Lesson Plans | Consumers Energy

As of: 11:53 AM, 12/30/24

PowerUP 2017 – 2018: This issue covers the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and the new CO presentation added to the EmPOWERed Kids app. Other highlights include a chemical engineer career interview, Customer Service Representative and FIRST Robotics volunteer, 'What's that Smell' experiment with complete instructions and a few messages from our CEO, Patti Poppe.
PowerUp 2016 – 2017: In this issue of our newsletter you will learn about our new middle and high school energy unit with complete ready to use lessons that focus on renewables, transmission, energy efficiency, careers and more. It also highlights the new look and feel of our upgraded teacher and kid friendly website and features a great solar oven activity you can create in class. Learn about a day in the life of a female electric field leader and about our education program intern. Last but not least, learn more about how LED light bulbs compare to CFL and standard bulbs with a great visual.
PowerUP 2014 – 2015: Learn about our new interactive app, EmPOWERed Kids, that teaches children in grades K-6 about the benefits and dangers of electricity and natural gas. This new app is available now for Apple and Android devices. Find out how to schedule a presentation this school year and be entered into a drawing to win one of twelve $500 grants for technology purchases or upgrades. Also, read about FIRST Robotics, our largest intern group, wind turbine fun facts and the hidden gems of Michigan.
Winter 2014: Learn about our new interactive app, EmPOWERed Kids, that teaches children about the benefits of electricity and natural gas. This new app is available now for Apple and Android devices. A new live safety program will be available in schools starting fall of 2014. Read about MSU's anaerobic digester that turns waste into power. Consumers Energy employee, Jon Shelton, discusses his work at Consumers Energy as a Commercial Diver. Also, prepare for spring storm season with tips for building a storm safety kit.
Winter 2014: Read how hundreds of educators and businesses, including Consumers Energy, worked together at the Ignite STEM Summit with Governor Snyder to address the need for STEM graduates. See how Kalamazoo College earned the Green Customer of the Year award, and learn about Cathy Kelbey's job in Public Safety Outreach at Consumers Energy. Also test your scientific skills with a static electricity experiment in Carpe Vigorem - seize the energy!
Fall 2013: Read how Reenders Blueberry Farms in West Olive installed solar panels and teamed up with Consumers Energy to provide clean, renewable energy. Consumers Energy employee Cindy Kezele talks about volunteering with Children & Horses United in Movement and Beau Hayhoe talks about interning at Consumers Energy. Also learn to make a helpful environmental craft in Carpe Vigorem - seize the energy!
Spring 2013: Rose Kallio, an engineer at Consumers Energy, talks about how she found her career in engineering and high school students talk about finding their careers through robotics. Read how over 150 Cub Scouts earned the Energy Expert patch and create an experiment to learn how the force of water is used to generate electricity in Capre Vigorem - seize the energy!
Winter 2013: Read how a $125,000 grant from Consumers Energy helped energize education at Frost Elementary as part of the Cradle to Career collaborative. Learn about wind turbines and Consumers Energy's first wind park operational in Mason County. Build a battery out of penies and nickels.

Our Lesson Plans are Kid Tested and Teacher Approved

You and the State of Michigan both have high teaching standards. This is why we work directly with the experts to develop energy lesson plans. We employ state-certified teachers and work with energy experts on our team to craft lesson plans, so you can be confident they’re on point and on track. You may inspire the next generation of STEM talent. At the very least, maybe they’ll turn off the lights when they leave a room.

Grades K-2

Energy Conservation: Students will identify appliances that use electricity in their home and school. They will also discuss and learn how to conserve electricity.
Everyday Electricity: Students will identify what uses electricity at home and school. They will also learn that electricity can be dangerous and how to stay safe.
Measuring Wind: Students will identify how wind speed is important for wind energy. They will make an anemometer to help them understand how the wind is collected and analyzed in order to find a site to host wind turbines, like Michigan.
Respect the Flags: Students will learn to identify utility flags that mark underground utilities and how to stay safe.
Saving Energy: This lesson will teach students to think critically about the way they use electricity.
Storm Safety: Students learn about different types of storms and how to react when there is a power outage. They also learn how to build their own storm safety kit.
Windcredible!: Students learn that electricity is made from different sources, including wind. This booklet has fun activities to help students think about the electricity they use every day.

Grades 3-5

Design a Pipeline: Students will learn how pipelines are designed and used to transport natural gas to home and school. They will learn what natural gas is, why it can be beneficial and why it can be dangerous.
Hydro Power: Students will identify how hydroelectric facilities use water pressure to work. They will make a makeshift dam and discuss how water pressure, the flow of water, and distance using gravitational force creates electricity.
Measuring Wind: Students will identify how wind speed is important for wind energy. They will make an anemometer to help them understand how the wind is collected and analyzed in order to find a site to host wind turbines, like Michigan.
Saving Energy: Students will learn how to think critically about the way they use electricity and identify habits that are costing their families the most money.
Storm Safety: Students learn about different types of storms and how to react when there is a power outage. They also learn how to build their own storm safety kit.
Sunsational: Students learn that electricity is made from different sources of energy, including the sun. They learn how a solar cell works and complete an activity to find out how many solar panels are needed to power a home.
Waterific: Students learn that electricity is made from different sources, including water. They also learn how a hydroelectric generator works.
Windcredible!: Students learn that electricity is made from different sources, including wind. They learn where wind comes from and how a wind turbine works using hands-on activities.
Wind Energy: Students will discover that energy comes from many different sources, including wind. They will make a model of a windmill that uses power from wind to do work.

Grades 6-12

Energy Unit: This is a comprehensive unit with 12 lessons that include energy and energy resources. Students also learn about the electric grid, transmission and distribution. They’ll also explore conservation, energy efficiency and safety, and consider energy careers.
Energy Unit Appendix: This appendix supports the lessons within the Energy Unit. It contains all items needed to complete each lesson.
Circuits and the Flow of Electricity: Students apply understanding of current electricity to design a simple, parallel, and series circuit and describe their workings.
Conductors and Insulators: Students identify conductors and insulators of electricity using a simple circuit to test the conductivity of various materials. This lesson works best after completing "Circuits and the Flow of Electricity" above.
The Cost of Electricity: Students learn how to calculate the energy costs of common household appliances, and take their formula home to calculate their own family's energy costs and identify ways to save.
Energy Information: Students conduct research using the Consumers Energy website to gather information about energy for a class presentation.
Energy Pioneers: Students research a scientist or inventor who made contributions to the energy field, then present their subject to the class. Includes a verbal presentation instruction sheet and grading rubric.
The Path of Least Resistance: Students explore how electricity travels through conductors and insulators in more depth, and learn how electricity will always take the path with the least resistance. This lesson works best after completing "Conductors and Insulators" above.
Saving Energy at School: Students analyze their school's energy use and propose changes to make throughout the school to be more energy efficient.

EmPOWERed Kids