How Public Utilities Work
Welcome — you found us!
If you arrived here from inside How Public Utilities Work, this is the home of the curriculum. Whether you’re a student working through a weekly assignment, a teacher running the full 34 lessons, or someone who picked up a single bundle, this is where the supporting materials, updates, and contact go.
→ Request a Sample Week (free PDF) → Request a Bulk Quote → Buy on Amazon (single copy)
→Purchase an authorized bundle from TeachersPayTeachers.com
Recognized for educational excellence
How Public Utilities Work has been recognized by STEM.org Educational Research™ with the STEM.org Reviewed™ trustmark for the publication, the STEM.org Accredited™ Educational Experience trustmark for Utility Campus as a publisher, and the Best In STEM™ distinction for innovation in K–12 STEM education.
Why this curriculum?
Aligned to standards you already teach
You can download our alignment guidance from the Standards page.
Three reading levels in one book
Differentiation is built in. The same lesson works for a fifth-grade reader and an eleventh-grade reader without separate editions. Each entry includes grade-band guidance for instructors, and the instructor guide walks teachers through tiered facilitation for mixed-ability classrooms.
Real-World Utilities, Real-World Learning
Students explore how electricity, natural gas, and water systems serve their communities through engaging lessons, real-world examples, and age-appropriate scenarios. Along the way, they learn the vocabulary, concepts, and decision-making skills needed to understand utility bills, safety, reliability, conservation, consumer rights, and the infrastructure that powers everyday life.
What’s inside…
- Thirty-four lessons as worksheets, grades 5–12
- Five complete units: utilities and energy basics, safety, regulation, clean energy, and careers
- Real policy scenarios: rate cases, consumer rights cases, and billing breakdowns
- Four activities per lesson — in-book, no outside materials required
- Thirty-plus energy industry roles explored in the Careers section
- Ten-question assessments with answer keys for every Lesson
- Instructor guide with lesson-by-lesson teaching notes and differentiation
- Two-hundred-plus-entry glossary covering all vocabulary introduced
- Formula and calculation reference
A sample of what students will explore
Students explore real-world utility topics through engaging, age-appropriate lessons, including:
- Lesson 2: Who Watches and Who Owns Public Utilities?
- Lesson 8: Reading Your Electric Bill
- Lesson 12: Day vs. Night Use & Time-of-Use Pricing
- Lesson 16: Wires Down Safety
- Lesson 24: How Electric Rates Are Set
- Lesson 27: Streetlights: Where All the Rules Meet
From understanding monthly bills and utility ownership to exploring safety, regulation, and the infrastructure that powers modern life, students gain practical knowledge they can apply at home and in their communities.
See the full 34-lesson scope and sequence
See a complete lesson before you commit
Download a free one lesson sample packet showing Lesson 1 (What is a Public Utility). The packet includes student pages, the assessment, the answer key, and the matching instructor entry — so you can see exactly how the three-tier differentiation and instructor support work in practice.
Standards alignment
How Public Utilities Work is mapped to three national standards frameworks. Full crosswalks are downloadable on the Standards page.
- Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): performance expectations across grade 5, MS-ETS, HS-PS, HS-ESS, and HS-ETS bands
- C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Dimensions 2 (Applying Disciplinary Tools — Economics, Civics) and 4 (Communicating Conclusions)
- Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS-ELA): Reading Informational Text, Writing, and Speaking & Listening practices, grades 5–12
Review the full standards alignment document
Order options
For individuals
Single copies are available at retail:
- Amazon — $34.99 (search “How Public Utilities Work” or use the link in the catalog)
- Amazon — $26.99 (search “How Public Utilities Work: Student Edition” or use the link in the catalog)
- TeachersPayTeachers.com – $7 – $9 for a specific bundle of worksheets, selected by specific topic
- IngramSpark distribution – $34.99 list, available through Barnes & Noble, Books – A – Million, and library wholesalers.
For schools, districts, and homeschool co-ops
Bulk pricing starts at ten copies. For How Public Utilities Work and the Student Edition, purchase orders are accepted from verified educational institutions; net 30 terms are available.
For the Instructor Copies.
- 10–49 copies: 15% off list ($29.71 per copy)
- 50–99 copies: 25% off list ($26.21 per copy)
- 100–499 copies: 35% off list ($22.72 per copy)
- 500+ copies: custom quotes
For the Student Edition
- 10–49 copies: 10% off list ($24.30 per copy)
- 50–99 copies: 20% off list ($21.60 per copy)
- 100–499 copies: 30% off list ($18.90 per copy)
- 500+ copies: custom quotes
Bulk and institutional orders are subject to our published Sales Policy, which describes the categories of purchasers we serve and the limited categories we do not sell to.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a textbook or a workbook?
Both. Students read scenario-based content and complete in-book activities and assessments. There are no separate consumables to purchase. Each student needs their own copy because of the in-book activities and the assessments.
What grades is it for?
Grades 5–12. The three-tier differentiation means the same book scaffolds down for a fifth-grade reader and up for an eleventh-grade reader. Most adopters can use it across multiple grade bands in their school or district.
Do I need to know utility regulation to teach it?
No. The instructor guide is written for teachers without prior utility, energy, or regulatory background. Every lesson includes a short background brief, the answer key, and grade-band facilitation notes. The vocabulary is introduced in the student pages and reinforced in the glossary.
How long does each lesson take?
Each lesson is designed for two to three class periods (about 90–135 minutes total), depending on grade band and how deeply you choose to develop the discussion questions. A teacher can also assign a lesson as homework over five days.
Is there a digital version?
Not at launch. The print edition is the only format currently available. A digital edition is being evaluated for a future release.
Can I see a sample before I order?
Yes — request the sample packet. It includes one full lesson, the assessments, the answer keys, and the matching instructor entries.
Who is the publisher?
Utility Campus, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company. Utility Campus, LLC is a publisher of K–12 STEM curriculum and is independent of any regulatory agency, utility, or industry organization. See our About page for more information.
Ready to bring How Public Utilities Work to your students?
If you’re considering adopting the curriculum for a school, district, or homeschool co-op, the next step is to request a bulk quote. Quote requests are reviewed within five business days, and we are happy to answer specific questions about implementation, standards alignment, or pricing. Or, you can request a sample lesson and give it a try.