Power Up Pleasantville: Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy for Our Town
Shared by A STEM Educator
Students will be able to classify energy sources as renewable or nonrenewable, explain the key differences between them, and use evidence to recommend an energy plan for a town's needs.
Lesson Overview
Students progress from identifying basic energy sources to evaluating and justifying energy choices for a fictional town's infrastructure, using thin-sliced tasks that add one layer of complexity at a time. A cross-group competition format drives engagement throughout.
Materials
- Vertical whiteboards or large chart paper
- Dry-erase markers (multiple colors per group)
- Pleasantville Energy Planning Cards (teacher-printed)
- Sticky notes (2 colors per group)
- Random grouping cards
- Competition scoreboard (large poster or projected)
- Timer (visible to class)
Scaffolded Task Progression
Here is a list of energy sources Pleasantville is considering:
• Coal
• Sunlight
• Wind
• Natural gas
• Oil
• Moving water (rivers)
On your whiteboard, draw TWO columns:
| RENEWABLE | NONRENEWABLE |
Sort each energy source into the correct column. Be ready to explain your choices to earn the bonus point!
[ Interactive graph / diagram — available in the full lesson ]
The mayor wants to understand WHY some sources are renewable and others are not. On your whiteboard, complete this sentence for EACH energy source from Task 1:
'[Energy source] is [renewable / nonrenewable] because _____.'
Write at least ONE sentence for every source. Use the word 'replaced' or 'runs out' in each sentence.
Bonus point: Which nonrenewable source do you think Pleasantville uses the MOST right now? Why?
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See all 7 scaffolded tasks, the full answer key, warm-up, exit slip, and a print-ready version — free to start.
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