Biomass Energy and Algae Biofuels
Lesson Plan by Cameron Coates and Tara Howell

This lesson plan was designed for a high school AP Environmental Science class in San Diego CA. The unit is focused on biomass energy with a particular emphasis on algae biofuels and is intended to teach students what biomass energy is, what the trade-off are for using biomass energy and what the current state of the art is for using biomass for energy. Our society is facing a number of serious challenges involving energy and today’s students should expect to see important decisions being made about energy in their lifetime. With a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges involved with biofuel and biomass energy students will be better equipped to make informed decisions about how they use energy in their personal and professional lives.
  • Students will be able to identify the differences between biofuel and fossil fuels.
  • Students will be able to explain the differences between various forms of biomass energy and how algae biofuels compare.
  • Students will be able to explain the trade-off involved with the use of biodiesel.
  • Students will learn about what future biofuels might be made from and what researchers are doing to develop new biofuel technology.
  • Students will learn about the considerations involved in developing a biofuel company and the current state of biofuel industry.
  • Energy is not conserved and is destroyed after it is used.
  • We get all our energy from one place.
  • Technology will solve all of our energy problems.
  • We can us corn or algae as fuel without refinement.
  • Biodiesel and ethanol are the same thing.
  • Natural gas, biogas and methane are not the same thing.
  • Biomass energy comes from one source.
  • More energy is produced than what is put in.
  • Biofuels have no negative environmental impacts.
  • The only emissions that we create come from cars and industry (lack of understanding about lifecycle emissions).
  • Energy is a thing, a fuel and/or is found only in living things.
  • The term energy and force are interchangeable.
  • An object at rest has no energy.
  • You have to convert your vehicle or be a diesel mechanic to use biodiesel.
  • This lesson plan was designed for an AP environmental science class in San Diego, CA.
  • The students had covered general environmental science topics including “Life on Earth” and “Human Population Ecology and Urban Environments” where they became familiar with concepts such as food webs, ecosystems, species diversity, and world population growth.
  • This unit was a part of a larger month-long unit on energy where the students were exposed to content related to where energy comes from, how fossil fuels are made and their environmental impact as well as various alternatives including solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear energy.
  • Students will be assessed using in-class presentation of their biofuel company along with their business plan.
  • Students will learn what biomass energy is and how it is used.
  • Students will learn the advantages and disadvantages of algae biodiesel.
  • Students will learn that different biomass sources have different amounts of carbohydrates, lipids and protein.
  • Students will learn that each part of the cell can be used for different commercial products.
  • Biomass Energy PowerPoint Presentation.
  • Biomass Composition Worksheet.
  • Green Bullet Algae Biofuel Research Video.
  • The teacher will give a PowerPoint presentation about biomass energy and algae biodiesel (20-25 min).
  • Students will watch a video about algae biofuel extraction (8-10 min).
  • Students will complete the biomass composition worksheet. Spend a few minutes explaining the worksheet and make sure to do the first calculation of percent carbohydrates for corn so that the students understand how to perform the calculation (20 min).
  • Homework: Complete the Biomass Composition Worksheet.
  • Optional: On the day prior to teaching this lesson the students could be asked to visit the National Geographic’s website on biofuels as an introduction to different types of biofuel and the trade-offs associated with them.
  • Students will learn about different advancements in biofuel technology by learning the commonly used terminology of first, second, third and fourth generation biofuels.
  • Students will learn what a microbe is and how they can be used to make the next generation of biofuels.
  • Students will learn about the cutting edge research at LS9 where they are engineering microbes to make fuels.
  • Next Generation Biofuels PowerPoint Lecture.
  • LS9 Microbial Biofuel Video.
  • Laptops for Each Student.
  • Biomass Composition Worksheet.
  • Biofuel Company Project Description.
  • Biofuel Elevator Pitch Investor Guide.
  • The teacher will give a PowerPoint Presentation (20 min).
  • Ask the students to bring out their Biomass Composition Worksheets for the class to review (15 min).
  • Explain the biofuel company assignment and provide the students with the handouts. Allow the students to begin researching their presentation topics. Read the through the project description from the Biofuel Company Project Description handout with the students. Explain to the students that their businesses not only need to be different from companies that already exist but they need to be different from the other students in the classroom. This cannot be strictly followed as there are a limited number of new ideas about biofuels that the students have to choose from. Try to avoid this by encouraging students to try and be creative about how the design their business. For example, if two or more students plan on developing a biofuel from algae they might consider developing companies that focus on different stages of the development process. One student may decide to focus on the growth stage and make a profit from selling the biomass it to another company that turns the biomass into fuel. Another student may choose to develop their business around using the residual biomass as a co-product or designing an engineering solution to separate the algae from the water. The main point is that their company doesn’t need to do the entire process of developing the biofuel from start to finish, there will likely be thousands of different business ideas that focus on different steps along the way (20 min.).
  • Students will develop a deeper knowledge of different types of biofuels.
  • Students will need to learn about what type of biofuel businesses already exist so that they can propose a “unique” idea.
  • Students will be challenged to think creatively about what is needed to make a viable business proposal.
  • Biofuel Company Project Description.
  • Biofuel Elevator Pitch Investor Guide.
  • Laptops for Each Student.
  • Start class with short presentation of two biofuel business ideas that are currently being developed.
  • Give students the rest of class to research and prepare their business plan and presentation while you answer questions they encounter along the way.
  • Students will learn about biofuels through other student presentations.
  • Students will practice effective presentation skills.
  • Biofuel Company Project Description.
  • Biofuel Elevator Pitch Investor Guide.
  • Create a list of student presenters for the first day and do not tell the students until the first day if they will be presenting first. Ask the students to bring their presentations on flash drives and have them load them on the computer first thing when they come into class.
  • Allow each student 2 minutes to give their “Elevator Pitch” to their fellow students as if they are a group of investors deciding where they want to invest their $100,000.
  • Remind students to take notes on each presentation so that they will be able to remember who to invest in the following day.
  • The teacher grades each student on their presentations according to the rubric.
  • Students will learn about biofuels through other student presentations.
  • Students will practice effective presentation skills.
  • Biofuel Company Project Description.
  • Biofuel Elevator Pitch Investor Guide.
  • Fake Money ($100,000 per student in $10,000 bills).
  • Create a list of student presenters for the first day and do not tell the students until the first day if they will be presenting first. Ask the students to bring their presentations on flash drives and have them load them on the computer first thing when they come into class.
  • Allow each student 2 minutes to give their “Elevator Pitch” to their fellow students as if they are a group of investors deciding where they want to invest their $100,000.
  • The teacher grades each student on their presentations according to the rubric on the biofuel company project description handout.
  • Students place their business plans on side tables in the room and after the last presentation the students are asked to walk around the room and invest their $100,000 however they decide. Have the students add up their “seed money” and see who gathers the most investors.
  • Optional: Provide prizes for the top winner(s).

Cyanobacteria


Biomass Energy


Protozoa
Lesson Specifics
  • Grade Level: 11-12
  • Time Frame: 1 week
  • Science Standards: "The genetic composition of cells can be altered by incorporation of exogenous DNA into the cells. Genetic engineering (biotechnology) is used to produce novel biomedical and agricultural products. Investigate a science-based societal issue by researching the literature, analyzing data, and communicating the findings. Examples of issues include irradiation of food, cloning of animals by somatic nuclear transfer, choice of energy sources, and land and water use decisions in California."

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