Energy, Climate, and You (Rhode Island Edition) Intermediate/Secondary Teacher Guide

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Energy, Climate, and You

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Teacher Guide

A multidisciplinary unit that introduces students to energy consumption, energy efficiency, conservation and energy burden in Rhode Island, and how energy use can impact the climate and the health of Rhode Islanders.

Grade Level: Pri Int

Pri Ele

Int

Intermediate Ele

Sec

Secondary

Sec Subject Areas: Science

Social Studies

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NEED Mission Statement The mission of The NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multisided energy education programs.

Teacher Advisory Board Constance Beatty Kankakee, IL

Barbara Lazar Albuquerque, NM

La’shree Branch Highland, IN

Robert Lazar Albuquerque, NM

Jim M. Brown Saratoga Springs, NY

Leslie Lively Porters Falls, WV

Mark Case Randleman, NC

Melissa McDonald Gaithersburg, MD

Amy Constant - Schott Raleigh, NC

Nicole McGill Washington, DC

Nina Corley Galveston, TX

Hallie Mills St. Peters, MO

Samantha Danielli Vienna, VA

Jennifer Mitchell Winterbottom Pottstown, PA

Shannon Donovan Greene, RI Nijma Esad Washington, DC Michelle Garlick Long Grove, IL Nancy Gifford Harwich, MA Erin Gockel Farmington, NM Robert Griegoliet Naperville, IL Bob Hodash Bakersfield, CA DaNel Hogan Tucson, AZ Greg Holman Paradise, CA

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Mollie Mukhamedov Port St. Lucie, FL

Permission to Copy NEED curriculum is available for reproduction by classroom teachers only. NEED curriculum may only be reproduced for use outside the classroom setting when express written permission is obtained in advance from The NEED Project.

Permission for use can be obtained by contacting info@need.org.

Teacher Advisory Board In support of NEED, the national Teacher Advisory Board (TAB) is dedicated to developing and promoting standardsbased energy curriculum and training.

Energy Data Used in NEED Materials NEED believes in providing teachers and students with the most recently reported, available, and accurate energy data.

Most statistics and data contained within this guide are derived from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Data is compiled and updated annually where available.

Where annual updates are not available, the most current, complete data year available at the time of updates is accessed and printed in NEED materials. To further research energy data, visit the EIA website at www.eia.gov.

Cori Nelson Winfield, IL Don Pruett Jr. Puyallup, WA Judy Reeves Lake Charles, LA Libby Robertson Chicago, IL Tom Spencer Chesapeake, VA Jennifer Trochez MacLean Los Angeles, CA Wayne Yonkelowitz Fayetteville, WV

1.800.875.5029 www.NEED.org © 2020

©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide Table of Contents Image courtesy of Deepwater Wind, Block Island

Kit Contents 2 Digital thermometers 1 Hygrometer 1 Light meter 1 Kill A Watt® meter 1 Infrared (IR) Thermometer 1 Vinyl tubing (2ft) 1 Erlenmeyer flask 1 Rubber stopper 4 Alka Seltzer® Tablets

Standards Correlation Information

4

A Letter to Teachers

5

Materials List

6

Teacher Guide Lesson

1 7 Forms

of Energy Master U.S.

Energy Consumption by Source, 2018 Master

10

Fossil

Fuel Formation Master

11

U.S.

Electricity Generation by Source, 2018 Master

12

Energy

Source Cards

15

Lesson

2 17

This module was created in partnership with the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council. NEED gratefully acknowledges those from EERMC, The Rhode Island Department of Health, and The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources who helped to create this unit.

©2020 The NEED Project

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Energy

Use by Sector Master

19

Today

in Energy Cards

21

Student

Energy Audit Recording Form

27

Recommended

Light Levels Master

29

Light

Meter Master

30

Digital

Thermometer Master

31

Hygrometer

Master

32

Kill A Watt® Meter Master

33

Infrared

(IR) Thermometer Master

35

Lesson

3

38

Carbon

Cycle Master

39

Greenhouse

Gases Master

40

Climate

Web Hang Tags

44

Temperature

Map of Rhode Island Master

50

Lesson

4

51

Web Resources and Additional Information

52

Evaluation Form

55

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

www.NEED.org

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Standards Correlation Information https://www.NEED.org/educators/curriculum-correlations/

Next Generation Science Standards This guide effectively supports many Next Generation Science Standards. This material can satisfy performance expectations, science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cross cutting concepts within your required curriculum. For more details on these correlations, please visit NEED’s curriculum correlations website.

Common Core State Standards This guide has been correlated to the Common Core State Standards in both language arts and mathematics. These correlations are broken down by grade level and guide title, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet from the NEED curriculum correlations website.

Individual State Science Standards This guide has been correlated to each state’s individual science standards. These correlations are broken down by grade level and guide title, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet from the NEED website.

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©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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Letter to Teachers Dear Educator: This curriculum was developed in partnership with The Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council, The Rhode Island Department of Health Climate Change Program, and The NEED Project. This multidisciplinary unit is designed to help students become aware of the relationships between energy consumption and the health of the climate and people around them. We hope students will also develop an awareness of environmental justice and inequities that can have influences on one’s local environment and personal health outcomes.

Much of our health is determined by where we live, work, go to school, and engage our communities. Systemic social, economic, and environmental inequities may have a great influence on our health outcomes. Energy consumption is strongly interwoven into this discussion. Climate change is a major concern for Rhode Island today. As we address our energy consumption in relation to climate and environment health, it is also important to address the health of our communities in Rhode Island and how energy consumption and climate solutions can have adverse effects on the health of some communities and minimal effects on others.

We hope that this curriculum will help you and your students become educated energy consumers, as they explore how we produce, consume and save energy, and how this can affect our homes, communities, and our health.

Happy learning!

The Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council serves Rhode Islanders in their homes and businesses by providing feedback about energy decisions. The Council’s goal is to ensure Rhode Islanders are getting the least expensive and most environmentally healthy energy supply through energy efficiency, conservation, and resource management. For more information, visit https://rieermc.ri.gov/ The Rhode Island Department of Health Climate Change Program works closely with community members to prepare for the human health effects of climate change and to create a healthy, sustainable, and resilient future for all Rhode Islanders. For more info, visit https://health.ri.gov/healthrisks/climatechange/

©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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Materials List ACTIVITY

MATERIALS NEEDED FROM KIT

Energy Roundup

Colored

cardstock or paper Scissors

Tape

Candy Collector

Straws

Scissors

Tape

M&M

candies or similar Jellybeans

or similar Stopwatch

or timer Empty

cups, bowls, or containers

Today In Energy

Cardstock

Scissors

Tape

(optional)

Student Energy Audits

Digital

thermometer Hygrometer

Light

meter Kill A Watt® meter

Clipboards

Can I Really Fry An Egg On The Sidewalk?

Infrared themometer

Plug Loads

Kill A Watt® meter

Stopwatch

or timer

Greenhouse in a Beaker

Vinyl

tubing Digital

thermometers Erlenmeyer

flask Rubber

stopper with hole Alka-Seltzer®

tablets

600

mL beakers or similar cups Light

fixtures Light

bulbs Masking

Tape Rulers

Water

Safety

glasses

Climate Web

Mini Heat Island

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ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDED

Cardstock

String

or yarn Scissors

Hole

punch Infrared

(IR) thermometer Digital

thermometer

© 2020

Boxes

Clear

tape or transparency film Box

cutter Masking

or packaging tape Rulers

Light

fixtures with heat bulbs Baking

sheet or tray Scissors

Soil,

sand, sod Additional

materials to simulate building and landscape

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Teacher Guide Grade Level

Unit Preparation Preview

the unit and decide which activities you will conduct in class. We recommend at least one activity from each lesson, keeping in mind that the most connections among energy, climate change, health, and social justice will be made in students who experience all of the activities.

Consult

materials lists and gather supplies needed for the unit.

Preview

Lesson 4, the concurrent project, and determine how you want students to complete this project, and how you will introduce and integrate it within the other lessons.

Review

the web resources, papers, and other links to become more familiar with the issues addressed and Rhode Island’s energy picture.

Lesson 1 – Energy Sources and Electricity Generation; Carbon Dioxide Emissions &Background This lesson focuses on the energy sources we use and the transformations that take place when we use them. The lesson focuses on all of the sources that provide our total energy and generate electricity, as well as the consequences to the environment that go along with fossil fuel use.

Objectives

Intermediate,

6-8 Secondary,

9-12

Additional Resources NEED has several guides and activities that can support and enhance the content covered in this unit. Visit shop.NEED.org for free downloads of the titles below and many more!

Secondary

Energy Infobook Intermediate

Energy Infobook Understanding

Climate Science Exploring

Climate Science

Web Resources For a list of helpful resources, see page 52.

Students

will be able to explain the difference between potential and kinetic energy.

Students

will be able to name the various forms of potential and kinetic energy and provide an example.

Students

will be able to list the ten energy sources we use.

Students

will be able to explain the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.

Students

will be able to explain the environmental consequences of using fossil fuels for energy.

 Time 1-2 class periods

 Materials Energy

Roundup Posters and Energy Source Cards (See Energy Roundup instructions, pages 13-15) Candies

for Candy Collector Straws

(one per student) Bowls

(three per student or group) Stopwatch

or timer Masters,

pages 9-12 Student

Guide, pages 2-4; 17-18; 20-23 Blank

Rhode Island Map (Student Guide, page 19), digital map and/or PDF copies of maps of your local area, state, or another area you wish to assign

2Preparation Prepare

Energy Roundup Posters and Energy Source Cards.

Prepare

masters for projection.

Gather

materials for Candy Collector.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE © 2020

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Prepare

physical or digital maps for your students to work with for the concurrent project. Decide on the energy infrastructure and electricity generation sites that you wish students to map out. Think about any additional items specific to the area students are studying that might make the project easier or provide more clarity at the end of the project.

Hang

Energy Roundup Posters on the day you will conduct the activity.

Procedure 1. Introduce the lesson by asking students how they use energy. Ask them to provide examples of energy that has been stored and energy in motion.

2. Define potential and kinetic energy. Project the Forms of Energy master, and explain each energy form.

3. Demonstrate some simple energy transformations, like a burning candle, a bouncing superball, or the heat generated from rubbing hands together rapidly. Explain that in each example, one form of energy is transformed into another, but no energy is ever lost in the process.

4. Project the U.S. Energy Consumption by Source, 2018 master. Define renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. List the ten energy sources we use today, providing examples and uses of each. Ask students which energy sources they used in the last 24 hours.

5. Using the master, have students add the amount of energy provided by renewable and nonrenewable resources. Ask them to suggest explanations for the percentage distribution.

