Skip to page content
+ Menu

Find free or low-cost resources with our database of Energy Education Resources: K-12th grade. Plus, find links to other helpful energy sites.

« Back to Careers & Workforce Development Resources

U.S. Department of Energy (EERE) Energy Literacy document

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy developed Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education, which identifies seven Essential Principles and a set of Fundamental Concepts to support each principle. The intended audience for the Energy Literacy document is anyone involved in energy education. Intended use of the document as a guide includes, but is not limited to, formal and informal energy education, standards development, curriculum design, assessment development, and educator trainings.

The Energy Literacy document is the culmination of public listening sessions and thousands of experts contributing to a dialogue about what an energy literate person should know and understand. Energy Literacy looks at energy through the lens of natural science as well as social science. Energy issues require an understanding of civics, history, economics, sociology, psychology, and politics in addition to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Download the pdf or order a free copy by mail. Also, download the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts spreadsheet. The framework is also available in Spanish, Conocimiento de EnergĂ­a.

1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington DC 20585-0125
Phone: 202-586-6756
Email: energyliteracy@ee.doe.gov
energy.gov/eere/energyliteracy