Green Power Pitch Perfect

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to investigate school energy use patterns and identify places where electricity or heat is wasted

Students will be able to explain how energy transfers through light, heat, sound, and electric currents in classroom and school examples

Students will be able to describe how natural resources and fuels used for electricity affect air quality and the environment

Students will be able to define a school energy design problem with criteria and constraints for a cleaner solution

Students will be able to generate and compare multiple environmentally friendly energy solutions for our school

Students will be able to plan and carry out fair tests on a model energy solution to gather evidence about how well it works

Students will be able to justify design decisions using user needs, test data, and feedback from partners

Products

individual

School Energy User Research Journal and Prototype Sketch

Each student creates a research journal with interview notes, observations, and a short claim about a school energy need, plus a labeled sketch or simple model of one clean-energy idea. The work must show how firsthand evidence shaped the prototype idea.

team

Clean Energy Solution Pitch Deck and Tested Model for School Leaders

Teams combine individual research into one evidence-based problem statement, then build and present a higher-fidelity prototype or service model that can be tested and shared with school leaders and community partners. The final pitch explains the problem, the design choices, the test results, and how feedback improved the solution.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	I can make simple observations about how energy moves or changes in everyday classroom situations (sound, light, heat, or electricity) and use the observations as evidence to explain what I notice.	I can gather information from investigations and sources to describe how energy transfers between places and forms, and I can use that evidence to start solving a clean-energy design problem for my school/community.	I can generate and compare multiple solution ideas to my design problem using science evidence about energy transfer/conversion and environmental impact, and I can explain why my best idea fits given constraints (materials, time, or cost).	I can plan and carry out fair tests with controlled variables to collect and analyze evidence about how well my model/prototype transfers or converts energy, identify failure points, and refine my solution based on what the data shows.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Effective Communication	I can share my ideas about energy transfer (sound, light, heat, and electricity) using clear scientific words from our investigations, and I can explain what I observed using at least one piece of evidence from my team.	I can communicate my understanding of where school energy comes from and how it affects the environment by combining notes, observations, and simple research, and I can present my reasoning with a beginning claim, evidence, and explanation.	I can present and compare multiple solution ideas for a cleaner energy problem by describing the criteria (success) and constraints (materials, time, cost) and explaining how each option could transfer or convert energy to meet needs, using data or observations from fair tests.	I can effectively communicate our final clean-energy model by organizing a clear pitch and responding to questions, explaining our testing process (controlled variables and failure points), interpreting results, and describing specific refinements I recommend based on evidence.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	I can collaborate with my team by taking an assigned role, sharing ideas respectfully, and following group norms (like turn-taking and listening) during classroom investigations and planning.	I can collaborate with my team by contributing ideas to energy-solution discussions, asking clarifying questions, and helping decide on next steps when we compare options for our school’s needs and constraints.	I can collaborate with my team by working interdependently to design and improve a clean-energy model—sharing materials and responsibilities, using evidence from fair tests, and using feedback to refine our prototype and plan.	I can collaborate with my team with leadership by facilitating shared decision-making, resolving disagreements constructively, and integrating teammates’ ideas and data into a clear, community-focused energy solution I can defend in a presentation or Q&A.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Content Expertise	I can use what I already know and supported information to explain how energy in sound, light, heat, and electric currents can move from one place to another I can point to evidence from a simple classroom investigation (what I observed) to help explain the energy transfer.	I can gather and combine information from research and observations to describe how energy and fuels come from natural resources and how energy choices can affect the environment I can use science ideas to identify likely places our school’s energy is wasted or transferred inefficiently and explain why that might matter for pollution.	I can design or improve a school-friendly energy model by applying scientific ideas about energy transfer and conversion, and I can explain how my design meets success criteria and constraints (materials, time, or cost) I can plan and run fair tests with controlled variables, record results, and describe what the results show about how well my prototype converts/transfers energy.	I can refine my device or plan using evidence from fair tests to identify specific failure points and improvement steps, and I can justify my changes with scientific reasoning I can compare multiple solutions and clearly explain which option best meets the criteria and constraints while reducing greenhouse gases and pollution for our community.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Academic Mindset	I can identify what I notice about our school’s energy use and pollution concerns, and I can ask focused questions that help me decide what to investigate next.	I can gather and organize evidence from investigations and sources (like city or utility information) to explain how energy transfers or converts and how energy choices can affect the environment in our community.	I can use evidence to support my design thinking by setting clear criteria/constraints, generating and comparing multiple ideas, and choosing one plan while explaining my reasoning and what I still need to learn.	I can independently iterate on my model and plan by running fair tests, analyzing results for evidence-based improvements, reflecting on failures/limitations, and revising my energy-solution to better reduce pollution for our school and neighborhood.