Educator Resources
Welcome to the PRIMRE Educator Resources database of resources, lesson plans, and related materials to help educators learn and teach about marine energy. We want to make it easy for educators at all levels to quickly find curricula, activities, and other tools that will help energize students about a marine-powered future and related concepts.
Refine your resource search by clicking on Education Level, Resource Type, Subject, and/or Topic below and selecting from the drop-down menus. You can also search by keyword.
Hydrokinetic Energy Class VI Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Wave Energy, System, Design, and Construction
Topics explored: various types of and locations of wave energy convertersA Primer on Wave Energy: Wave Energy Devices
Description: A 2-page illustrated handout that depicts various wave energy devices
Topics explored: oscillating water column, submerged pressure differential, overtopping device, rotating mass, bulge wave, point absorber, wave attenuator, hybrid point absorber, surge converterBuoyancy (Lesson Plan)
Description: Students will: Determine variables that affect buoyancy, understand how mass and surface area affect an object's ability to float, form hypotheses and ask questions about how objects float
Buoyancy (Worksheet 2)
Description: Why Does It Float? Exercise for evaluating buoyancy of household objects (Worksheet)
Buoyancy (Worksheet)
Description: Students will: Determine variables that affect buoyancy, understand how mass and surface area affect an object's ability to float, form hypotheses and ask questions about how objects float (Worksheet)
Catch the Wave!
Description: There is a lot of energy that can be harvested from moving water. Energy can be extracted from water rushing over a waterfall and from the regular patterns of the ocean's tides. The energy that propels waves forward in the oceans can also be extracted and used. But can wave energy power plants be built anywhere there is water? In this energy science fair project, you will use ocean buoy data and mathematics to determine which locations along the coasts of the United States can sustain a wave energy power system.
Topics explored: wave energy; marine energy; wavelength; frequency; environmental considerations; ocean energy; ocean energy project sitingCoastal Studies Institute Program – Renewable Ocean Energy
Description: Students will learn about the Coastal Studies Institite’s mission to extract energy from ocean waves, currents, and tides. Participants will view technology used in ocean research, participate in a series of activities to understand the process of harnessing power from the ocean, and learn the basics of oceanographic processes. This program can be taught at a middle or high school level
Topics explored:Decoding Science
Description: This interactive website's content is based on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science, a NASEM consensus report funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation and vetted by experts in the practice, interpretation, and application of science.
Topics explored: the Scientific Process, Building Scientific Knowledge, the Role of Repetition and Consensus, and Using ScienceDo As the Romans: Construct an Aqueduct
Description: Students work with specified materials to create aqueduct components that can transport two liters of water across a short distance in the classroom. The design challenge is to create an aqueduct that can supply Aqueductis, a (hypothetical) Roman city, with clean water for private homes, public baths and fountains as well as crop irrigation.
Topics explored: Civil engineering; agriculture; environmental considerations; historyECN Marine Renewable Energy Syllabus
Description: Undergraduate course syllabus on marine renewable energy including lessons, textbooks, and learning objectives
Topics explored: marine energy; tidal energy; offshore wind; ocean energy; electricity generation; wave energyEnergy from the Oceans: The New Renewable
Description: Energy from the Oceans: The New Renewable is a secondary school curriculum in six lessons:
Lesson 1: Why do we need renewable energy? Lesson 2: How is electricity generated? Lesson 3: How do we identify ocean currents with the best potential for producing energy? Lesson 4: Harnessing energy from ocean currents: the new renewable Lesson 5: What are the environmental impacts of ocean energy? Lesson 6: The future of ocean energy
Topics explored: wave energy; marine energy; tide energy; environmental considerations; electricity generation; ocean energyEnvironmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy
Exploring Ocean Energy and Resources
Description: Informational text, hands-on explorations, and critical thinking and engineering design activities introduce students to the sources of energy found offshore and the non-energy related mineral resources found in our ocean environments
Topics explored: various forms of ocean energyExploring our Fluid Earth
Description: Exploring Our Fluid Earth is based on the nationally recognized Fluid Earth/Living Ocean aquatic science curriculum. The Exploring Our Fluid Earth curriculum is grounded in the inquiry approach to learning and examines marine and freshwater systems by studying the influence of water on the planet. The Exploring our Fluid Earth modules comprise the essential elements of a year-long course in marine science at the middle and high school levels.