6. Shift the focus to fossil fuels. Define the term and explain the origins. Project the Fossil Fuel Formation master and ask students for similarities and differences. Steer students’ observations toward recognizing that all fossil fuels are the remains of ancient plants and animals that were compressed and chemically altered over long periods of time, and that while their composition varies they are all composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen, with some other elements in much smaller amounts.

7. Explain that when we use fossil fuels for energy sources, we must burn them to release the energy stored within their molecular bonds. Explain that in combustion, oxygen is added. Demonstrate the chemical reaction equations for hydrogen(H), methane (CH4), and propane (C3H8). Show students how oxygen is added, and oxides are the product. Underline the oxides. Explain that when hydrocarbon compounds like methane and propane burn, carbon dioxide is one product.

2H2 + O2  2H2O CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O C3H8 + 5O2  3CO2 + 4H2O 8. Define greenhouse gases, and list the most common ones (water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide). Explain that burning fossil fuels for energy has resulted in significant increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, leading to climate change effects we are seeing today.

Describe and explain some of the effects as may be appropriate or relevant to your students.

9. Project the U.S. Electricity Generation by Source, 2018 master. Ask students to calculate the percentage of U.S. electricity provided by fossil fuels.

10. Introduce Energy Roundup to students and conduct the activity (pages 13-14).

11. Have students play Candy Collector following the directions on pages 16-17.

12. Have students begin work on the concurrent mapping project from Lesson 4, pages 51-52. Introduce the project, explaining that they will be focusing their project study on a specific area, which you will assign to them.

13. Distribute physical or digital copies, or direct students to the site(s) you wish for them to use to prepare their own digital maps.

14. Provide a list of the items you want students to include on their maps, and provide some items they may wish to include that might make the project easier to complete, such as the location of major transmission lines, etc.

15. Allow students some time to work on their maps, either in class or at home.

Extensions If you would like to go more in-depth about energy sources, download a copy of Energy Expos from shop.NEED.org and have students complete the Energy Source Expo.

Extend

your students’ knowledge about energy sources by using the curriculum guides pertaining to the energy source(s) that interest or are relevant to you and your students. Guides are available for coal, petroleum and natural gas (combined), uranium, hydropower, solar power, and wind energy at shop.NEED.org.

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© 2020

The © 2020 NEED Project The NEEDEnergy, ProjectClimate, Rhodeand Island YouClimate TeacherHealth Guide

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MASTER

Forms of Energy All forms of energy fall under two categories:

POTENTIAL

KINETIC

Stored energy and the energy of position (gravitational).

The motion of waves, electrons, atoms, molecules, and substances.

CHEMICAL ENERGY is the energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. Gasoline and a piece of pizza are examples.

NUCLEAR ENERGY is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom – the energy that holds the nucleus together. The energy in the nucleus of a plutonium atom is an example.

ELASTIC ENERGY is energy stored in objects by the application of force.

Compressed springs and stretched rubber bands are examples.

GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY is the energy of place or position. A child at the top of a slide is an example.

©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

RADIANT ENERGY is electromagnetic energy that travels in transverse waves.

Light and x-rays are examples.

THERMAL ENERGY is the internal energy that causes the vibration or movement of atoms and molecules in substances. Liquid water has more thermal energy than solid water (ice).

MOTION ENERGY is the energy present in the movement of a substance from one place to another.

Wind and moving water are examples.

SOUND ENEGRY is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal waves. Echoes and music are examples.

ELECTRICAL ENERGY is the movement of electrons. Lightning and electricity are examples. www.NEED.org

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MASTER

U.S. Energy Consumption by Source, 2018 U.S. Energy Consumption by Source, 2018 NONRENEWABLE, 88.81%

RENEWABLE, 11.20%

Petroleum

Biomass

36.53%

Uses: transportation, manufacturing - Includes Propane

4.98%

Uses: electricity, heating, transportation

Natural Gas 30.79%

Hydropower 2.64%

Coal

13.13%

Wind

2.46%

8.36%

Solar

0.91%

Uses: electricity, heating, manufacturing - Includes Propane

Uses: electricity

Uses: electricity, manufacturing

Uranium

Uses: electricity

Uses: electricity

Uses: electricity, heating

*Propane consumption figures are reported as part of petroleum and natural gas totals.

Propane

Uses: heating, manufacturing

Geothermal 0.21% Uses: electricity, heating

Data: Energy Information Administration **Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding.

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©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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MASTER

Fossil Fuel Formation

How Coal Was Formed

Millions of years ago, dead plant matter fell into swampy water and over time, a thick layer of dead plants lay decaying at the bottom of the swamps. Over time, the surface and climate of the Earth changed, and more water and dirt washed in, halting the decay process, forming peat.

The weight of the top layers of water and dirt packed down the lower layers of plant matter.

Under heat and pressure, this plant matter underwent chemical and physical changes, pushing out oxygen and leaving rich hydrocarbon deposits. What once had been plants gradually turned into coal.

Coal can be found deep underground (as shown in this graphic), or it can be found near the surface.

OCEAN OCEAN

Tiny Plants and Animals

SEDI

SAND

MEN

300

to 40

0 MI

LLIO

T AN

AND

D RO

SILT

CK

Trapped gas

N YE

ARS

Plant and Animal Remains

AGO

How Petroleum and Natural Gas Were Formed

50 to

100

M

ILLIO Tiny sea plants and animals died and N YE were buried on the ocean floor.

ARS AGO Over hundreds of millions of years, the remains were burried deeper and deeper.

Heat and pressure turned the plant and animal remains into oil and gas deposits.

Trapped oil

TOD AY Note: not to scale

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MASTER

U.S. Electricity Generation by Source, 2018

Other

Petroleum

0.32%

GEOTHERMAL, 0.32%

SOLAR, 1.53%

BIOMASS, 1.49%

WIND, 6.55%

HYDROPOWER, 6.89%

16.84%

RENEWABLES

U.S. Electricity Production, 2018 URANIUM

19.39% NATURAL GAS

35.29%

COAL

27.54%

0.61%

Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding

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Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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Energy Roundup &Background This activity is a quick and fun way for students to learn more or check their understanding about energy sources used in the United States.

Objectives Students

will be able to identify an energy source as renewable or nonrenewable.

Students

will be able to list some simple facts about each of the ten energy sources.

 Time 15-30

minutes

 Materials Colored

cardstock, posterboard, or construction paper, 5 pieces each of 2 colors Energy

Source Facts, page 14

Energy

Source Cards, page 15 Scissors

Tape

2 Preparation Decide

if you will make re-usable posters (see Extensions).

Gather

materials.

Cut out the Energy Source Cards for game use.

Procedure for Making Posters 1. Print the Energy Source Cards so that you have one card per student and an equal number of each energy source. Cut the graphics out and laminate, if necessary.

2. On sheets of plain paper, write down or print the six energy facts for each energy source. Do NOT write the names of the energy sources on these plain sheets of paper.

3. Number ten pieces of paper, one through ten, in large numbers.

4. Prepare five posters for the nonrenewable energy sources in one color and five posters for the renewable energy sources in another color, as follows. Mount one fact sheet to the lower half of each poster board, making sure the fact sheets correspond to the colors of the poster boards. Mount the top edge of the number sheets near the top of the posters. Do not secure the bottom edge of the number sheets to the posters; the number sheets will be used as flaps.

5. Write the names of the energy sources on the posters, underneath the number sheet flaps. Lightly secure the bottom edge of the number sheets with tape to the posters.

Procedure for Game Play 1. Mount the posters around the walls of the room. Space the posters equally apart and set up chairs for each station, if desired.

2. Explain that you have hung posters with clues around the room, and you will give them a card with an energy source. Students are to locate the poster they think describes their energy source without speaking to each other. Allow students only a few minutes to do this – up to 7 minutes maximum.

3. Have students carefully lift the flap covering the energy source name to check themselves, without revealing its identity to the rest of the class. Allow 2 or 3 more minutes for students to locate their correct posters, if necessary.

4. Allow energy source groups to select the three least revealing or most difficult to guess clues about their energy sources. Start with one group and have them read the three clues they suggested. The first group to guess that energy source correctly will then read their three difficult clues, and play progresses in this manner until all groups have read their clues.

Extension Energy

source facts are updated annually and are also listed in Energy Games and Icebreakers, available from shop.NEED.org. Laminate the poster board and numbered flaps for repeated use, and tape new printed copies of energy source facts each year to keep statistics current. © 2020

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Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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Energy Source Facts Nonrenewable Energy Sources

Renewable Energy Sources

PETROLEUM

HYDROPOWER

1.

2.

3.

4.

My major use is for transportation.

About 44 percent of me is imported from other countries.

Most of me is refined into gasoline.

I’m number one in the U.S., providing 37 percent of America’s total energy consumption.

5. Texas, North Dakota, and New Mexico are the leading states that produce me.

6. The United States is the world’s top producer of me.

1. I supply 5-10 percent of U.S. electricity, depending on the amount of rainfall.

2. I’m limited to certain geographic areas.

3. I provide between 15-20 percent of the world’s electricity.

4. I’m being used in over 2,500 locations in the U.S. 5. My facilities can disrupt wildlife and fish populations.

6. I require the Earth’s gravity to work.

COAL

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

I generate 27.5 percent of the nation’s electricity.

I’m transported mostly by trains.

Efforts are made to remove sulfur from me.

I’m America’s most abundant fossil fuel.

About 13 percent of me that is produced in the U.S. is exported to other countries.

6. Wyoming, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania are states that produce me.

NATURAL GAS 1.

2.

3.

4.

I heat roughly half of the nation’s homes.

I’m colorless and odorless.

My chemical name is methane.

Electricity generation and industry are my largest consumers in the U.S. 5. I’m a cleaner burning fossil fuel.

6. I’m transported mostly by pipeline.

URANIUM 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

I’m the nation’s third leading source for generating electricity.

I’m presently being used in 95 reactors in the U.S. I was first used in 1957 to make electricity.

I supply about 19.4 percent of U.S. electricity.

The U.S. leads the world in production of electricity from me.

My power plants store my spent fuel waste products on site.

PROPANE 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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I’m colorless and odorless.

My supply comes from processing natural gas and petroleum.

I’m often used in rural areas and on farms.

I supply less than 2 percent of the nation’s energy.

I’m a portable source of heat energy.

I’m normally stored under pressure.

© 2020

BIOMASS Methane gas can be made from me.

Photosynthesis stores radiant energy in me.

I get my energy from wood, garbage, and agricultural waste.

I can be used to generate electricity.

Ethanol can be made from me and used as a transportation fuel.

Burning me can produce air pollution.

GEOTHERMAL 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

I produce less than one percent of U.S. energy.

I’m used mainly in western states.

I can be used for home heating and cooling.

My energy comes from the Earth’s core.

My major use is the production of electricity.

