Geography · Year 4

Active learning ideas

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy

Active learning helps students grasp the complex trade-offs between energy sources by making abstract concepts concrete. When they role-play a wind farm inquiry or simulate a power grid, they experience firsthand how energy decisions involve costs, benefits, and unintended consequences.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Geography - Human Geography
• KS2: Geography - Physical Geography

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Power Grid Game

Small groups are given a 'budget' of energy tokens. They must choose a mix of energy sources to power a city. They face 'events' (e.g., a cloudy day or a coal shortage) and must see if their grid can cope.

Explain the geographical reasons for locating wind farms in coastal or upland areas.

Facilitation Tip

During the Power Grid Game, circulate and ask guiding questions like, 'What happens if demand suddenly increases?' to push students to think strategically.

What to look for

Present students with images of different energy generation methods (e.g., a coal power plant, a wind turbine, a solar farm, a hydroelectric dam). Ask them to write down whether each is renewable or non-renewable and one reason why.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 50 min · Small Groups

Role Play: The Wind Farm Inquiry

Students act as a green energy company, a local birdwatcher, and a homeowner. They must debate whether to build a new wind farm on a nearby hill, considering the need for clean energy versus the impact on the view and wildlife.

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of transitioning away from fossil fuels.

Facilitation Tip

For the Wind Farm Inquiry, assign roles clearly so students debate trade-offs from specific perspectives, such as local residents or wildlife advocates.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine our town needs a new power source. Where would be the best place to build a wind farm and why? What problems might arise?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to use geographical reasoning and consider advantages and disadvantages.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Energy Landscapes

Display photos of different energy sites (an oil rig, a coal mine, a solar farm, a dam). Students move in pairs to identify one way each site has changed the physical landscape around it.

Analyze how daily energy use contributes to global climate change.

Facilitation Tip

In the Energy Landscapes Gallery Walk, post guiding questions at each station to focus observations on scale, location, and environmental impact.

What to look for

On a slip of paper, ask students to list two ways their family uses energy at home each day. Then, ask them to suggest one change their family could make to reduce their energy consumption and explain why it would help.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by balancing facts with perspective-taking. Start with clear definitions, then use role play or simulations to reveal the human and environmental costs of energy choices. Avoid oversimplifying by presenting renewables as flawless; instead, use real-world examples to show that every option has trade-offs. Research shows students retain more when they engage emotionally and intellectually with the material.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently distinguish renewable from non-renewable energy and explain the geographical impacts of each. They will also practice weighing environmental, economic, and social factors in energy choices.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Wind Farm Inquiry, watch for students assuming renewables have no negative effects.

  Use the role-play debrief to redirect their attention to the trade-off cards, asking them to share specific local impacts they identified during the debate.

• During the Power Grid Game, watch for students confusing electricity with natural resources like coal or wind.

  Pause the simulation to ask, 'What exactly is flowing in the wires?' and have them trace energy from source to generator to the grid, using the game’s visual cues.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Role Play
• Gallery Walk