impact the environment when generating electricity?

Burning coal, oil, and natural gas releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas warming the planet and causing climate change. They also emit sulfur dioxide leading to acid rain that harms forests and lakes. Students evaluate these through data on Ontario's emissions, weighing against renewables' cleaner profiles.

How can active learning help students understand renewable vs non-renewable energy?

Active approaches like energy source card sorts and pollution model stations make distinctions tangible. Small group debates on Ontario's energy future encourage evidence use and perspective-taking. These methods boost retention by 30-50% over lectures, as students link hands-on experiences to real-world impacts and predictions.

What are the long-term consequences of relying on non-renewable energy?

Heavy dependence leads to resource scarcity, higher prices, and geopolitical tensions over supplies. Environmentally, it accelerates climate change with rising sea levels and extreme weather. In Canada, this threatens northern ecosystems; students predict outcomes via timelines, promoting sustainable shifts like expanding wind and solar.