I get my energy as a result of radioactive decay.

WIND 1. Most of my electricity is from Texas, Oklahoma, and Iowa.

2. I convert my motion energy directly into electrical energy with no cost for the fuel.

3. I produce no air pollution.

4. My turbines operate both on land and offshore.

5. I produce about 6.6 percent of U.S. electricity.

6. I’m caused by uneven heating of the Earth’s surface.

SOLAR 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

I’m not available at all hours of the day.

I can be converted directly into electricity using photovoltaic cells.

I’m great for water and home heating.

I work better in some parts of the country.

I supply about 1.5 percent of the nation’s electricity.

I’m free to use, but you have to purchase and maintain my equipment.

The © 2020 NEED Project The NEEDEnergy, ProjectClimate, Rhodeand Island YouClimate TeacherHealth Guide

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MASTER

Energy Source Cards

© 2020

The NEED Project

PETROLEUM

HYDROPOWER

COAL

BIOMASS

NATURAL GAS

GEOTHERMAL

URANIUM

WIND

PROPANE

SOLAR

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15

Candy Collector &Background This fun activity is designed to illustrate how energy use can be predicted, how renewable resources factor into energy use, and how disparity of energy resources among communities may feel. This activity can be played with non-food items to minimize germ spread, and potential for eating in the classroom.

Objectives Students

will be able to calculate averages and per capita values.

Students

will be able to describe the feelings surrounding inequitable distribution of energy resources.

 Time 1 class period

 Materials PER STUDENT:

PER SMALL GROUP:

1 Straw Student

Guide, pages 20-21

50 M&Ms candies, or similar 3 Jelly beans 2 Bowls A clear cup

2Preparation Gather

supplies needed for the game.

Put the M&Ms candies into bowls for each group. Set up stations so that each group will have each of the materials listed above, except the jelly beans. The jelly beans will be passed out later.

Procedure INTRODUCTION 1. Divide the students into groups of 2-4. Place a group at each station with the materials. Have them choose a name for their energy consuming community and record it in the data table in the Student Guide.

2. Explain to the students that the candy in the bowl will represent energy. The empty bowl is their discard bowl.

3. Tell students that during the game they will transfer candy from the full bowl to the cup to “consume energy.” However, they may only use the straws to transfer the energy – NO hands allowed!

4. Make sure students know they must wait to eat the candy until the end of the game.

PART 1: NONRENEWABLES 1. Set a timer for 15 seconds.

2. Tell groups that when the time starts, they will need to provide energy for their town. They must use their straw to provide suction to extract energy from the full bowl. They must transfer this energy into the cup. They may transfer as many candies as they can before the year ends, but they may not use their hands at all – not even to hold the straw! A year will last 15 seconds.

3. After 15 seconds, have students count how many candies made it into their cups during the “year.” Students should record this amount in the data table.

4. Ask students to keep a tally of how much they extracted and how much energy remains in the bowl. Ask students to discuss how long their energy might last.

5. Place any candy in the cup into the extra discard bowl.

6. Extract energy for 3 more “years,” following the steps above. Ask students how much energy remains in their bowl (if any). Have students calculate the average amount of “energy” their communities used and record the value in the data table. Ask them to predict how many years their energy sources would last.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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PART 2: NONRENEWABLES AND RENEWABLES 1. Tell students to place ALL candies back into one bowl. Add three jelly beans to each group’s bowl.

2. Explain to students that as time went on their town has become better able to identify and use renewable energy resources, and that they are to again “use” energy as in Round 1.

3. Set the timer for 15 seconds. Remind students they may only use their suction – NO HANDS! 4. Allow students to extract their energy for 15 seconds, transferring their candies into the bowl. After 15 seconds, have students record the energy consumption for the year in the data table.

5. Repeat for two more “years” and have students calculate the amount of energy they used, on average, and the percent of the energy that came from renewable resources (the jelly beans).

PART 3: INEQUITABLE ENERGY RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION 1. Again, have students return all of their candies to the bowl.

2. Move around the room, randomly adding to or taking away from the candy “sources” available to students. Make sure there is a wide range of resources among groups.

3. Repeat Part 2 as before. If student groups say they have run out of candy, tell them to make a mental note of it.

4. Lead students through the calculations and discuss the conclusions questions in the Student Guide.

Alternative for Individual Play If class structure, germs, or other considerations require an individual set-up, provide each student with three containers, a straw, and slightly fewer candies. During the second round, you can opt to eliminate “per person” requirements, and instead dictate a limit of candy per round of play.

Lesson 2 – Efficiency, Conservation, and Building Science &Background This lesson focuses on using energy wisely and how our buildings might influence the amount of energy we use. Students are introduced to energy efficiency and conservation, how technology can improve our energy efficiency, and how our buildings’ systems work together to either add to or take away from our efforts to use less energy.

Objectives Students

will be able to explain energy efficiency and provide at least two examples.

Students

will be able to explain energy conservation and provide at least two examples.

Students

will be able to describe how technology has improved our energy management.

Students

will be able to identify the major parts of a building and explain how they use energy.

Students

will be able to identify the ways less advantaged neighborhoods may be penalized in energy efficiency efforts simply because of the age and construction materials of the buildings there.

 Time 3-4 class periods

 Materials Today

in Energy Cards, see pages 21-25 Digital

thermometer Hygrometer

Light

meter Infrared

(IR) thermometer

Kill A Watt® meter Clipboards

Student

Audit Recording Form, pages 27-28 Student

Guide, pages 5-12; 22-27

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE © 2020

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2Preparation Secure

permission from building administrators and your colleagues to enter spaces to audit.

Decide

if you will use the prepared Today in Energy cards, or if you will have students make their own, and make copies of the cards for each student, if desired.

Make

copies of the Student Energy Audit Recording Form, as needed.

Decide

if you will have students use a prepared Plug Loads spreadsheet (younger, less experienced students) or if you will have them develop their own (older, more experienced students). If you want students to use a prepared spreadsheet, you can download a copy from the NEED website; https://www.NEED.org/PlugLoadModel-2019/.

Procedure 1. Introduce the lesson. Explain energy management, and differentiate between energy efficiency and energy conservation. Highlight all of the ways we use energy efficiency to manage energy use. Initiate a discussion about whether all of these efficiency methods are available to everyone and have students list barriers to employing efficiency technologies and methods. Lead students to realize that financial restrictions may limit the extent to which some people can utilize technology to manage energy use or, a person may not own their home, or may live in a multi-use building and thus cannot make efficiency upgrades easily.

2. Ask students for examples of energy conservation. Some examples include turning lights off when leaving a room, lowering thermostat setting at night while people are sleeping, and keeping doors and windows closed while heating or cooling systems are operating.

Discuss with students the different scenarios when these strategies could not be utilized, such as having a large family, or not having a thermostat within one’s own residence.

3. Project the Energy Use by Sector master. Briefly explain the sectors of the economy and the energy sources each uses for its energy needs. Differentiate between primary energy and total energy, explaining that while the electric power generation sector uses the most energy, that energy is then distributed to the other four sectors. Refer students to their project maps (lesson 4), asking them to locate power plants and other important energy facilities such as refineries. Call attention to the discussion about fossil fuels from Lesson 1, and lead students through a discussion of emissions and air quality. Attempt to get students to connect air quality with locations near these facilities. Ask leading questions if needed.

4. Introduce and preview Today in Energy. Lead students through the activity and remind them to record the two options for each activity and indicate their choices in the Student Guide. When the activity concludes, ask students how a limited financial budget for energy might influence the choices they make.

5. Define the building envelope for students, and discuss briefly the various ways the building envelope factors into energy management.

6. Preview Student Energy Audits. Put students into groups and assign areas to audit, per page 26. Allow students sufficient time to complete the audit of their assigned areas.

7. Preview Can I Really Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk? Demonstrate the proper use of the IR thermometer, emphasizing that the laser is not to be aimed at anyone’s face as it may damage eyes. Take students outdoors and have them complete the activity.

8. Discuss the results of the IR thermometer activity. Ask them which area(s) were the hottest and which were coolest. What do these areas have in common? How might this impact the use of energy indoors? How might planting trees near buildings change this?

9. Explain the Plug Loads activity. If necessary, review the use of spreadsheets with students and how to navigate and use formulas within them.

10. Discuss the results of Plug Loads and tie it back to the student energy audits. Ask students for ways the school can reduce the energy it uses. Ask students how the changes would impact the school’s carbon footprint.

11. Ask students how this information translates to home use. What are the similarities? What are the differences?

12. Conclude the lesson by having students refer back to their project maps. Have students access data about average family income, energy prices, age of construction, etc. and label their maps accordingly. Limit assigned data sets to the energy efficiency and building science concepts encompassed within this lesson. Good data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, CIA Factbook, and Energy Information Administration.

Extensions Students

may wish to conduct an energy saving campaign in school based on their audit results. Support their efforts but encourage them to conduct the campaign themselves through posters, video announcements, social media, and friendly competition.

If students develop an energy saving campaign, no matter how large or small, consider submitting it as a project to NEED’s Youth Awards Program. More information can be found at https://www.need.org/need-students/youth-awards/.

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MASTER

Energy Use by Sector U.S. Primary Energy Consumption

by Sector, 2018 RESIDENTIAL 6.84%

TRANSPORTATION

28.13%

Top Residential Sources:

Natural Gas Biomass  Petroleum 

Top Transportation Sources:

Petroleum Biomass  Natural Gas



 

ELECTRIC POWER 37.81% INDUSTRIAL 22.72% Top Electric Power Sources: Top Industrial Sources: COMMERCIAL 4.74% Coal Natural Gas 



Petroleum  Propane 

Top Commercial Sources:







Natural Gas  Petroleum  Propane

Naturals Gas Uranium

The residential, commercial, and industrial sectors use electricity. This graph depicts their energy source consumption outside of electricity.

Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding.

U.S. Total Energy Consumption by Sector, 2018 INDUSTRIAL 32.53%

TRANSPORTATION 28.21%

Top Industrial Sources:

Top Transportation Sources:

Natural Gas  Petroleum  Propane

Petroleum Biomass  Natural Gas



 

COMMERCIAL 18.28%

RESIDENTIAL 21.22%

Top Commercial Sources:

Top Residential Sources:

Natural Gas  Petroleum  Propane

Natural Gas Biomass  Petroleum



 

This graph depicts sector energy consumption with electricity included.

Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding. ©2020 The NEED Project

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Today in Energy &Background This activity is designed to help students become aware of the ways they use energy every day. It introduces students to the concepts of choice, trade-offs, and cost. Students are given a limited amount of money (in energy bucks) for a day of activities. They are given 13 twosided cards or are assigned to make their own cards that have activity choices on either side. Students will use math and critical thinking skills to plan their day so that they can pay for their choices and still have fun.

