Energy

Day 28

Personal Energy Audit: Energy Sources

Students will investigate different ways that energy can be conserved. They will revisit their energy audit. For each activity in the audit, students will list the main energy use and the main source(s) of the energy for that activity. (for example, turn on light switch -> electricity -> coal; trip to mall -> gas for transportation -> oil; shower -> heating water -> electricity or oil). Students will identify connections among energy use types and energy fuel sources.

 
  1. Begin the class by asking students to respond to the following question in their journal: How can we conserve energy?
     
  2. Inform students that they will investigate ways of conserving energy.
     
  3. Instruct students to open their energy audits and add two new columns to it, "Uses for Energy" and "Energy Source."
     
  4. Illustrate how to complete the two new columns.
     
  5. Ask students to list the main energy use and main energy source(s) for each activity on their energy audits. Guide the students as they do the task.
     
  6. Ask students to write responses to the following questions in their journals.
    1. ​Analyze the energy sources you listed on your spreadsheet. Why are those sources used and not others?
    2. How would the energy sources you used be different in another geographic area (such as the South or Northwest)?
    3. How can I use less energy in my daily activities?
    4. How could our school use less energy? 
    5. Why do we need to conserve energy?
       
  7. ​Review and discuss aloud student responses. Ask students if they have any questions about concepts covered in the lesson and respond to their questions.
     
  8. If students at the completion of the activity do not understand that most of their electricity production comes from fossil fuels or nuclear energy sources and their transportation uses rely primarily on fossil fuels, modify instruction to ensure students understand this concept.

Materials Needed:


Handouts

(1) Personal Energy Audit: Sources Teacher Guide (PDF / MS Word)

(2) Personal Energy Audit: Sources Student Handout (PDF / MS Word)


Assessment Information 

Personal Energy Audit: Sources Assessment (PDF / MS Word)


Supplemental Homework Readings for Students 

Energy Efficiency (PDF)


Teacher Resources/Content Support

Energy Basics

Energy Basics - Print Version (PDF)