K-12 Resources and Curricula

This page provides a list of wind energy curricula and teaching materials for elementary, middle school, and high school students that can bring wind energy into the classroom, even for students at schools without a wind turbine installation.

Curricula and Lesson Plans

• Wind for Schools Curricula Portal on OpenEI
• 4-H Group Wind Curriculum
• Education Resources from the Energy Department’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office
• CLEAN (Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network)
• PBS wind energy lesson plans
• National Energy Education Development Project K-12 wind curriculum
• TryEngineering: Working with Wind Energy
• WindWise Education (lesson plans, handouts, supporting materials)
• STEM-Works Wind Energy Activities

Websites

• Wind with Miller (animated website that teaches kids of all ages about wind power basics)
• U.S. Energy Information Agency: Energy Kids
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Wind Energy Basics

Books

• Educators for the Environment: Energy for Keeps (includes a wind energy section)

Videos

• U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Literacy Videos
• KidWind
  • KidWind Elementary Classroom Teaching Strategies video and guide
  • KidWind Middle School Classroom Teaching Strategies video and guide
  • KidWind High School Classroom Teaching Strategies video and guide
• TEDEd: A Guide to the Energy of the Earth
• PBS SciGirls: Blowin’ in the Wind

If you have suggestions for wind energy teaching materials to add to the list, please contact the WINDExchange team.