Objectives Students

will be able to make choices about using energy based on good energy management principles.

Students

will be able to qualitatively analyze the amount of energy used by different activities throughout the day.

 Time 15-30

minutes plus discussion time

 Materials Today

in Energy Cards, one set per student OR blank cardstock or 3x5 index cards Scissors

Markers

2Preparation If you are using prepared Today in Energy Cards, copy one set per student.

If you are having students prepare their own cards, gather enough cardstock or index cards such that students can have 13 cards.

Procedure 1. If you are using prepared Today in Energy Cards, distribute the copies to students. Have them cut their cards out on the solid lines, and fold on the dotted lines. They may wish to secure the folded cards with a piece of tape. There are two blank cards. Students can use these to create items of their own.

2. If you are having students prepare their own cards, distribute cardstock or index cards and have them follow directions to cut those into pieces. They will need at least 13 pieces. Direct students to think of at least 13 activities they do every day that use energy, including preparing and eating meals, and come up with two options for each. One option should use less energy and the other should use more energy. The dollar amounts should be aligned with the relative amount of energy each choice uses. For example, reheating pizza in a microwave would have a lower dollar amount than reheating pizza in an oven. Refer to the Plug Loads activity if students need inspiration.

3. Explain to students that they must pay for all the energy they use today. Tell them that they will have choices as shown on the set of cards, and that different choices cost different amounts of money. With each card, they will make a choice.

4. Allow students to work through the schedule to plan their own individual day, tallying their costs: a. If using prepared cards, have students make their choices (A or B for each card) and add up their costs. b. If students are making their own cards, have them trade with a partner, and make their choices using their partner’s card set.

5. Set a budget for energy consumption. If using a prepared card set, the budget should be $10 per day. If students made their own cards, that amount might need to be adjusted. Ask students how easily they would be able to fit their day into their energy budget.

6. Randomly assign new energy cost budgets to students. Give some an essentially unlimited energy budget, such as $100 per day, and give some a very limited energy budget, such as $5 or $7 per day. Have students break into small groups and discuss the budgets they were given and how that budget might impact their choices each day.

7. Reconvene the entire class and ask one person from each small group to share one or two key points while discussing how their budgets might affect their choices. Ask the students assigned very limited budgets which activities they would have to simply do without.

8. Discuss the activities and the options for each. Ask students to think of situations where they may not have any choice but to use the option that uses more energy. Ask them how it might impact a limited energy budget.

9. Introduce the concept of energy burden. Explain that the key in energy burden is not the actual amount spent on energy, but the proportion of income that is spent on energy. Ask which students in class, given their assigned energy burdens, might have a higher energy burden if this activity represented real life.

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MASTER

Today in Energy Cards Today in Energy 1-A

Today in Energy 1-B

Winter: Warm House (T-shirt) or Summer: Cool House (Air Conditioner)

Winter: Cool House (Sweatshirt) or Summer: Cool House (Fans)

$3

$2

Today in Energy 2-A

Today in Energy 2-B

Wake Up Early Walk to School

Sleep Late Get a Ride to School

$0

$1

Today in Energy 3-A

Today in Energy 3-B

Make and Eat Eggs for Breakfast

Make and Eat Cereal for Breakfast

$2

$1

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22

Today in Energy 4-A

Today in Energy 4-B

Make and Eat a Sandwich for Lunch

Make and Eat a Microwaveable Pizza for Lunch

$1

$2

Today in Energy 5-A

Today in Energy 5-B

Go to a Club Meeting or Sports Practice After School

Play Video Games with Friends After School

$1

$2

Today in Energy 6-A

Today in Energy 6-B

Walk Home from School

Get a Ride Home from School

$0

$1 ©2020 The NEED Project

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Today in Energy 7-A

Today in Energy 7-B

Make and Eat An Afternoon Snack

No Afternoon Snack

$1

$0

Today in Energy 8-A

Today in Energy 8-B

Study in Daylight Hang Out With Friends Later

Go For A Walk Bike-ride or Skate

$0

$1

Today in Energy 9-A

Today in Energy 9-B

Watch A Movie

Play Outside

$0

$1

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24

Today in Energy 10-A

Today in Energy 10-B

Make and Eat Dinner

Make and Eat Dinner

$2

$2

Today in Energy 11-A

Today in Energy 11-B

Watch TV

Read a Book

$1

$0

Today in Energy 12-A

Today in Energy 12-B

Hot Bath

Quick Shower

$2

$1 ©2020 The NEED Project

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Today in Energy 13-A

Today in Energy 13-B

Winter: Warm House (Go to Bed with Heat Turned Up and Blankets) or Summer: Cool House (Air Conditioning)

Winter: Warm House (Go to Bed with Heat Turned Down and Blankets) or Summer: Cool House (Ceiling Fan)

$3

$2

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25

Student Energy Audits &Background Students can successfully conduct a basic energy audit of the school building. This activity leads them through the process, including the kinds of observations they need to make as well as the questions they need to ask others. A student energy audit does not substitute for a professional audit done by a certified or trained professional, but often a student audit uncovers simple things that school occupants can address immediately to save energy in the school. Students can conduct audits in small groups concurrent to other activities in class. For example, you can have a group go audit their space while the other students are working on an in-class activity.

Objectives Students

will be able to evaluate the energy use of a school building at a basic, grade-appropriate level.

Students

will be able to interpret data and make recommendations for energy savings based on that data.

 Time 15 minutes for explanation and instruction; several blocks of 15-20 minutes for students to conduct audits

 Materials STUDENT AUDIT TOOLS Hygrometer

Digital

thermometer Light

meter Kill A Watt® meter

Student

Energy Audit Recording Form Recommended

Light Levels master, page 29 Light

Meter master, page 30 Digital

Thermometer master, page 31

Hygrometer

master, page 32 Kill A Watt® Meter master, page 33 Student

Guide, pages 24-25

2Preparation Discuss

with building administrators and your colleagues the area(s) which students will be able to audit. In general, students working in groups of 2 or 3 can audit one or two classrooms plus common areas around those classrooms such as hallways, rest rooms, etc. within one class period.

Prepare

the masters for projection and practice using the audit tools.

Preview

the audit recording form and make a note beside any information that might not apply to your building. For example, some schools do not have thermostats in rooms, but temperature sensors tied to a central building automated system. Your building operator or administrator will be able to get that information for you.

Procedure 1. Explain to students that you will be placing them in work groups and assigning them a specific work area. They will be taking data in this area and making recommendations about it.

2. Project the Recommended Light Levels master and explain the information on it.

3. Project the Light Meter, Digital Thermometer, Hygrometer, and Kill A Watt® Meter masters, explaining their functions and operation.

4. Walk students through data collection by having them collect data in your classroom. Remind students that some devices, such as computers and copy machines, should not be unplugged in the middle of the school day, and that they may need to come back to school in the early morning or stay later in the afternoon to measure those devices.

5. As a class, determine how windows will be counted. They can be counted as one complete unit inserted in an opening in the wall, or each individual piece of glass, or some other way. The important thing is that everyone counts windows in the same way.

6. Allow students sufficient time to collect data in all of their work areas.

7. After data collection, bring the students together to evaluate the data as a class.

8. Guide the students in their discussion, taking care to not tell them explicitly what their data show. Instead, allow students to brainstorm energy-saving ideas, and then guide them through an eliminating process to determine the best steps to recommend.

9. If you wish, allow students time to write a report of their findings and set up a time for them to present it to the principal or superintendent of schools.

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Student Energy Audit Recording Form Date: ___________________

Time: ______________________

Outdoor Temperature: ______________

Outdoor Relative Humidity: _______ Weather: _______________________________________ Is the heating system in use?

yes

no

Is the cooling system in use?

yes

no

Optional: Temperature of air exiting vent: __________________________________________________ Work Area Description: _________________________________________________________________ Who is in the room? _______________________________________________________________ Can you feel any air currents in the room? If so, describe where: _____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any vents that can be opened to the outdoors?

yes

Temperature of vent ______________

If yes, are they currently open?

yes

Number of Outside Windows: __________ Open

no

no

__________ Closed

Results of Tissue Paper Test: __________________________________________________________________________________________ Indoor Temperature of Room: __________

Thermostat setting: ________

Relative Humidity: _________ Landscaping and surfaces outside of room ______________________________________________________________________________ Turn on the water, and start timing until hot water is delivered.

Hot Water Temperature: ___________

Length of Time for Hot Water: ___________

Are there any dripping faucets? _____________________ Lighting Types Present: _______________ Light Meter Reading: ______________ Can the lights be dimmed?

yes

no

Can some lights be turned on, and some left off?

yes

no

Were the lights on when you entered the room?

yes

no

Were the blinds closed when you entered the room? All

Some

Are doors leading outside tightly closed?

yes

no

N/A

Are doors leading inside tightly closed?

yes

no

©2020 The NEED Project

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None

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N/A

27

Fill in the table below for every electrical device (plug-in) in the room:

Device

Plugged In

Running

Stand-by

In Use

Watts Used if Running

Watts of Phantom Load

Other notes and comments:

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MASTER

Recommended Light Levels Below is a list of recommended illumination levels for school locations in foot-candles. These illumination levels align with the recommendations from the Illumination Engineering Society of North America.

AREA

FOOT-CANDLES

Classrooms (Reading and Writing)

50

Classrooms (Drafting)

75

Computer Labs (Keyboarding)

30

Computer Labs (Reading Print Materials)

50

Computer Labs (Monitors)

3

Labs-General

50

Labs-Demonstrations

100

Auditorium (Seated Activities)

10

Auditorium (Reading Activities)

50

Kitchens

50

Dining Areas

30

Hallways

20-30

Stairwells

15

Gymnasiums (Exercising and Recreation)

30

Gymnasiums (Basketball Games)

75

Locker Rooms

10

Libraries and Media Centers (Study Areas)

50

Libraries and Media Centers (Other Areas)

30

Shops (Rough Work)

30

Shops (Medium Work)

50

Shops (Fine Work)

75

Offices (Reading Tasks)

50

Offices (Non-Reading Tasks)

30

Teacher Workrooms

30

Conference Rooms

30

Washrooms (Grooming Areas)

30

Washrooms (Lavatories)

15

Maintenance Rooms

30

Building Exteriors and Parking Lots

1-5

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29

MASTER

The Light Meter Operating Instructions 1. Insert the battery into the battery compartment in the back of the meter.

2. Slide the ON/OFF Switch to the ON position.

LCD Display

3. Slide the Range Switch to the B Position.

4. On the back of the meter, pull out the meter’s tilt stand and place the meter on a flat surface in the area you plan to measure.

ON/OFF Switch

5. Hold the Light Sensor so that the white lens faces the light source to be measured or place the Light Sensor on a flat surface facing the direction of the light source.