Topics explored: Modules focus on the physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, and technology of aquatic systems and on the researchers who study them. Each module comprises a series of related lessons that build conceptual understanding. The integration of disciplines provides multiple entry points to the curriculum materials, which teachers can approach from the perspective of their respective disciplines. The modules also provide a unique opportunity for subject area teachers (i.e., biology, chemistry, physics) to utilize portions of the curriculum in their teaching—to teach their course concepts in the context of the aquatic environment.Folke Center Wave Energy Course
Description: Course overview of a weeklong workshop on wave energy theory, project construction, and team based example activities
Topics explored: workshop, ocean energy; electricity generation; wave energy; corrosion; mooringHands-on Activity: Falling Water
Description: Students drop water from different heights to demonstrate the conversion of water's potential energy to kinetic energy.
Topics explored: kinetic energy conversionHonors Marine Biology Course
Description: Mark Friedman has made his entire Marine Biology course available for download. This material is aligned with the Castro/Huber Marine Biology Textbook. Each chapter includes text, photo, presentation and video materials. Tests and exam questions are provided. Projects, labs and links to related materials elsewhere on the internet are available for some chapters. The course has been broken down into smaller pieces to help our friends in other countries with slow internet.
Topics explored: marine biology; invertebrates; fish; ocean environment; marine invertebrates; hydrologyHydrokinetic Energy Class I Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover The History and Evolution of Hydrokinetic Power Production and The Future of Hydrokinetic Power Production
Topics explored: permanent magnets and copper coils, dams, hydroelectric power plants, traditional hydropower vs. hydrokinetic power, turbine types, hydrofoils, currentsHydrokinetic Energy Class II Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Basic Forms of Ocean Energy and Technology and Basic Components of Hydrokinetic Technology
Topics explored: types of ocean energy converters, current energy converters, wave energy converters, ocean thermal energy conversion, offshore wind energy, salinity gradient, rotors, gearboxesHydrokinetic Energy Class III Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Ocean Currents System Design and Construction and Systems Installation, Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Removal
Topics explored: types of ocean energy currents, computational fluid dynamics and turbine design, turbine componentsHydrokinetic Energy Class IV Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Tidal Currents, System, Design, and Construction
Topics explored: tidal currents, gravitational pull of the moon, tidal bulges, tidal ranges,tidal barrages, kinetic energy, Betz limitHydrokinetic Energy Class IX Hydrokinetic Energy Technician
Description: Sections cover Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
Topics explored: hydrodynamics, Bernoulli's Equation, fluids, compressive forceHydrokinetic Energy Class V Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover River Currents, System, Design, and Construction; History and Evolution of Hydrokinetic Power Production
Topics explored: hydropower plants, turbine types, dams, current energy converters, sea carpets, water wheels, pump storageHydrokinetic Energy Class VII Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Test Equipment and Data Logging of Turbine Output
Topics explored: test equipment, logging and analyzing energy output of current energy converters, flow test vessels, test sites, First Law of Thermodynamics, grid connections, power analyzersHydrokinetic Energy Class VIII Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Site Selection and Resource Assessment
Topics explored: tidal resource, riverine resource, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, tidal flow characteristics, Betz LimitHydrokinetic Energy Class X Hydrokinetic Energy Technician
Description: Sections cover Assessment of Installation Sites
Topics explored: types of currents, flow data, tidal flow, flow velocity, river currents, typography and installation sitesHydrokinetic Energy Class XI Hydrokinetic Energy Technician
Description: Sections cover Types of Current Profilers and Deployment Methods
Topics explored: Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, Doppler shift, advantages and disadvantages of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, deployment methodsHydrokinetic Energy Class XII Introduction to Hydrokinetic Energy
Description: Sections cover Creating Energy Production Estimates
Topics explored: tidal flow velocity, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, illustrating flow characteristics, Betz LimitHydrokinetic Energy Class XIII Hydrokinetic Energy Technician
Description: Sections cover Flow Measurement Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers Set-Up
Topics explored: types of profilers, Doppler shift, Matlab, fluid mechanicsKitchen Science: Buoyancy Video
Description: This video and hands-on activity answer the question, "How do big, heavy boats float?" by exploring density.
