How climate change is affecting Canterbury is what this booklet is all about. We investigate what it will mean for you, your family and friends, and the natural environment.

When Tokelau decided to switch to renewable energy, they thought critically about all the options. They decided that solar energy was a cost-effective option suited to the sunny Tokelaun climate. Over four thousand solar panels were installed on Tokelau, making them the first country in the world to use 100 percent renewable energy. Now they hope to inspire others to make the switch.

Electric cars are often seen as the vehicles of the future – but are they? Read about the development of electric cars and see how the technology they use contrasts with that used by fuel-powered cars.

This article explains the Global Positioning System – a technology that we’ve quickly become dependent on. It explains how it works and its benefits, while also prompting students to think critically about the risks of over-reliance.

Crunch Time is a fun interactive quiz game aimed at kids of all ages – with questions about energy, science and sustainability. The game can be played individually or set up so whole classes can play against each other.

Students work in small groups to research energy-efficient house design and passive solar energy. They share their research findings, develop a design for an energy-efficient house and construct a model energy-efficient house from materials supplied, then explain their model to the class.

Nanogirl wants to get the Superpowers of the Earth! Join her as she experiments and investigates how we can use the hidden power that's all around us, above us and buried right under our feet to give ourselves superpowers.

Bill Nye the Science Guy is all charged up for the “Energy” episode.

Talking about renewable energy, Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover the science of how to make electricity and carry out a hands-on experiment while talking about solar cells with Professor Justin Hodgkiss from The MacDiarmid Institute.

Investigate energy, how it is created and how it is transferred and transformed and foil the evil plans of Professor Pitch Black and her sidekick Short Circuit!

Twiggy the Pukeko dreams that one day she will live in a warm, dry house. She meets Tua, a tuatara who knows a thing or two about energy from the sun. They visit the Green Dream House and meet Greeny, the owner. Twiggy’s head is soon spinning with facts about insulation, double glazing, solar energy, passive solar design, and a long list of ways to be energy efficient.

Students design and create a working hydro turbine model, using STEM knowledge and skills.

Investigate and observe which light bulbs are the most energy efficient and explore the difference we can make by choosing energy efficient bulbs.

Hydro turbines let us harness the energy of water – which makes sense since “hydro” means “water” in Greek! Watch our video to make and test your own hydro turbine at school or home.

Hydro turbines let us harness the energy of water and with the help of a generator, turn it into electricity. People have used the power of water for more than 2,000 years. Did you know the ancient Egyptians used water wheels for grinding grains? Watch our video to make and test your own hydro turbine with housing at school or home.

Light up a picture of a house. It’s easy to do and a great way to get started learning about circuits and electricity. Watch our video to make and test your own paper circuit house at home.

A solar oven let us use the energy from the sun to cook food. Did you know you can make a solar oven out of a pizza box? Of course, you’ll need to eat the pizza first! Watch our video to make and test your own solar oven at school or home.

Wind turbines allow us to harness the energy of wind and turn it into electricity to keep our TVs powered and our ipads charged. Did you know that the blade tips of a large wind turbine can reach speeds of more than 320 km per hour – that’s super-fast! Watch our video to make and test your own 3D printed wind turbine at school or home.

Make and decorate your very own mini windmill.

These activities enable students to explore the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy sources used for the generation of electricity (and other forms of energy and/or production), identify impacts of their use, and relate this to New Zealand’s nation-wide sustainability targets.

Solar power is power produced from the energy of the Sun. If we could harness all the energy that arrived on Earth from the Sun, in one hour there would be enough to power the whole world for a year!

The study of solar energy offers children a useful introduction to concepts about one of our world's few renewable energy sources. This book looks at what solar energy is, how it is used, and the technologies involved in "harnessing" and transforming energy from the Sun.

Explore renewable energy in this fun, hands-on STEM lesson. Available free for teachers, it includes curriculum-matched teaching notes.