Range Switch

6. Read the measurement on the LCD Display.

7. If the reading is less than 200 fc, slide the Range Switch to the A position and measure again.

Light Sensor

Light Output or Luminous Flux A lumen (lm) is a measure of the light output (or luminous flux) of a light source (bulb or tube). Light sources are labeled with output ratings in lumens. A T12 40-watt fluorescent tube light, for example, may have a rating of 3050 lumens.

Light Level or Illuminance A foot-candle (fc) is a measure of the quantity of light (illuminance) that actually reaches the work plane on which the light meter is placed. Foot-candles are work plane lumens per square foot. The light meter can measure the quantity of light from 0 to 1000 fc.

Brightness or Luminance Another measure of light is its brightness or luminance. Brightness is a measure of the light that is reflected from a surface in a particular direction. Brightness is measured in footlamberts (fL).

30

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MASTER

Digital Thermometer A digital thermometer measures the temperature of a substance and displays the temperature reading on its face.

It has a battery for power. Sometimes they are waterproof for measuring the temperature of a liquid.

This digital thermometer can measure the temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius. It shows the temperature range of the thermometer. It can read temperatures from -40° to 392°F and -40° to 200°C. It has three buttons. The button on the bottom left is the ON/OFF switch. If the thermometer is not used for a few minutes, it turns itself off.

The C/F button on the bottom right switches from the Celsius scale to the Fahrenheit scale. The face of the thermometer will show a C or an F to indicate which scale is being used.

The mode button on the top holds the temperature reading when it is pushed. If you need the exact temperature of a liquid, you push the hold button while the thermometer is in the liquid, then remove the thermometer to read it.

This button will also allow you to view the maximum and minimum temperatures measured when pushed two or three times.

The metal stem of the thermometer can measure the temperature of the air or the temperature of a liquid.

The stem should be placed about halfway into a liquid to measure the temperature.

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31

MASTER

Hygrometer

HUMIDITY/TEMPERATURE PEN Directions

Scientists measure the amount of water vapor in the air in terms of relative humidity—the amount of water vapor in the air relative to (compared to) the maximum amount it can hold at that temperature. Relative humidity changes as air temperature changes. The warmer the air is, the more water vapor it can hold.

Air acts like a sponge and absorbs water through the process of evaporation. Warm air is less dense and the molecules are further apart, allowing more moisture between them. Cooler air causes the air molecules to draw closer together, limiting the amount of water the air can hold.

It is important to control humidity in occupied spaces. Humidity levels that are too high can contribute to the growth and spread of unhealthy biological pollutants. This can lead to a variety of health effects, from common allergic reactions to asthma attacks and other health problems. Humidity levels that are too low can contribute to irritated mucous membranes, dry eyes, and sinus discomfort.

This digital humidity/temperature pen measures relative humidity and temperature and displays the readings on its face. It has a battery for power. It can display the temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius. The reading shown on the right is 68.5°F. Devices that measure humidity are also called hygrometers.

The hygrometer displays relative humidity in terms of percentage. The hygrometer shown reads 35%. This means that the air contains 35 percent of the water vapor it can hold at the given air temperature. When the air contains a lot of water vapor, the weather is described as humid. If the air cannot carry any more water vapor, the humidity is 100 percent. At this point, the water vapor condenses into liquid water.

Maintaining relative humidity between 40 and 60 percent helps control mold. Maintaining relative humidity levels within recommended ranges is a way of ensuring that a building’s occupants are both comfortable and healthy.

High humidity is uncomfortable for many people. It is difficult for the body to cool down in high humidity because sweat cannot evaporate into the air.

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ON/OFF KEY Press the ON/OFF key to turn the power on or off. °F/°C Press the °F/°C key to select the temperature unit you want to use, Fahrenheit or Celsius.

MAX/MIN Press the MAX/MIN key once to display the stored maximum readings for temperature and humidity.

An up arrow will appear on the left side of the display to indicate the unit is in the maximum recording mode.

Press the MAX/MIN key a second time to display the stored minimum readings for temperature and humidity. A down arrow will appear on the left side of the display to indicate the unit is in the minimum recording mode.

Press the MAX/MIN key a third time to return to normal operation.

CLEAR If an up or down arrow is displayed, press the CLEAR key until - - - appears on the display. The memory is cleared. New maximum or minimum values will be recorded within 3 seconds.

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MASTER

Kill A Watt® Meter The Kill A Watt® meter allows users to measure and monitor the power consumption of any standard electrical device. You can obtain instantaneous readings of voltage (volts), current (amps), line frequency (Hz), and electric power being used (watts). You can also obtain the actual amount of power consumed in kilowatthours (kWh) by any electrical device over a period of time from one minute to 9,999 hours. A kilowatt is 1,000 watts.

Operating Instructions 1. Plug the Kill A Watt® meter into any standard grounded outlet or extension cord.

2. Plug the electrical device or appliance to be tested into the AC Power Outlet Receptacle of the Kill A Watt® meter.

3. The LCD displays all meter readings. The unit will begin to accumulate data and powered duration time as soon as the power is applied.

4. Press the Volt button to display the voltage (volts) reading.

5. Press the Amp button to display the current (amps) reading.

6. The Watt and VA button is a toggle function key. Press the button once to display the Watt reading; press the button again to display the VA (volts x amps) reading. The Watt reading, not the VA reading, is the value used to calculate kWh consumption.

7. The Hz and PF button is a toggle function key. Press the button once to display the Frequency (Hz) reading; press the button again to display the Power Factor (PF) reading.

8. The KWH and Hour button is a toggle function key. Press the button once to display the cumulative energy consumption. Press the button again to display the cumulative time elapsed since power was applied.

What is Power Factor?

The formula Volts x Amps = Watts is used to find the energy consumption of an electrical device. Many AC devices, however, such as motors and magnetic ballasts, do not use all of the power provided to them. The Power Factor (PF) has a value equal to or less than one, and is used to account for this phenomenon. To determine the actual power consumed by an AC device, the following formula is used:

Volts x Amps x PF = Watts Consumed

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33

Can I Really Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk? &Background As students start to understand how efficiency, conservation, and the systems of a building all work together to contribute toward a good energy management plan, they need to begin incorporating the effect that outdoor temperatures and weather conditions can have on their energy management efforts. Students know to put on a coat on a cold day or wear lightweight clothing on a hot day. This activity will help them see how different surfaces heat differently and start to understand how a building’s construction materials and landscaping can contribute to the temperature indoors.

Objectives Students

will be able to properly operate an infrared (IR) thermometer.

Students

will be able to predict which outdoor surfaces are hotter on a sunny day.

 Time 1 class period

 Materials Infrared

thermometer Access

to outdoors on a sunny day Infrared

(IR) Thermometer master, page 35 Student

Guide, page 26

2Preparation Secure

permission to take your class outdoors, if needed.

Spend

some time scouting the areas around your school building for different surfaces for students to test. A variety of surfaces, in sun and in shade, is recommended. Good surfaces to find are a light-colored roof, concrete (sidewalk), asphalt (streets and parking lots), grass, mulch, metal roofs, shingled roofs, etc.

Prepare

a digital copy of the master to project.

Procedure 1. Project the Infrared Thermometer master, explaining and demonstrating how it is used. Discuss safety of lasers and tools with lasers, and demonstrate the appropriate use of the laser. Explain that when the button is pressed, the device measures the surface temperature of any object at which it is directed. Explain that accuracy improves if you are closer to an object when using lasers for temperature measurement.

2. Ask students to predict the temperature of three or four items around the room, and demonstrate the use of the IR thermometer while checking their predictions.

3. Take the class outside. As a class, use the IR thermometer to complete Can I Really Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk?. Have students record and suggest items in the predicted ranges. Find the actual temperatures and try to find one device or surface that fits in each category in the data table. Have students complete the conclusion as individuals or in small groups.

4. Discuss how radiant transfer of thermal energy can be a major factor in the comfort of a room. A cold winter day will make the walls feel colder, thus making the room feel colder than the stated temperature. Conversely, a hot summer day could make a classroom’s walls feel warmer. And, if in an urban area, surrounded by dark surfaces, this effect could be increased. Ask students to relate their findings to real life examples around their own homes.

34

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MASTER

Infrared (IR) Thermometer A thermometer measures the temperature of objects. An infrared thermometer can do so remotely by measuring the amount of infrared radiation leaving an object. A red-colored laser directs the user to the object being measured. This is a safe way to measure the temperature of objects that are very high off the floor or very hot.

Operating Instructions 1. Aim the IR thermometer at the object you wish to measure.

2. Squeeze the button on the handle with your finger, holding it down briefly.

3. The thermometer will measure the temperature of the object at which you aim. The further away you are from the object, the less likely it is you are measuring an exact point, but the area near the point. Try and stand as close as possible.

4. To be certain you are measuring what you think you are measuring, depress the laser button and squeeze the trigger button on the handle again. The laser will show you the object you are measuring.

5. To change from °C to °F or °F to °C, press the °C/°F button.

6. In a dark room, press the backlight button to illuminate the LCD display.

7. The thermometer will turn itself off when left alone.

Backlight Button

ºC/ºF Button

Laser Selector Button

Back View

Squeeze this button to take the temperature.

Front View

Left Side

Right Side

Lasers and Eyeballs: What’s the Big Deal?

You’ve been told over and over again, don’t focus a laser directly in someone’s eyes. But why is this an issue? The reason is because laser light is unlike most light with which you are familiar. The word laser is an acronym, meaning Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In a nutshell, lasers are produced when specific substances are energized, and the laser light is the result. Lasers are intense for two reasons. First, the light from a laser is only one wavelength, or color, of light. Most light sources you see, even colored bulbs, are a range of wavelengths. Lasers emit only one specific wavelength. Second, the light from a laser is focused and aligned and can be directed across great distances, even to the moon! Because of the intensity of the light from a laser, it can at best cause “flash blindness” and temporarily blind a person, and at worst can cause permanent damage to the retina, the part of the eye that detects light and transmits the light information to the nerves in the eye.

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35

Plug Loads &Background Aside from refrigeration, plug loads (electrical devices) account for about 27 percent of a home’s electricity use and almost 22 percent of the electricity used in schools. Plug loads include any devices that plug into an electrical outlet, such as refrigerators, microwaves, computers, printers, gaming systems, TVs, small appliances, clocks, etc. This activity helps students learn how much energy and money those devices consume, and helps them begin to think about strategies for reducing their electricity consumption.

Objectives Students

will be able to use a spreadsheet and input formulas into it.

Students

will be able to measure an electrical device’s electricity use.

 Time 1-2 class periods, depending on student experience and skill level

 Materials Kill A Watt® meter Stopwatch

or timer Computer

spreadsheet program Student

Guide, page 27

2Preparation Gather

a variety of devices used in school, or if you’d rather focus on home energy use, at home.