Topics explored: buoyancy, Archimedes' Buoyancy Principle, water densityKitchen Science: Upwelling Experiment
Description: This video and hands-on activity answer the question, "Why is the water sometimes cold in the summer?" by using an at-home experiment to demonstrate upwelling.
Topics explored: upwelling, water and wavesKitchen Science: Waves and a Wave Machine Video
Description: This video and hands-on activity answer the question, "Does water move with waves as they travel?" by using an at-home wave machine to demonstrate.
Topics explored: water and waves, wave machine, energy transfer, matter transfer, orbital motionLet's Make Waves
Description: In this simple set of activities children use wind to create waves and use marbles to model energy moving through water.
Topics explored: activity; ocean science; wave energy; fluid dynamicsMake Electricity with Waves
Description: PMEC followers down under make electricity with waves. This wave energy device captures kinetic energy in the waves and converts it into electricity. Ethan and Justin show how to build a simple wave energy device with easily available materials. This video is ideal for children who want to learn and create a wave buoy for a science project, or for those who wonder how it works.
Topics explored: kinetic energy conversion; wave energy; activityMarine Invertebrates (Lesson Plan)
Description: Students in high school will explore marine invertebrates and their different characteristics (Lesson Plan)
Topics explored: ocean environment; marine invertebrates; hydrologyMarine Invertebrates (Plankton)
Description: Students in high school will explore marine invertebrates and their different characteristics (Plankton Worksheet)
Topics explored: plankton; ocean environment; marine invertebrates; hydrologyMarine Invertebrates (Worksheet)
Description: Students in high school will explore marine invertebrates and their different characteristics (Worksheet)
Topics explored: ocean environment; marine invertebrates; hydrologyMarine Power and Propulsion
Description: This course discusses the selection and evaluation of commercial and naval ship power and propulsion systems. It will cover the analysis of propulsors, prime mover thermodynamic cycles, propeller-engine matching, propeller selection, waterjet analysis, and reviews alternative propulsors. The course also investigates thermodynamic analyses of Rankine, Brayton, Diesel, and Combined cycles, reduction gears and integrated electric drive. Battery operated vehicles and fuel cells are also discussed. The term project requires analysis of alternatives in propulsion plant design for given physical, performance, and economic constraints. Graduate students complete different assignments and exams.
Topics explored: ship power; propellers; propulsion electricity generation; fuel cellsMechanical Advantage with Pulleys (Answer Sheet)
Description: Students will: determine the variables that affect a pulley system, understand how pulleys can be used to change the direction that is pulled to lift a heavy object, demonstrate an understanding of how pulleys make work easier by exchanging an increase in the distance pulled for a decrease in the requisite force, demonstrate an understanding of how Newton’s Second Law of Motion is used to determine a given force, and practice converting between different scientific units (Answer Sheet)
Mechanical Advantage with Pulleys (Lesson Plan)
Description: Students will: determine the variables that affect a pulley system, understand how pulleys can be used to change the direction that is pulled to lift a heavy object, demonstrate an understanding of how pulleys make work easier by exchanging an increase in the distance pulled for a decrease in the requisite force, demonstrate an understanding of how Newton’s Second Law of Motion is used to determine a given force, and practice converting between different scientific units
Mechanical Advantage with Pulleys (Worksheet)
Description: Students will: determine the variables that affect a pulley system, understand how pulleys can be used to change the direction that is pulled to lift a heavy object, demonstrate an understanding of how pulleys make work easier by exchanging an increase in the distance pulled for a decrease in the requisite force, demonstrate an understanding of how Newton’s Second Law of Motion is used to determine a given force, and practice converting between different scientific units (Worksheet)
Ocean Energy Could Be the Wave of the Future
Description: Science News for Students is a resource for educators. This article describes the promise and potential drawbacks of several marine energy technologies and relevant ongoing research projects.
Topics explored: wave energy; marine energy; tide energy; computer models; environmental considerationsOcean Power: Four Activities
Description: A student activity/lesson plan
Topics explored: How can you put the energy of ocean tides to work? How does an OTEC plant work? Can water boil at room temperatures? How can I build a wave energy device?Ocean Renewable Energy Applications
Description: Technology overview of the various methods for ocean, wave, and tidal energy conversion and collection, including manufacturers of relevant equipment
Topics explored: energy conversion, ocean energy; electricity generation; marine energy; wave energy; tidal energy, offshore wind, floating platformOcean Thermal Energy Conversion
Description: Technology overview of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC),a process or technology for producing energy by harnessing the temperature differences (thermal gradients) between ocean surface waters and deep ocean waters.
