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ScienceMathEngineering

Renewable Microgrid Command

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Grades 6-860-75 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Teams manage a simulated neighborhood microgrid, deciding in real time how to split solar and battery power between homes, a hospital, and a school when demand spikes.

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Every level teaches the same core idea — pick the one that fits your time, budget, and energy today.

Prep: 15 minActivity: 30 min1 session~$0/groupOne table or a clear section of floorBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or hand-copy the essential prompt for Renewable Microgrid Command, then set out only paper, pencils, and the common or recycled items needed for one test. Use a tabletop representation whenever the original version mentions a room, specialized device, or digital tool; the learning comes from the decisions and evidence, not elaborate scenery.

Activity

  1. Review the neighborhood's buildings and predict which ones need guaranteed power during an outage.
  2. Set up the microgrid board with starting solar and battery power allocated across the buildings.
  3. Draw demand-spike event cards each round, find the hospital or school runs short of power, and reallocate the grid to protect critical loads.
  4. Report the final grid performance to a town meeting, explaining the tradeoffs made under pressure.

Done when: The group has completed Renewable Microgrid Command when it can report the final grid performance to a town meeting, explaining the tradeoffs made under pressure and point to the observation, measurement, comparison, or trial that supports its conclusion.

Materials

poster board, poker chips as power units, dice for demand events, markers, timer

Shown for the Quick Start version — switch tabs above to see what changes.

Disclosure: Materials links below go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Steps

  1. Review the neighborhood's buildings and predict which ones need guaranteed power during an outage.
  2. Set up the microgrid board with starting solar and battery power allocated across the buildings.
  3. Draw demand-spike event cards each round, find the hospital or school runs short of power, and reallocate the grid to protect critical loads.
  4. Report the final grid performance to a town meeting, explaining the tradeoffs made under pressure.

Standards it satisfies

  • NGSS · MS-ESS3-1

    Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.