Review

the use of the Kill A Watt® meter.

If necessary, move things around to make electrical outlets more accessible to students.

Procedure 1. Review the use of a Kill A Watt® meter with students, projecting the master as needed.

2. Explain that students will be gathering data on devices by measuring the power they draw when in use and using that data to calculate their electrical energy consumption and the cost of that energy.

3. Show students the safe way to unplug and plug in devices with the meter.

4. Allow students enough time to gather data on enough devices around the room. If there are devices that cannot be unplugged, have them use the data on the Underwriter Laboratories nameplate (typically found on the back or side of an appliance) and the calculation, power = voltage x current. The voltage in U.S. outlets is 120 V. 5. Devices that have a short run time, like an electric pencil sharpener, should be timed to get the amount of time they are used. Students should make their best guess about the total amount of time they run in a day.

6. If students are setting up their own spreadsheets, tell them what you want them to include, and give them time to set the spreadsheet up and input the formulas. If they are focusing on home energy use, tell them to use the data they have collected with devices at school for power consumption, but the number of each and time run should be for their own homes.

7. If students are using a prepared spreadsheet, show them where the file has been saved so they can access it, and be prepared to coach them in how to navigate around the spreadsheet.

8. Discuss the results with students and brainstorm ways to save energy with plug loads.

36

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Plug Loads Spreadsheet A sample spreadsheet, with all of the calculations for several examples, is available for download at shop.NEED.org/products/plug-loads.

You may choose to distribute it to students for them to use, or you may want it for yourself for reference. To differentiate this lesson, you can make a list of your expectations on one tab of a spreadsheet file, then have varying levels of the spreadsheet built for your students according to their ability level. Capable students could be given a blank tab, moderately capable students can be given the first few rows of a spreadsheet, and the least capable students could be given the sample spreadsheet to use to input their data.

Plug Load Example

Existing

Average Electricity Cost = 1 1

Equipment

$ 2

0.11 per kWh 3

4

Average CO₂ Emitted per kWh = 5

Quantity Typical Use, Wattage In Use2 Hours/Day

Cycle 3 Time

6

7

Monthly Months/ 5 6 kWh Year

1.6 lbs

8

9

10

11

Yearly kWh

Annual Cost Each

Total Annual Cost

Annual CO2 Emissions (lbs)

Coffee Maker

25

3

1,200

33%

594

9

5,346

$23.52

$588

8,554

Computer&Monitor

90

7

115

100%

1,449

9

13,041

$15.94

$1,435

20,866

Laptop/Tablet4 Fan Desk Lamp Microwave Digital Projector Small Fridge (2.5-6.4 cu.ft.)

Television DVD player Space Heater Window AC (8,000 Btu/hr) Window AC (12,000 Btu/hr) Cold Drink Vending Machine Other TOTAL

150

8

44

100%

1,056

9

9,504

$6.97

$1,045

15,206

10 30 15 25

3 5 0.5 5

115 60 1,200 250

100% 100% 100% 100%

69 180 180 625

9 9 9 9

621 1,620 1,620 5,625

$6.83 $5.94 $11.88 $24.75

$68 $178 $178 $619

994 2,592 2,592 9,000

20

24

125

33%

602

9

5,417

$29.80

$596

8,668

25 25 15

1 1 7

80 10 1,500

100% 100% 20%

40 5 630

9 9 4

360 45 2,520

$1.58 $0.20 $18.48

$40 $5 $277

576 72 4,032

3

8

900

50%

216

4

864

$31.68

$95

1,382

3

8

1,200

50%

288

4

1,152

$42.24

$127

1,843

6

24

800

50%

1,751

12

21,012

$385.23

$2,311

33,620

$7,562

109,996

7,685

68,748

Notes: 1. If necessary, change input in yellow for equipment you are analyzing. You can change other numbers as needed.

2. Quantities shown are for a typical, 25-classroom, 100,000 sq.ft., K-12 school.

3. Amount of time the appliance actually runs (e.g., a coffee maker burner is only on ~33% of the time) Columns 4. Laptop wattage 1-5 contain areas for students to input description, number, cycle time, and wattage denotes when tablet or notebook is on and charging. A fully charged battery will yield less wattage.

Sample Spreadsheet Description

of the devices. The wattage can be taken

from the UL label on the device if the Kill A Watt® meter cannot be used.

5.The number of days per month an item is used has been adjusted where applicable. For example, the digital projector may only be used on weekdays, while a refrigerator must remain on at all times, everyday.

The

non-shaded columns contain formulas that will make those calculations automatically as students add numbers to the other columns.

6. Assumes most items are unplugged and unused for any breaks (summer, etc.).

If students need more space, select a row, right click, and choose “insert.” Repeat for the number of rows needed. The formatting and formulas will copy down from the previous row.

If you decide to have students calculate carbon dioxide emissions, add another column. The 2018 average emissions is 1.6 pounds of CO2 per kilowatt-hour used.

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37

Lesson 3 – Climate Change and Its Impacts &Background This lesson discusses the basics about climate change. The greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases and their origins, and how anthropogenic sources are accelerating the greenhouse effect are all discussed. The health and regional impacts of climate change are introduced, too, and students are challenged to consider how different groups of people in different areas might be experiencing greater climate change effects.

Objectives Students

will be able to identify the basic causes of climate change.

Students

will be able to explain how climate change indicators are emerging.

Students

will be able to identify how climate change impacts the health of people.

Students

will be able to project how climate change will impact various groups of people and geographic regions.

 Time 6-7 class periods

 Materials 600

mL Beakers 250

mL Erlenmeyer flask Rubber

stoppers with hole Vinyl

tubing, 3/16” diameter Clip

lights Rulers

Digital

thermometers Masking

tape Alka-Seltzer®

tablets Safety

glasses Water

(room temperature) 1000-1100

Lumen bulb, equivalent to 75 watt incandescent

Ball

of yarn or string Scissors

Hole

punch Cardstock

Corrugated

cardboard box Transparency

film Clear

packaging tape Baking

sheet or other tray Assorted

materials to simulate materials, such as: Asphalt

shingles – simulated asphalt Ceramic

tiles – simulated concrete Vinyl

folders – simulated vinyl siding

Bicycle

tire tube – simulated rubber roofing Moss

– simulated green roof Light

fixture with heat light bulb Soil,

sand, and sod as desired Digital

thermometer Infrared

(IR) thermometer Box

cutter or utility knife Student

Guide pages 13-16; 28-41 Carbon

Cycle master Greenhouse

Gases master

2Preparation Gather

materials needed for the activities.

Prepare

digital copies of masters for projection.

Procedure 1. Introduce climate and differentiate it from weather. Explain that climate is the accumulated data set over large amounts of time, while weather measures what is happening in any given short time period, such as a day, a week, or several weeks.

2. Project the Carbon Cycle master. Show how carbon circulates through different reservoirs.

3. Project the Greenhouse Gases master. Explain that they all are able to absorb thermal energy in their bonds and release it slowly over time, and that the greenhouse effect is what keeps our planet warm at night. Point out the different man-made sources of greenhouse gases.

4. Introduce Greenhouse in a Beaker. Explain the activity and allow students enough time to complete it.

5. Introduce Carbon in My Life. Lead students through all of the worksheets and help them determine the size of their carbon footprints.

Discuss with the class the actions they listed on the action planner in the Student Guide.

6. Transition to the Mini Heat Island activity. Allow students enough time to construct their buildings and test them. When they have finished, ask students what they learned. What kinds of surfaces get hotter, faster? Which stay hotter, longer? What do these have in common?

7. Have students work on their concurrent project maps, by focusing on topography, outdoor air quality, and average family income. Add any other data sets you consider relevant to the unit and provide web sources for data.

38

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MASTER

The Carbon Cycle

The Carbon Cycle ATMOSPHERE PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE EXCHANGE

FOSSIL FUEL COMBUSTION

OCEAN CIRCULATION

SURFACE OCEAN BIOSPHERE

LIT

HO

SP

RIVER RUNOFF LAND USE CHANGES

HE

RE PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION

©2020 The NEED Project

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SINKING PARTICLES

E

R E H

EPN E DEA OC

P S O R D HY

39

MASTER

Greenhouse Gases WATER

U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, 2018

MANMADE EMISSIONS

METHANE

SOURCES

OTHER RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 16.32% 0.78%

WASTE 1.72%

WASTE MANAGEMENT OTHER 29.79% 0.02%

INDUSTRIAL 5.85%

POWER TRANSMISSION METALS PRODUCTION 2.24% 1.53% HCFC-22 PRODUCTION 1.80%

ENERGY USE 10.26%

AGRICULTURAL 30.15%

TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIAL 22.08% 30.99%

AGRICULTURAL 82.14%

ENERGY 40.05%

ELECTRICITY 29.83%

CARBON DIOXIDE

CARBON DIOXIDE

82.42%

METHANE

8.90% NITROUS OXIDE

6.11%

F-GASES

2.57%

OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCES SEMICONDUCTORS 91.80% 2.62% Data: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency *F-gases include HCFCs, PFCs, and SF6, which are used in many different industrial applications, including refrigerants, propellants, and tracer chemicals.

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Greenhouse in a Beaker &Background In this activity, students will model the conditions that occur in a greenhouse, or in our atmosphere during the greenhouse effect.

Objective Students

will understand that carbon dioxide speeds up the transfer of thermal energy.

 Time 1 class period

 Materials FOR EACH GROUP 2 600 mL Beakers 1 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 Rubber stopper with hole 1 Vinyl tubing, 3/16” diameter 1 Clip light 1 Ruler 2 Digital thermometers 1 Small piece of masking tape 4 Alka-Seltzer® tablets Safety

glasses Water

(room temperature) 1000-1100

Lumen bulb, equivalent to 75 watt incandescent Student

Guide, pages 28-29

2Preparation Preview

the activity. Make copies as needed.

Gather

materials for the activity and be sure enough outlet space for lamps is available.

Cut tubing lengths as appropriate for your set-up and materials. Usually, 1 ft to 18” lengths will be adequate, but it can vary based on the type of tubing used.

Divide

students into groups.

Procedure 1. Introduce the investigation to students by asking, “If we add carbon dioxide to the air, what effect will this added CO2 have on the air temperature?”

2. Explain that students will be creating two models of our atmosphere. The beakers will represent our atmosphere and the lamp will represent the sun. One beaker will contain a “normal” atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) will be added to the second beaker, creating a CO2 rich atmosphere. The CO2 will be produced through a chemical reaction that occurs when Alka-Seltzer® is added to water. The active ingredients in Alka-Seltzer® are aspirin, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). When the tablet is placed in water, an acid-base reaction involving sodium bicarbonate and the citric acid takes place yielding sodium citrate, water, and carbon dioxide.

