NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
Physics
Advice and Guidance
for Practitioners
[NATIONAL 4]
This advice and guidance has been produced to support the profession with the delivery of
courses which are either new or which have aspects of significant change within the new
national qualifications (NQ) framework.
The advice and guidance provides suggestions on approaches to learning and teaching.
Practitioners are encouraged to draw on the materials for their own part of their continuing
professional development in introducing new national qualifications in ways that match the
needs of learners.
Practitioners should also refer to the course and unit specifications and support notes which
have been issued by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/34714.html
Acknowledgement
© Crown copyright 2012. You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in
any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence,
visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or e-mail:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain
permission from the copyright holders concerned.
Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at
enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk.
This document is also available from our website at www.educationscotland.gov.uk.
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Contents
Planning for learning and teaching energy security
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Introduction
Scotland leading the world
Skills in demand
Curriculum for Excellence
Sustainability
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10
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13
Energy
Energy security
Working in the energy sector
Energy resources, usage and issues
Energy resources: climate change
Energy resources: opportunities and solutions
Generating electricity
Getting energy to where we need it
How much energy do we need?
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20
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What does this all mean for your life?
Learning and teaching ideas: impacts on our now and tomorrow
Carbon credits: how will you spend yours?
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Planning for learning and teaching energy security
In developing appropriate learning and teaching for lear ners, a mind map can
be a useful starting point for planning.
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This advice and guidance is intended for use by practitioners. It is non
mandatory. It is anticipated that practitioners will be creative and innovative
in planning approaches to meeting the needs of learners. This advice and
guidance should be used in a reflective and selective manner.
Reflective questions for learners are provided to aid practitioners in planning
learning and teaching to meet the needs of learners . These questions are
intended for practitioners’ use in the identification of ‘big issues’,
consideration of which underpins the learning and teaching for this context.
In many cases, investigative work and inquiry-based practical learning will
supplement the learning and teaching described here.
This advice and guidance suggests a context for learning and ideas for
learning and teaching offering opportunities to prepare learners in the
mandatory course key areas for the Added Value Unit of National 4 Physics.
These key areas are as follows.
Generation of electricity
 Advantages and disadvantages of different methods of electricity
generation and distribution.
 The potential role of different methods of electricity generation in future
sustained energy supply.
 The concept of energy efficiency and energy efficiency issues related to
the generation, distribution and use of electricity.
Electrical power
 Electrical power as a measure of the energy transferred electrically by an
appliance every second.
 Power consumption of different appliances, qualitative and quantitative.
 Use of the appropriate relationship between power, energy and time to
justify energy-saving measures.
 Energy efficiency as a key factor in energy generation, distribution and
use.
 Calculation of efficiency given input and output power/energy.
Electromagnetism
 Relationship between electricity and magnetism.
Nuclear radiation
 Consideration of the pros and cons of generating electricity using nuclear
fuel.
 Comparison of risk due to nuclear radiation to other hazards and
management of risks.
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Appropriate skills for learning, life and work identified within the SQA
Course and Unit Support Notes for National 4 Physics
By inclusion of appropriate investigative work and skills for learning, life
and work, the energy security context could also offer opportunities to
undertake learning associated with:
 the mandatory course key area ‘Fossil fuels’ for the Added Value Unit of
National 4 Chemistry
 the mandatory course key area ‘Fragile earth energy’ for the Added Value
Unit of National 4 Science.
Planning for differentiated learning could give learners the opportunity to
overtake learning associated with the mandatory course key areas for
National 5 Physics:
Conservation of energy
 Principle of conservation of energy applied to examples where energy is
transferred between stores. Identify and explain ‘loss’ of energy where
energy is transferred.
Electrical power
 Use of an energy, power and time relationship.
 Use of an appropriate relationship to determine the po wer, voltage, current
and resistance in electrical circuits.
Specific heat capacity
 The same mass of different materials requires different quantities of
energy to raise the temperature of unit mass by 1 degree celsius.
 The temperature of a substance is a measure of the mean kinetic energy of
its particles.
 Explain the difference between temperature and energy.
 Use appropriate relationships to carry out calculations involving mass,
energy, temperature change and specific heat capacity.
 Apply conservation of energy transfer to determine heat loss.
Nuclear radiation
 The nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation: relative effect s of
ionisation, absorption and shielding.
 Background radiation sources and determination.
 Equivalent dose and comparison of equivalent dose due to a variety of
natural and artificial sources.
 Applications and uses of nuclear radiation.
 Half-life and use of graphical or numerical data to determine half -life.
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 Mass and energy equivalence, including calculations where ‘lost’ mass is
given.
 A qualitative description of fission and fusion, emphasising the importance
of these processes in the generation of energy.
 Nuclear equations to describe radioactive decay, and fission and fusion
reactions.
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Introduction
The energy sector is set to become a key driver in the Scottish economy,
offering many exciting career opportunities for young people. It is estimated
that between 50,000 to 95,000 jobs will be created in the coming decade as
Scotland realises its ambitions to become a world leader in wind, wave and
tidal renewable technologies. In total, the transformation to a low carbon
economy could generate an estimated 120,000 jobs.
The oil and gas sectors continue to grow too and companies in this sector are
looking to recruit 15,000 new employees in the next 5 years.
