China & the U.S.: the World’s Wind leaders

Grade level:  3rd – 5th grades

Skills: Addition & subtraction and Number comparison (3-digit numbers)

Related environmental issues: Energy

The United States and China are the countries that generate the largest wind power in the world. The table below shows how the two countries increased the amount of wind power between 2006 and 2015.

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  1. In 2006, which country generated more wind power?
  2. In 2013, which country generated more wind power?
  3. In what year did the county you answered in #2 overtake the other?
  4. Between 2006 ad 2015, how much wind power in gigawatts did the United States increase?
  5. Between 2006 ad 2015, how much wind power in gigawatts did China increase?
  6. Together with China, how much wind power in gigawatts did the United States generate in 2015?
  7. Together with China, the United States generated half of the wind power generated in the world. How much wind power in gigawatts did the world generate in 2015?

Sources: Global Wind Report 2015 prepared by the Global Wind Energy Council

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Answer keys

  1. United States
  2. China
  3. 2010
  4. 74 – 12 = 62 (gigawatts)
  5. 145 – 3 = 142 (gigawatts)
  6. 145 + 74 = 219 (gigawatts)
  7. 219 + 219 = 438 (gigawatts)