A social studies educator examines energy education and its place in the curriculum, discussing what should be taught, where, and by whom. Six recommendations are made. First, students must be made aware that sometime between now and the year 2000, world demand for oil and natural gas will actually exceed world supply. Life in the 21st Century will run on something other than oil. Preparations must begin now to make the shift in an orderly manner. Second, we must help students understand that we are dealing with a global problem of massive proportions. A part of the global nature of the present energy situation has to do with the distribution of production and consumption patterns. The United States is the world's leading oil consumer, the Soviet Union is the largest producer, and the Middle East is the holder of the largest reserves. The developed nations of the world literally run on oil, the majority of which they import from less developed nations. Such global imbalance in production and consumption patterns result in a webb of interdependencies never before experienced by the planet's inhabitants. Third, energy education should focus upon the broader aspects of our energy situation as well as upon what individuals can do. The fourth recommendation is that energy education should give systematic attention to fundamental choices which confront us. Fifth, energy education should occur throughout the curriculum, but the focus should vary with the grade level. Science educators should concentrate upon the scientific aspects of energy education and social studies teachers should focus upon the social implications of the present situation. In grades 1-6, energy education should be structured around three themes: the nature of energy and its role in our daily lives; lifestyle implications of the new energy ethic; and how conservation does not necessarily mean doing with less, just doing differently. The sixth and final recommendation is that whenever possible, school systems should locate and adapt existing energy education materials rather than invent their own. (Author/RM)