Topics explored: ocean thermal energy conversion; electricity generation; marine energy; thermodynamicsOcean Wave Mechanics
Description: Linear wave boundary value problem formulation and solution, water particle kinematics, shoaling, refraction, diffraction, and reflection. Linear long wave theory with applications to tides, seiching, and storm surge.
Topics explored: wave physics; wave mechanicsOcean Waves in a Bottle
Description: Have you ever wondered what causes ocean waves? Create an ocean wave bottle as a fun way to demonstrate a little bit about how waves work. Combine learning about the ocean with a visually appealing sensory bottle for fun and playful learning for kids.
Topics explored: activity; ocean science; wave energy; fluid dynamicsOceans for Beginners
Description: Overview of marine ecosystems and maps of oceans around the world.
Topics explored: marine ecosystems; marine energy; ocean environmentOff the Grid
Description: Students learn and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. They also learn about our nation's electric power grid and what it means for a residential home to be "off the grid."
Topics explored: renewable energy; electricity grid; off the grid; electricity generationOne World Ocean
Description: Students learn about ocean currents and the difference between salt and fresh water. Using colored ice cubes, they see how cold and warm water mix and how this mixing causes currents. Students also learn how surface currents occur due to wind streams, how fresh water floats on top of salt water, the difference between water in the ocean and fresh water throughout the planet, and how engineers are involved in the design of ocean water systems for human use.
Topics explored: marine science; ocean science; ocean currents; fluid dynamics; environmental considerationsPower Your House with Water
Description: Students learn how engineers design devices that use water to generate electricity by building model water turbines and measuring the resulting current produced in a motor. Student teams work through the engineering design process to build the turbines, analyze the performance of their turbines and make calculations to determine the most suitable locations to build dams.
Topics explored: water turbine; kinetic energy conversion; dams; activityPower, Work, and the Water Wheel
Description: Civil, geotechnical, environmental, mechanical and electrical engineers collaborate to design and construct dams that generate electricity from the flow of water. When engineers design these dams, called hydroelectric power plants, they calculate the amount of power that can be generated by the plant. Knowing the dam's potential power generation, they can further estimate the maximum rural or urban region that can be supplied with electricity generated from the dam.
Topics explored: hydropower basics; dam engineering; power plants; activityPowering Smallsburg
Description: Students act as engineers by specifying the power plants to build for a community. They are given a budget, an expected power demand from the community, and different power plant options with corresponding environmental effects. Guided by a worksheet, teams work through the hypothetical real-world scenario to arrive at recommendations that they present to the class; group "answers" vary widely, depending on their identified city priorities.
Topics explored: electricity mix; fuel types; power plantsPowering the U.S.
Description: This lesson provides students with an overview of the electric power industry in the United States. Students also become familiar with the environmental impacts associated with a variety of energy sources.
Topics explored: electricity mix; fuel types; power plantsRenewable Ocean Energy Animation
Description: An animation clip that shows various forms of ocean energy
Topics explored: rotating mass, bulge wave, tidal turbine, point absorber, oscillating surge flap, offshore wind turbine, oscillating water columnSmart Ocean Planning and the Ocean Economy
Description: An infographic fact sheet that discusses the ocean economy. Includes footnoted resources for more information.
Topics explored: The ocean economy, jobs, shipping, offshore renewable energyStudent Energy Energy System Map
Description: The Energy System map includes an interactive map view, a searchable energy topics index view, and accompanying videos.
Topics explored: climate change, energy justice, climate policy, sustainable goals, all energy sources, production, conversion, transport, distribution, use, and influencesTidal Energy
Description: Students will work in teams to design, build, test, and redesign a model water turbine blade capable of spinning and generating power, which will be read with a voltmeter.
