Energy Geography

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 5 and 6 to explore energy geography, environmental science, and economic decision-making through an informational reading about Poland’s energy transition. Students read a passage describing Poland’s historic reliance on coal, environmental challenges, and the growing role of renewable energy sources such as wind power, then respond to critical-thinking questions using complete sentences and evidence-based reasoning.

Learning Goals

• Energy & Environmental Impact (Grades 5-6): Understand how energy sources affect air quality, climate, and ecosystems.
• Economic Geography: Analyze how energy production influences jobs, industry, and national development.
• Energy Transitions: Evaluate the challenges and benefits of shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
• Analytical Writing: Practice explaining problems, tradeoffs, and possible solutions using clear reasoning.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource: Designed to align with upper elementary science, social studies, and ELA standards.
• Real-World Relevance: Connects classroom learning to current environmental and economic issues.
• Higher-Order Thinking Questions: Encourage evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving rather than simple recall.
• Flexible Use: Ideal for science or geography units, assessments, homework, or small-group discussion.

This printable worksheet helps students develop a deeper understanding of how energy choices shape environmental and economic outcomes. By examining Poland’s energy challenges and solutions, learners strengthen analytical reading, written explanation, and critical thinking skills. It’s a meaningful, no-prep resource that works well in both classroom instruction and homeschool learning, supporting informed thinking about sustainability and future development.

This worksheet is part of our Poland Worksheets collection.