Published by Australian Academy of Science
Activities | Rocking on with hot rocks geothermal energy

1. Putting on your thinking hat to evaluate geothermal energy

Original image courtesy of Geodynamics Limited.

Other activities

• Geothermal Education Office (USA)
• Geothermal energy curriculum – looks at different sources of energy with a focus on geothermal energy: its geology, history and uses. Includes a range of student activities including making a model geothermal steam engine, porosity of soil and rocks, generating electricity and modelling the layers of the Earth.

• Energy for keeps: Electricity from renewable energy (The California Study Inc., USA)
• Chapter 2 - Going for a spin and Getting current – students make a model steam turbine and investigate how different energy sources can be used to rotate it. They then use a magnet to generate electricity.

• Chapter 3 - Watt's my line? – students demonstrate their understanding of different energy resources (including geothermal) for electricity generation through presentations and pantomime (note: resources need to be provided for student research).

• US Department of Energy (USA)
• Geothermal energy – provides background information on geothermal technology and five related classroom activities on heat transfer, boiling points, geothermal emissions and turbine design.

• Science upd8 (UK)
• Hot rocks – students look at the relationship between geology and geothermal energy, and how geothermal power stations might affect local communities.