Topics explored: tides, tides and moon phases, tides used to generate electricity, how is electricity generated and how is power measured, how water turbines work, which blades are best, various types of forms and sources of energy, types of energy we use, our energy consumption.Tidal Power
Description: Technology overview of techniques to harness tidal energy
Topics explored: tidal energy; kinetic energy conversion; electricity generation; marine energyTireless Tides: Extracting Energy from Ocean Tides
Description: Renewable energy is the energy that is extracted from natural sources, such the Sun (solar), earth (geothermal), wind, and water (hydropower). These sources are renewable because they can be replenished by the same natural sources within a short period of time. Hydropower energy is extracted from moving water, like ocean wave energy and tidal energy. In this energy science fair project, you will make a model of a tidal barrage (also known as a dam) and investigate how emptying the tidal barrage through different-sized tunnels affects energy production.
Topics explored: wave energy; marine energy; ocean energy; tidal energy; renewable energyWater Chemistry (Lesson Plan)
Description: Students will: learn the fundamental properties of water; learn the proper tools for measuring different properties of water
Topics explored: measurement methods; water chemistry; ocean energy; hydrologyWater Chemistry (Worksheet)
Description: Worksheet for associated lesson plan. Students will: learn the fundamental properties of water; learn the proper tools for measuring different properties of water
Topics explored: measurement methods; water chemistry; ocean energy; hydrologyWater Power
Description: Students observe a model waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine. They work as engineers to create model waterwheels while considering resources such as time and materials, in their designs. Students also discuss and explore the characteristics of hydropower plants.
Topics explored: water wheel; kinetic energy conversion; dams; activityWater Power Hands-On Activity
Description: Students observe a model waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine. They work as engineers to create model waterwheels while considering resources such as time and materials, in their designs. Students also discuss and explore the characteristics of hydropower plants.
Topics explored: a model waterwheel, the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbineWaterwheel Work
Description: Students learn the history of the waterwheel and common uses for water turbines today. They explore kinetic energy by creating their own experimental waterwheel from a two-liter plastic bottle. They investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine into work, and experiment with how weight affects the rotational rate of the waterwheel. Students also discuss and explore the characteristics of hydroelectric plants.
Topics explored: kinetic energy; water wheel; activity; energy conversionWave Energy Engineer: Building a Model Wave Energy Generator
Description: A classroom activity allowing student to design and test their own model wave energy device
Topics explored: kinetic energy, voltage, wave tankWave Energy Research at OSU
Description: a 5-page graphic illustration of various marine energy careers at Oregon State University
Topics explored: benthic ecologist, energy and acoustics, ocean test facilities managerWave Energy and Wave Changes with Depth
Description: This page provides an overview of the scientific principles behind wave energy propagation, types of wave based on water depth, and images and activities surrounding wave energy and depth.
Topics explored: wave energy; wave depth; deep water waves; transitional waves; shallow water waves; marine energyWave Power
Description: Technology overview of techniques to harness wave energy
Topics explored: wave energy; kinetic energy conversion; electricity generation; marine energyWave and Tidal Energy
Description: Overview and quiz relating to wave and tidal energy generation
Topics explored: wave energy; marine energy; tide energy; environmental considerations; electricity generation; ocean energy; renewable energyWave of the Future
Description: An 88-page Blue Economy teaching resource
Topics explored: Blue Economy, careers, activitiesWaves and Wave Properties
Description: Students learn about the types of waves and how they change direction, as well as basic wave properties such as wavelength, frequency, amplitude and speed. During the presentation of lecture information on wave characteristics and properties, students take notes using a handout. Then they label wave parts on a worksheet diagram and draw their own waves with specified properties (crest, trough and wavelength). They also make observations about the waves they drew to determine which has the highest and the lowest frequency. With this knowledge, students better understand waves and are a step closer to understanding how humans see color.
Topics explored: wave energy; energy transfer; frequency; wavelength; amplitudeWaves in the Marine Environment
Description: This is a 4-5 day unit on the physics of waves and encounters in the marine environment. Students will have the opportunity to work with actual data, learn about different types of waves, and understand how waves are used in the ocean to learn about the environment. The unit consists of three lessons, two worksheets, a group project, and review game. Topics covered include an introduction to transverse and longitudinal waves, the difference between wind generated waves and tsunamis, and how and why we use sound underwater.
Topics explored: wave energy; marine energy; wavelength; frequency; environmental considerations;; ocean energyYour search selections do not match any STEM Educator Resources.
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