Project Overview and Checklist: An Energy Plan for America
You are senators serving on an energy subcommittee that has been charged with developing a viable national energy plan. The Secretary of the Department of Energy has compiled a list of options for America’s future energy plan. It is your job to choose a combination of these proposals for submission to the President.
You will be researching the following questions:
- Essential Question:
How can we make a difference?
- Unit Questions:
What should our priorities be in choosing a national energy plan?
How can we ensure our energy resources are able to support our desired quality of life |
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The development of a national energy plan requires six main steps:
1. Research the energy consumption patterns and potential energy resources in your state.
2. In your subcommittee team, establish priorities for choosing an energy plan.
3. Use those priorities as criteria for selecting a set of energy options.
4. Compare your energy options with past government policies.
5. Compare your energy options with current government plans and policies.
6. Present your findings and decisions to the class.
The options for the energy plan must:
1. Guarantee a reliable supply of energy sufficient to meet the demands of the American economy over the next 10 years
2. Promote continued economic growth
3. Provide for the environmental welfare of future generations
Prioritize and evaluate your options based on the needs of the state you represent and your own best judgment. Remember that you must represent the needs of all your constituents—especially your supporters (primarily business and industry).
1. Go to www.intel.com/education/visualranking
2. Click Enter.
3. Click Student Log-In.
4. Enter your team’s log-in information:
TeacherID
TeamID
Password
PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS/CHECKLIST
Step 1: Research a State’s Energy Consumption Patterns and Potential Energy Resources
Explore and take notes on the energy data at the Energy Information Agency State Energy Web page (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/_states.html*) on your assigned state. Specifically, use the State Energy Information worksheet to note your state’s strengths and weaknesses in regards to energy availability and energy consumed. Use this document to:
Analyze your state’s energy consumption and resources
Compare the data with other states
Use the information you learn to make decisions specific to your assigned state in the following steps.
Due Date: Turn in the State Energy Information worksheet by
Due Date: Complete project journal entry by
Step 2: Rank Priorities
Within your group, elect a Chairperson to lead the discussion and a Spokesperson to record the choices and report the group’s decisions.
Chairperson:
Spokesperson:
Meet to discuss the priorities that matter most to your individual states in choosing energy options based on your understanding of your state’s natural resources, energy consumption, and values of the citizenry.
As a group, choose at least five priorities for choosing energy options:
After the full class decides on the complete list of priorities, log in to the Visual Ranking workspace and rank the list based on the needs and interests of your subcommittee’s states.
Use the comment feature of the tool to describe the value and importance of that item to your states and why it is ranked at that particular spot.
Compare your choices with other teams’ rankings. Do you want to change any of your rankings?
Due Date: Complete your ranking by
Due Date: Complete project journal entry by
Step 3: Prioritize Energy Options and Create an Energy Plan
Use the Energy Plan Choices document for information on 15 energy options for increasing or saving energy. Research any option if you need more information. Consider your own state’s energy consumption and production history as you discuss possible energy plans.
Rank the energy options using the Visual Ranking Tool according to your priorities and other criteria.
Keep a running tally of the number of quads that each option saves or creates.
Use the comment feature of the tool to describe the value and importance of the energy choice to your states and why it is ranked at that particular spot.
Compare your choices with other teams’ rankings. Do you want to change any of your rankings?
Due Date: Complete your ranking by
Due Date: Complete project journal entry by
Step 4: Compare Your Energy Plan Options with Previous Energy Policies
Review energy policies held in the past. Use the following resources:
How do your teams’ decisions compare against those past policies? How are your plans different? How would your choice of plans improve the U.S. energy situation for the future over previous policies? Include at least five points for comparison.
Use the Energy Plan Comparison worksheet to keep track of your findings.
Due Date: Complete project journal entry by
Step 5: Compare Your Policy Options with the Energy Policy Act of 2005
Compare your teams’ decisions to the policies that are planned in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_2005*; the actual 550-page Act is also available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h6enr.txt.pdf *(PDF; 550 pages) and a short overview is available at www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050808-4.html*)
Review the Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2005-2008 for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (http://www.ferc.gov/about/strat-docs/strat-plan.asp*), energy policies for your assigned state, and the estimated costs (http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=6581&sequence=0*) for the enactment of the Energy Policy Act. Update the Energy Plan Comparison worksheet with any new information.
Use the Energy Plan Comparison worksheet to keep track of your findings.
Due Date: Turn in the Energy Plan Comparison worksheet by
Due Date: Complete project journal entry by
Step 6: Present Decisions and Findings
Create an outline of your presentation. Use the Energy Plan Comparison document and Energy Plan Choices handout to provide support for your plan. Go over your team’s plans in a conference with the teacher.
Develop a 5-10 minute presentation to be made to the class explaining your top choices. Presentations should include:
Evidence that your plan will guarantee a reliable supply of energy sufficient to meet the demands of the American economy over the next 10 years (at least 13 quads of energy over 10 years)
Evidence that your plan will promote continued economic growth
Evidence that your plan will provide for the environmental welfare of future generations
Impact (positive and negative)of different choices
Justification for choices, including how much energy each produces or saves and any data estimates on how much it would cost to implement
Comparison of your choices with previous policies and the Energy Policy Act of 20050 Final conclusions/arguments
Use the Energy Presentation Scoring Guide to self-assess and peer-review presentations.
Due Date: Turn in presentation outline by
Due Date: Presentation scheduled for
Due Date: Complete last project journal entry and turn in project journal by
Notes:
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