Exploring grid resilience as an approach to evaluating energy sources and addressing climate impacts

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Students evaluate the energy sources used to generate electricity in their state, then consider ways in which their energy infrastructure is vulnerable to extreme weather and rising sea level. Students then consider ways that their local energy grid can be made more resilient.

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Notes from our reviewers

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Teachers will need to structure the research time of the students to stay within a classroom timeline. The PowerPoint slide can be adapted for your local energy sources, and guidance on how to do this is provided in the activity page. This is a fantastic, thorough, and place-based learning activity. This is a robust activity with direct ties to a pressing issue in the U.S.
Energy technology is evolving quickly, and so is the need to make energy infrastructure safe and secure from extreme weather. This activity will allow students to learn about sources of energy in their home state, and investigate how extreme weather may pose a hazard to the energy grid. Students are asked to connect the dots between climate change, extreme weather, infrastructure vulnerability, and resilience. Students interpret data sets, tables, graphs, and maps, then make connections and generate their own conclusions. This activity is from North Carolina, so it does not consider wildfires in the list of extreme weather events. Educators in places where wildfires are a threat may want to add that to the activity. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
This resource has extensive background information and a detailed descriptions for how to complete each task. An answer key is also included. The activity involves higher order thinking and is highly relevant to today's energy challenges. Critical thinking and problem solving are encouraged as students provide solutions to grid vulnerability that are opened ended and locally relevant. Students are engaged in decision making and communication. The teacher guide is robust, easy to follow and offers many tips, including information on how to adapt the exercise for diverse learners and AIG learners. A PowerPoint file is provided, and each slide is explained in the teacher guide. Students may work alone or in groups to complete the lesson. This activity is aligned with NGSS, AP environmental science, and North Carolina state standards.