3NaHCO3 + C6H8O7  Na3C6H5O7 + 3H2O + 3CO2(g) 3. Divide students into small groups.

4. Circulate around the room assisting groups as needed.

Extension Ask

students what variables they can change in the investigation. Let students design new investigations, and in their conclusions, have them correlate their changes to actual conditions that may change in Earth’s climate system.

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41

Carbon in My Life &Background In this activity, students begin to identify all of the items and tasks in their day that can contribute to carbon emissions.

Students survey their surroundings and develop an action plan for reducing carbon in their lives.

Objectives Students

will identify and analyze the energy use of commonplace items.

Students

will be able to explain that CO2 emissions occur throughout a product’s life cycle.

 Time 2-3 class periods

 Materials Student

Guide pages, 30-38

2Preparation Preview

the lesson and read the informational text so you are prepared to assist students when needed.

Procedure 1. Present an overview of the activity and project expectations. Break into groups of three or four students.

2. Have students actively read the Carbon in My Life Informational Text. Select the best strategy for your students: Read individually Read aloud Jigsaw (teacher may work with emerging readers or pair students together) 3. Check for understanding of the informational text and explain that carbon contributors can include products, food items, behaviors, water and energy uses, transportation needs, or anything that can be associated with the need to use some form of energy.

4. Explain to students that the energy we use each day results directly in an increase in carbon in the atmosphere. Electric power is produced using fossil fuels, and we operate motor vehicles or heat our homes and water with fossil fuels, and create products with fossil fuels.

5. Review the Aluminum Can Life Cycle Comparison worksheet.

6. Have teams complete the Carbon In My Life Survey.

7. Brainstorm additional items on the Carbon In My Life Study Items organizer.

8. All teams will select an item from each category (food, energy, water, etc.) to study and use the Carbon In My Life Item Analysis Organizer and Carbon In My Life Questionnaire to identify Action Plan items.

9. Teams will select one item for each team member and develop an action plan for lowering their carbon footprint using the steps on the Carbon In My Life Action Planner.

10. If time allows, select one of the recommended extensions (on the next page) to reinforce the lesson and to give students opportunities to expand on their Action Plans.

Extensions Use

this activity at home to study items and to initiate action plans to reduce energy use and CO2 impacts. Ask students to document the project from beginning to end and prepare a presentation to the class, to the community, or to other homeowners.

Publish

action plans in a local newspaper article, an Internet article, or contact local radio or television media to conduct an interview.

Develop

service-learning projects that help senior citizens or low-income citizens find ways to save money by using energy saving strategies that you’ve developed in this activity.

Work

with your local school board or city council to find ways that your strategies can be used at other schools, city parks, city owned businesses, etc.

Research

schools and buildings in other countries to see how needs are met differently and document the differences in energy use and CO2 impacts.

Research

how schools and buildings in the year 1900 met the same needs you meet today and document the differences in energy use and CO2 impacts.

42

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Climate Web &Background This activity helps students to visualize climate as a system with many items feeding into it and relying on its function.

Objectives Students

will be able to identify components in the climate system and describe their functions.

Students

will be able to describe the connections between each component in the climate system.

 Time 1 class period

 Materials Ball

of yarn or string Scissors

Hole

punch Cardstock

Climate

Web Hang Tags, pages 44-48 Climate

Systems Worksheet, Student Guide page 39

2Preparation Copy

the climate hang tags onto cardstock and laminate for reuse.

Cut apart the hang tags and use a single hole punch to make two holes in the top corner of each.

Lace

one length of yarn or string through each hang tag and tie off creating a necklace.

Procedure 1. Hand out the hang tag necklaces to each student or pair of students. Ask students to read the backs of their cards aloud so other students in the group know the roles in the game. Give students a chance to ask any questions they have about what is written on their cards.

2. Direct students to put on their hang tags and stand in a circle.

3. Hand the ball of yarn to one student or pair. Explain that they should look around the circle and identify another student representing a component of the system that is related to his or her role. Some of these relationships are spelled out on the descriptions on the backs of the hang tags.

4. Holding on to the end of the yarn, the first student passes the ball of yarn to that student, explaining how that part of the system relates to him or her. That student then repeats the process, holding onto the yarn and passing the ball on.

5. Continue passing the yarn around until everyone has their hands on the yarn. While connections can be made between each component, students may have trouble seeing all of them. Because of this, it is acceptable to pass to a student a second time before the yarn has made it all the way around the circle. In the end, the students will have created a web made of yarn connecting all of them.

6. Now choose a student to give a tug on the string. Explain that this tug represents an influence (positive or negative) being exerted by that part of the system. For instance, the person wearing the ‘Coal’ tag might give a tug, and you would say, “Coal is mined and processed for electrical energy. This process emits pollutants into the air and coal is a nonrenewable resource.” Or “Solar Energy” might give a tug and you would say, “Increasing the use of solar PV reduces our CO2 emissions from generating electricity.”

7. Ask students to raise their hands if they feel a pull when the string is tugged. Ask students why their component might be influenced by the original component that tugged on the string.

8. Discuss the connections and why some students might feel stronger pulls than others.

9. Repeat this several times with different students tugging. For each tug, describe how that component is influencing the system.

10. Direct students to the student guide worksheet. Ask students to describe how the system is dependent on all of the components.

Students should be able to explain that a change in one part of the system can affect all other parts of the system.

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43

MASTER

Climate Web Hang Tags Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Atmosphere

Transportation

Trees

44

In using energy wisely we decrease CO2 emissions from power plants and vehicles.

Our atmosphere keeps us alive and warm. Gases in the atmosphere control amounts of ultraviolet radiation reaching the planet and determine the Earth’s temperature, keeping us warm. Without gases in the atmosphere, it would be so cold, almost nothing could survive. However, as CO2 levels in the atmosphere rise, greater differences in air temperature create more unstable weather patterns.

Transportation is very important to us. We use it to travel and ship products. We must have transportation to get people and products to places throughout the world, but different modes of transportation need fuel to work and emit CO2 and other emissions into our atmosphere.

Humans could not survive without trees and other plants. Trees take in CO2 and through the process of photosynthesis produce oxygen for us to breathe, as well as providing shade, wood products, and beauty. Trees are a renewable resource.

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Animals exhale CO2 through natural respiration.

We must have animals for food and equilibrium in ecosystems. Animals are used extensively for food and other products.

Animals

We need and use a lot of energy daily. Our homes, communities, and modes of transportation all use energy in various ways. We use more energy today than ever before. Much of our energy use comes from fossil fuels. Energy production from fossil fuels emits CO2 and other emissions into the atmosphere.

People

Solar energy is radiant energy emitted by the sun.

Through the use of solar panels, we can harness this energy to power our homes and heat water.

Solar energy is a renewable resource that does not produce CO2 emissions.

Solar Energy

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage

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New technology allows us to store CO2 emissions from power plants underground to be used later.

This may be an effective way to limit the amount of CO2 we put into the atmosphere. We do not know yet how effective this strategy is at storing CO2 in the long term.

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45

Nuclear Plant

Mining

Soil

Crops

46

Uranium ore is mined then processed at nuclear power plants to produce electrical energy we need for homes and industry. Nuclear energy is a nonrenewable resource that produces no CO2 emissons. Using nuclear power is controversial because of potential risk of radiation, if it is not contained.

Through mining, we extract ore and minerals from the Earth. We extract coal and uranium in this way to use for electricity production. Machinery used in mining emits CO2 and other emissions. By removing vegetation, the ability of the land to remove CO2 from the atmosphere is decreased.

Soil is the top layer of the Earth’s surface, consisting of rock and mineral particles mixed with organic matter. We need healthy soil for growing food. Soil stores carbon, keeping it from the atmosphere.

Developing and tilling and other activities that disturb the soil release this stored carbon into the atmosphere.

The crops we grow are essential to our survival.

Growing crops also produces CO2 emissions through the use of farm equipment, pesticides, fertilizers, and tilling the soil. Crops also remove CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow.

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Petroleum

Refineries

Coal

Coal Plants

©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

Petroleum is a nonrenewable fossil fuel formed hundreds of millions of years ago. We use more petroleum than any other energy source. Some product benefits include transportation fuels, fertilizers, plastics, and medicines. Petroleum must be burned to release the energy, which emits CO2.

Refineries are industrial plants that refine petroleum into useable products. We refine crude oil for fuels such as gasoline, jet fuel, and fuel oils needed for transportation. Production, distribution, and consumption release CO2.

Coal is a nonrenewable fossil fuel created from the remains of plants that lived and died millions to hundreds of millions of years ago. We extract coal from the Earth to use as fuel for electricity, industry, and heating, as well as in making iron and steel. We burn coal to release energy. Burning coal releases CO2.

Coal plants clean, process, and burn coal to generate electricity. Burning coal releases CO2 into the atmosphere.

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47

Oceans

Natural Earth Events

Economy

48

Oceans are carbon reservoirs, which means they have the ability to absorb CO2. This process of absorption helps keep our planet cooler. However, adding CO2 to the ocean makes it more acidic, which impacts ocean ecosystems.

Geological evidence tells us that the Earth’s climate has changed a lot over time. Natural Earth events are factors that can contribute to climate change.

Earth’s position relative to the sun, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and ocean currents are factors that can affect climate.

A growing economy demands more energy and electricity, and can increase CO2 emissions if fossil fuels are used. Energy efficiency and conservation reduces CO2 emissions and energy bills for families, schools, and companies.

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Mini Heat Island &Background The heat island effect is the phenomenon often observed in urban areas where there is little vegetation and a great deal of concrete, stone, and asphalt. As the sun warms these surfaces during the day, they heat up and retain that thermal energy, releasing it slowly after sunset.

This effect explains why urban areas typically experience higher temperatures than suburban or rural areas, given the same weather conditions. This activity models the heat island effect on a small scale.

Objectives Students

will be able to identify which materials and surfaces contribute to the heat island effect.

Students

will be able to explain temperature differences between suburban and urban areas given identical weather conditions.

 Time 2-3 class periods

 Materials PER STUDENT GROUP Corrugated

cardboard box Transparency

film or clear packaging tape Masking

or packaging tape Baking

sheet or other tray Light

fixture with heat light bulb Digital

thermometer Infrared

(IR) thermometer Soil,

sand, and sod as desired

Scissors

Box

cutter or utility knife Ruler

Temperature

Map of Rhode Island master, page 50 Student

Guide, pages 40-41

Assorted

materials to simulate materials, such as: Asphalt

shingles – simulated asphalt Ceramic

tiles – simulated concrete Vinyl

folders – simulated vinyl siding Bicycle

tire tube – simulated rubber roofing Moss

– simulated green roof

2Preparation Preview

the activity and brainstorm materials you can use, that you or other teachers have on hand, to simulate building materials commonly found in urban areas. Students could also assist with this brainstorming and provide materials they might already have at home.

