Gifted Endorsement Year 1 Cohort: Iconic Pathways 

For this lesson, my students focused on these icons of depth and complexity: trends, details, multiple perspectives, big idea, and unanswered questions.

Puzzlement Presented: Today you will think like a scientist, an entrepreneur, an environmentalist, and an economist! What questions do you have about each of these sources of energy? (solar, nuclear, coal, wind, hydro, and natural gas) Come up with at least one question for each using keywords.

I projected these key words.

Students were given the opportunity to walk around and place their questions on the pictures.

After the questions had been asked, I placed students in groups of 3 or 4. Each student was given 2 to 3 articles to read on one energy source. Each group had the opportunity to do a close read and work together to create a list of details they deemed important information for the group as a whole to know and understand.

The individual groups presented their findings to the class. I asked them to take notes and think about trends they saw over time and between energy sources, and also to think about each energy sources pros and cons from at least two different perspectives.

Next, I asked them to think about this idea.

Students independently completed this task.

I also asked them to think about unanswered questions they may still have about the different energy sources. Here are a few unanswered questions!

• What is the future of energy?
• Can energy improve over time from fossil fuels to solar and save the earth from becoming a bad place in the universe?
• What are the consequences of using nonrenewable energy sources?
• Why do people use so many nonrenewable resources when it is so unhealthy for the environment?
• Do you think there might be other types of energy sources in the future?
• In the future, could people ban or make some types of energy illegal?
• Why is coal cheap?
• Why do they say nuclear energy is clean?

Finally, I gave them the opportunity to reflect if their original questions had been answered.

I think this format of delivering information was highly successful. It really extended their thinking from simply knowing a list of facts to questioning and having a deeper understanding of the energy resources we use in the United States. It gave them ownership of their learning, and allowed them to investigate a few ethical issues pertaining to energy. It was a great starting point to start researching more about solar energy.