by Alan Haskvitz

It's important to educate students about conserving energy. However, finding free resources designed for students is challenging, especially since each major energy producer has a vested interest in providing facts that accommodate its sponsorship.

With that in mind, I have corralled and checked some of the best Internet sites. One warning -- in the past few years nearly all government energy-related sites have been changed or eliminated. So if you find a good one not listed, please let me know at reacheverychild@yahoo.com. In the meantime, the California Energy Commission and the Bureau of Land Management have picked up the slack wonderfully.

Always start right here with a large listing of science resources:
REC Science, Environment

Bureau of Land Management Learning Landscapes
This site has so many offerings on all phases of conservation it is difficult to navigate. Get excellent energy lessons on: hydroelectric power, renewable energy, waterwheels, solar collectors and how to build a steam engine.

EIA Energy Kids Page
Find energy facts, games, lesson plans and news -- all easy to use and in pdf format for easy printing.

Energy Net
A diverse and rich resource that has fun, integrated classroom projects related to the science standards. Students in grades 3-5 participate in Energy Detectives; students in grades 6-12 participate in Energy Auditing. They learn substantial content in math, science, technology and language arts in a hands-on environment.

Energy Quest
This site by the California Energy Commission offers a plethora of science projects, an energy library, puzzles, ask a scientist, time machine interactive lessons and much more.

NEED
The site is a one-stop resource center for teachers. NEED offers lessons, posters, links to energy agencies, puzzles and an activity book. The Energy Hog Guide is very good. And, don't forget Greek Mythology and the Forms of Energy and resource maps, which integrate science and history in a printed format.