Decide

if you will assign specific construction materials for student groups to use on their buildings or if you will allow them to choose. If you assign them, make sure you assign a wide variety to facilitate student discussion.

Gather

materials for student use.

Build

and test a cardboard box house with no cladding, roofing, or surrounding surfaces. This will serve as a “control” for comparison.

Prepare

a digital copy of the master to project.

Procedure 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Introduce the activity, providing a brief overview of the building requirements.

Explain to students the materials you have provided and which surfaces or construction materials they are intended to simulate.

Allow students time to construct their buildings. Emphasize that windows must be transparent and the door must open.

As students place their buildings on their trays, remind them to center them and that the tray surrounding their building must be completely covered with some kind of material. Remind them to give some thought as to the placement of the building, where the door and windows are, and which surfaces are most likely to be found outside of those areas.

Allow students enough time to test their buildings. If you have more than one light fixture available, more buildings can be tested or a longer testing period can be accomplished.

When students have recorded their data and answered the conclusion questions, reconvene the class to discuss the results.

Ask students to compare their findings to the Can I Really Fry An Egg? activity from the previous lesson.

Project the Temperature Map of Rhode Island master. Explain that the orange areas indicate warmer areas, with the warmest being the darkest orange, and the blue areas are cooler. Dark blue areas are coolest. Ask students to interpret the map, identifying the surfaces most likely found in different areas. A digital copy of the map can be found at https://arcg.is/0S8HCC.

Extension Challenge

students to construct city blocks from their buildings to simulate how buildings work together to contribute to the heat island effect.

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49

MASTER

Temperature Map of Rhode Island

50

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Lesson 4 – Climate, Energy, and Society: What Can I Do? &Background While students learn about the connections among energy use, climate change, health, and social justice, they will create maps illustrating what they are learning. Students will focus on a specific area, and as a result of their learning choose a health-related issue in their assigned neighborhood(s) and propose one or more solutions addressing it.

Objectives Students

will be able to explain how energy use, climate change, health, and social justice are related.

Students

will be able to analyze geographical data.

Students

will be able to identify a problem, analyze it, and propose solutions.

Students

will be able to present a problem, its analysis, and propose solutions in the presentation.

 Time

 Materials

2-3 class periods beyond concurrent work within overall unit

Access

to computer with internet Tape

measure

2Preparation Decide

the area(s) you will assign for students to investigate. You may choose your own local community and break it into sections, or may decide to choose a community with which your students are not familiar. It may be productive to incorporate a variety of communities or neighborhoods, including those of depressed socioeconomic status and/or higher populations of people of color. Have students work in groups of 3-5, and assign the areas according to the group size and their capabilities.

Create

or duplicate a map of the area(s) assigned for projection.

Pre-select

data sites that students will use for constructing their maps. Some suggested websites are listed on page 52.

Decide

the depth of energy infrastructure you will include in the assignment that students should pull from the EIA website.

Procedure 1. At the beginning of your climate and health unit, introduce this activity and provide students with a sketch, map, or other description of the area they will be studying. Explain to them that this is a project that will run concurrent to the unit and that they will have additional requirements assigned as the unit progresses.

2. Allow students enough time to create a digital map of their assigned area. They can use an online mapping application, overlay digital images, or any other method you wish for them to use. Demonstrate the state energy infrastructure maps on the U.S. EIA website (www.eia.gov) and show them how to select different items to display or remove.

3. As you progress through the unit, assign additional data sets students should add to their maps. Suggest ways they can accomplish this, by adding symbols, or different intensity of shading like darker or lighter red, for example.

4. Assign students a day to go into their assigned communities, where possible, using tools to check for the dimensions of streets, sidewalks, curb heights, and other physical characteristics that may add to or detract from the overall health of their community.

5. Have students use satellite images to find trees and other green spaces in their assigned communities and add them to their maps.

6. When the unit has concluded, and you have had students map as much information as you wish them to consider, have them identify one or two “target” areas where they can indentify potential issues related to the health of the residents of their assigned neighborhoods.

7. Provide time for students to brainstorm solutions to the issues they have identified.

8. Direct students to create a proposal that helps to solve or eliminate the health issue they have identified. Proposals may include posters, essays, video campaigns, multimedia presentations, or formal presentations to community officials.

Extensions Students

may be very motivated to solve all the problems they encounter; tap into that youthful enthusiasm and allow them to pursue a solution to a complex issue as a class.

Solutions

that are energy-related lend themselves nicely to a student-driven Youth Awards Program project. Encourage students to complete the project. More information can be found at https://www.need.org/need-students/youth-awards/. © 2020

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Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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51

Web Resources and Additional Information Rhode Island Resources Analyzing

Heat Island Effect in Rhode Island - Rhode Island Department of Health, https://arcg.is/0S8HCC Rhode

Island Energy Information, Reports, Data, & Tips - Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, http://www.energy.ri.gov/ Rhode

Island Energy 101 - http://www.energy.ri.gov/energy-101/index.php State

Energy Plan - http://www.energy.ri.gov/policies-programs/ri-energy-laws/state-energy-plan.php 100%

by 2030 Report - http://www.energy.ri.gov/100percent/ Annual

Report - http://www.energy.ri.gov/documents/Annual%20Reports/2019%20OER%20Annual%20Report.pdf Rhode

Island Energy Efficiency Information, Tips, and Reports, - Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council, https://rieermc.ri.gov/ Annual

Report - https://rieermc.ri.gov/2020-eermc-annual-report/ Heat

Watch Rhode Island – CAPA Strategies, https://osf.io/jr9b7/?view_only=1b5c811777f546bdb808088bfa24735b Climate

& Health Risks in Rhode Island - Rhode Island Department of Health, https://health.ri.gov/healthrisks/climatechange/ Rhode

Island Climate Change Fact Sheet – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-ri.pdf Rhode

Island Energy System Data & Interactive Maps – National Grid, https://ngrid.apps.esri.com/NGSysDataPortal/RI/index.html

General Information Maps

of energy infrastructure – U.S. Energy Information Agency, https://www.eia.gov/beta/states/overview Population

data – U.S. Census Bureau, www.census.gov Residential

energy consumption data – U.S. Energy Information Administration, https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/ Commercial

energy consumption data – U.S. Energy Information Administration, https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/ Income

data – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - www.bls.gov Outdoor

air quality information – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency https://www.epa.gov/outdoor-air-quality-data/air-data-basic-information Data

on disease and race – U.S. Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov Empowering

Energy Justice, a scientific paper published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5036759/ Community

Health Infographic, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/pubs/CDC-CommunityInfographic-508.pdf Climate

Change Information & Data – NASA, www.climate.nasa.gov Weather

data – NOAA, www.noaa.gov

Multimedia Resources (Video, Podcasts, etc.)

Youth

Climate Stories Video Map – Our Climate Our Future, https://ourclimateourfuture.org/map/ U.S.

Senator (Rhode Island), Sheldon Whitehouse – Climate Speeches from the Senate Floor, https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/issues/climate-change Can’t

Take the Heat Podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cant-take-the-heat/id1521180615 Climate

and Health information– U.S. Centers for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/videos.html Heat

Tracker– U.S. Centers for Disease Control, https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/heatTracker/ Exploring

Race & Culture Cycle – Stanford, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQV7lo4zYUs&t=132s

52

© 2020

The © 2020 NEED Project The NEEDEnergy, ProjectClimate, Rhodeand Island YouClimate TeacherHealth Guide

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©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

www.NEED.org

53

NEED’s Online Resources NEED’S SMUGMUG GALLERY

http://need-media.smugmug.com/ On NEED’s SmugMug page, you’ll find pictures of NEED students learning and teaching about energy. Would you like to submit images or videos to NEED’s gallery? E-mail info@NEED.org for more information.

Also use SmugMug to find these visual resources:

Videos Need a refresher on how to use Science of Energy with your students? Watch the Science of Energy videos. Also check out our Energy Chants videos! Find videos produced by NEED students teaching their peers and community members about energy.

Online Graphics Library Would you like to use NEED’s graphics in your own classroom presentations, or allow students to use them in their presentations? Download graphics for easy use in your classroom.

AWESOME EXTRAS Looking for more resources? Our Awesome Extras page contains PowerPoints, animations, and other great resources to compliment what you are teaching in your classroom! This page is available under the Educators tab at www.NEED.org.

Evaluations and Assessment Building an assessment? Searching for standards? Check out our Evaluations page for a question bank, NEED’s Energy Polls, sample rubrics, links to standards alignment, and more at www.NEED.org/educators/evaluations-assessment/.

SOCIAL MEDIA Stay up-to-date with NEED. “Like” us on Facebook! Search for The NEED Project, and check out all we’ve got going on!

Follow us on Twitter. We share the latest energy news from around the country, @NEED_Project.

Follow us on Instagram and check out the photos taken at NEED events, instagram.com/theneedproject.

Follow us on Pinterest and pin ideas to use in your classroom, Pinterest.com/NeedProject.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/user/NEEDproject

NEED Energy Booklist Looking for cross-curricular connections, or extra background reading for your students? NEED’s booklist provides an extensive list of fiction and nonfiction titles for all grade levels to support energy units in the science, social studies, or language arts setting. Check it out at www.NEED.org/booklist/.

U.S. Energy Geography Maps are a great way for students to visualize the energy picture in the United States. This set of maps will support your energy discussion and multi-disciplinary energy activities. Go to www.need.org/resources/energy-in-society/ to see energy production, consumption, and reserves all over the country!

E-Publications The NEED Project offers e-publication versions of various guides for in-classroom use. Guides that are currently available as an e-publication can be found at www.issuu.com/theneedproject.

54

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Energy, Climate, and You Teacher Guide

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Evaluation Form Energy, Climate, and You State: ___________

Grade Level: ___________

Number of Students: __________

1. Did you conduct the entire unit?



Yes



No

2. Were the instructions clear and easy to follow?



Yes



No

3. Did the activities meet your academic objectives?



Yes



No

4. Were the activities age appropriate?



Yes



No

5. Were the allotted times sufficient to conduct the activities?



Yes



No

6. Were the activities easy to use?



Yes



No

7. Was the preparation required acceptable for the activities?



Yes



No

8. Were the students interested and motivated?



Yes



No

9. Was the energy knowledge content age appropriate?



Yes



No

10. Would you teach this unit again?

Please explain any ‘no’ statement below.



Yes



No

How would you rate the unit overall?



excellent 

good



fair



poor

How would your students rate the unit overall?



excellent 

good



fair



poor

What would make the unit more useful to you?

Other Comments:

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