The concept of energy is central to all the science disciplines, seamlessly connecting science, technology, and mathematics. For high school and upper middle school teachers, this compendium comprises inquiry-based activities, lesson plans, and case studies designed to help teach increased awareness of energy, environmental concepts, and the related issues. Drawn from NSTA's (National Science Teachers Association's) award-winning, peer-reviewed journals, the book is divided into three overarching segments for learning and teaching: Student Investigations includes several activities that tackle such topics as "Energy, Heat, and Temperature," "Vehicles and Fuels," and "Living Connections." Projects and Case Studies includes examples of extensive, question-driven student projects, and the last section, Issues in Depth, provides background content knowledge for deeper understanding of the critical energy issues facing the world today. These interesting and meaningful investigations demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of energy, preparing students for the complex reality of our global energy economy. This book is divided into three parts. Part I, Student Activities & Investigations, contains: (1) What Exactly is Energy? (William Robertson); (2) Burning a Candle at Both Ends: Classrooms as Complex Systems (Thomas O'Brien); (3) Make Your Own Digital Thermometer!--Using the 5E Instructional Model to Design and Calibrate a Scientific Instrument (Timothy Sorey, Teri Willard, Teri and Bom Kim); (4) Evaporating is Cool (Richard Hand); (5) Save the Penguins: Teaching the Science of Heat Transfer Through Engineering Design (Christine Schnittka, Randy Bell, and Larry Richards); (6) Warming to Global Warming: Sunspots and Sea Surface Temperature (Erich Landstrom); (7) Modeling Convection--A Simple Apparatus for Dynamic Modeling of Paired Convection Cells Teaches Students About Earth's Processes (James R. Ebert, Nancy A. Elliott, Laura Hurteau, and Amanda Schulz); (8) Convection in a Fish Tank (Chris Freeman); (9) Celebrate with SATELLITES--An International Polar Year Partnership to Study Earth's Materials (Mikell Lynne Hedley, Kevin Czajkowski , Janet Struble, Terri Benko, Brad Shellito, Scott Sheridan, and Mandy Munroe Stasiuk); (10) Taming Energy (William Robertson); (11) The Science Behind Nanosunscreens--Learning About Nanoparticulate Ingredients Used to Block the Sun's Ultraviolet Rays (Alyssa Wise, Patricia Schank, Tina Stanford, and Geri Horsma); (12) Juan's Dilemma--An Electrochemical Twist on the Lemon Battery (Timothy Sorey, Vanessa Hunt, Evguenia Balandova, and Bruce Palmquist); (13) A Virtual Circuits Lab--Building Students' Understanding of Series, Parallel, and Complex Circuits (Matthew Vick); (14) Measuring Wavelength with a Ruler (Paul Hewitt); (15) Shedding Light on the Inverse-Square Law Students Demonstrate the Quantitative Relationship Between Light Intensity and Distance (Richard E. Uthe); (16) A 50-Cent Analytical Spectroscope (John Frassinelli); (17) Fueling the Car of Tomorrow--An Alternative Fuels Curriculum for High School Science Classes (Mark Schumack, Stokes Baker, Mark Benvenuto, James Graves, Arthur Haman, and Daniel Maggio); (18) The Interdisciplinary Study of Biofuels--Understanding Questions and Finding Solutions Through Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (Philip D. Weyman); (19) A Life-Cycle Assessment of Biofuels--Tracing Energy and Carbon Through a Fuel-Production System (Sara Krauskopf); (20) Fall Colors, Temperature, and Day Length--Students Use Internet Data to Explore the Relationship Between Seasonal Patterns and Climate (Stephen Burton, Heather Miller, and Carrie Roossinck); (21) A Useful Laboratory Tool--Students Build and Test a Thermal Gradient to Conduct Meaningful Labs (Samuel A. Johnson and Tye Tutt); (22) Fire and the Role of Ecological Disturbance: A 5E Lesson to Address an Important Misconception (Michael Dentzau); (23) A Cooperative Classroom Investigation of Climate Change--Students Investigate Environmental Changes and Their Impact on Penguin Communities (Juanita Constible, Luke Sandro, and Richard E. Lee, Jr.); (24) Climate Physics--Using Basic Physics Concepts to Teach About Climate Change (William Space); (25) Seeing the Carbon Cycle (Pamela Drouin, David J. Welty, Daniel Repeta, Cheryl A. Engle-Belknap, Catherine Cramer, Kim Frashure, and Robert Chen); (26) How Much Carbon Is in the Forest?--A Project-Based Science Investigation of Trees' Role in Offsetting Global Warming (Leah Penniman); (27) Thinking Like an Ecologist--Students Make Connections Between Their Influence on Global Change and Current Field Research (Jenn Carlson); (28) Teaching About Energy (Amanda Beckrich); (29) Solar Radiation: Harnessing the Power--Using NASA Data to Study Alternative Energy Sources (Teri Rowland, Lin Chambers, Missy Holzer, and Susan Moore); (30) Solar Panels and Alternative Energy in the Eighth Grade Classroom (Laura Bruck); (31) Windmills Are Going Around Again (Richard H. Moyer and Susan A. Everett); and (32) A First Energy Grant: Pinwheel Electrical Generation (John Schaefers). Part II: Student Projects and Case Studies, contains: (33) Doing Science With PBS (Steve Metz); (34) Students for Sustainable Energy--Inspiring Students to Tackle Energy Projects in Their School and Community (Regina Toolin and Anne Watson); (35) The State High Biodiesel Project-- Reducing Local Waste While Learning About Alternative Energy (Paul L. Heasley and William G. Van Der Sluys); (36) The Sidewalk Project--Students Work With Their Community to Invent a Heated Sidewalk Powered by an Alternative Energy Source (William Church); (37) Asking Authentic Questions with Tangible Consequences (Anne Watson); and (38) The Quiet Skies Project--Students Collect, Analyze, and Monitor Data on Radio Frequency Interference (Steve Rapp). Part III, Issues in Depth, contains: (39) In the Hot Seat--Analyzing Your Heating Options (Janna Palliser); (40) Connect the Spheres with the Coal Cycle (Renee Clary and James Wandersee); (41) Petroleum and the Environment--Teaching About Petroleum and the Future of Energy Resources (Travis Hudson and Geoffrey Camphire); (42) An Earth-System Approach to Understanding the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Edward Robeck); (43) Converting Sunlight Into Other Forms of Energy--Using Photovoltaic Cells Made From Silicon Alloys for Solar Power (Robert A. Lucking, Edwin P. Christmann, and Robin Spruce); (44) Everybody Talks About It (Steve Metz); (45) School Greenhouse Design Tips (James Biehle); (46) Circuit Safety (Ken Roy); (47) Battery Safety Basics (Ken Roy); and (48) Sun Safety: The Stats (Ken Roy).