The U.S. Department of Energy, in collaboration with the X PRIZE Foundation and Discovery Education, has launched a new Web site for students-- FuelOurFutureNow. The site is geared toward STEM subjects and aims to engage students in the science of alternative fuels and energy-efficient engineering. The site provides targeted curriculum and STEM lesson plans for teachers of all grade levels, and features video and other interactive tools. Targeted activities on the site vary by grade level; for instance, K-2 students explore “what makes cars go,” while students in grades 3-5 can learn about force and motion and efficient energy transfer within a vehicle. Each grade-specific curriculum is designed to help educators advance their STEM achievement goals. Students can use the Web site to help prepare them for X PRIZE’s Progressive Automotive competition, in which a ten million dollar prize will be split between teams that present clean, production-capable and fuel-efficient vehicles (details on FuelOurFuture’s site).