Preparing our young people for learning, life and work is at the heart of
Curriculum for Excellence and the growth of the energy sector presents both
an enormous opportunity but also a challenge to ensure that sufficient
numbers of young people are aware of the opportunities that are available and
see the energy sector as an attractive sector to work in. Ensuring that they
also receive the right support and advice throughout their education is vitally
important in helping young people develop the relevant skills to progress
successfully along their career path into employment.
The Skills Investment Plan for the Energy Sector can be used to further
inform your understanding of the opportunities which might be appropriate
for your learners.
Scotland leading the world
Scotland has a rich historical legacy of leading the world in thinking,
invention and innovation from the Enlightenment though to the modern age.
It played a significant role in the creation of the industrial era from the
invention by James Watt of the condensed steam engine to the factories and
yards that built the locomotives and ships to traverse the globe – all powered
by coal and steam. At the centre of these technological breakthroughs lay
Scotland’s prowess in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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The heyday of the coal mines and shipyards are gone but Scotland has already
set its sights once again leading the world in a transformation of a different
kind – this time towards a low carbon future. In 2009, the Scottish Parliament
took the bold step of passing the Climate Change (Scotland) Act. This was
the first and most ambitious piece of climate legislation in the world and the
first time any country had adopted legislation that met the demands and
recommendations from climate scientists.
The driving force for adopting the Climate Change (Scotland) Act was a
recognition that climate change is already having disastrous consequences in
developing countries and in many communities across Scotland , and that bold
steps had to be taken to address this and mitigate the impact of our changing
climate.
It was also recognised, however, that the mo ve to a low-carbon future
presents significant economic and employment opportunities in renewable
technologies for Scotland given its geographical location. Scotland has some
of the best wind, wave and tidal potential in the world, with an estimated 25%
of Europe's offshore wind and wave potential and 10% of its tidal potential.
Through these developments Scotland may become a net exporter of
electricity to other countries and sell new renewable technologies across the
world.
Once again, Scotland’s skilled workforce and its invention and innovation in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) will be of vital
importance in helping Scotland realise its ambitions. To support the
transformation to a low-carbon economy the Scottish Government has
launched a raft of new policies and strategies relating to renewable energy,
energy efficiency and carbon reduction commitments for local authorities and
public sector organisations. It also has developed strategic action plans for
recruitment and training to ensure that the right people with the right skills
are in place at the right time to help Scotland make the transformation to a
greener future.
For more information on policies and initiatives relating to energy, climate
change and a low-carbon future visit the Scottish Government website. This
website and the Education Scotland resource Working in the Energy Sector
also direct you to useful facts and figures, and a rich background to aid in
planning for quality learning and teaching associated with Energy Security.
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Skills in demand
Recruiting a sufficient number
of people to work in the energy
sector presents a serious
challenge given the growth that
is expected in the coming
decade. Many national
strategies are being put in
place to promote sector
attractiveness and ensure that a
skilled workforce is in place. A
large proportion of posts will
be filled through retraining and upskilling of the existing workforce but
significant opportunities will exist for learners currently in primary and
secondary education when they reach the stage of seeking employment. Most
of the career opportunities in the energy sector will be available at technician
level (SVQ level 3/SCQF level 6), which could be supported through modern
apprenticeships.
Skills in STEM subjects will be in greatest
demand, including civil, marine, structural,
mechanical and electrical engineering, and
software and process control. Leadership and
management, project management, turbine
technicians, welders and divers will also be
required. There will also be roles for those
skilled in traditional trades such as electricians,
joiners, plumbers, fitters and construction
workers.
As the industry develops and companies grow
there will also be the need for a host of other
personnel to take on corporate roles in
management, human resources, ICT, media and
communications, financial management,
company administration and sales.
A key strength to the development of the energy sector in Scotland is that
many of the skills within the energy sector are transferable. An example of
this is BiFab, a company located in Burntisland, which f abricates structures
for North Sea oil and gas exploration and which is also now heavily involved
in fabricating the ‘jackets’ for offshore wind turbines that fix the turbines to
the sea floor.
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Analysis shows that there are a number of areas with skills shortages where it
has proved difficult to recruit. These shortages will vary over time but they
currently include a general shortage of engineers (particularly
electrical/electronic) at both professional and technical level. Shortages also
exist in the design and manufacture of composites, geophysics, specialist
fabrication and the management of energy crops. Difficulty has also been
experienced in recruiting general and project managers as well as those with
skills in project installation and commissioni ng.
Future Morph produces support for STEM careers, for example a case study
of an apprentice electrical installer at Exeter college and a case study of
student of electronic and electrical engineering describing a project to make a
light-sensitive resistor.
Curriculum for Excellence
Curriculum for Excellence supports the development of relevant careers skills
in many ways:
 The driving force behind
Curriculum for Excellence is that
it is a curriculum for learning,
life and work, and it should fully
equip learners with the skills,
knowledge and confidence to
thrive and succeed in the
increasingly globalised world of
the 21st century.
 The development of skills within
learners is at the heart of
Curriculum for Excellence in
recognition of the fact that in a
fast-changing world, skills will
allow learners to adapt to changing circumstances and are the key to
success. These include the entire spectrum of skills fro m leadership to
interpersonal skills to career management skills. Building the Curriculum
4 gives further information about the importance of skills within
Curriculum for Excellence and how they have been embedded within the
experiences and outcomes for all learners, from which the skills within the
learning for National 4 should progress. The Skills for Learning, Skills for
Life and Skills for Work Framework will also aid your planning to meet the
needs of learners.
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 Interdisciplinary learning is a key aspect of Curriculum for Excellence and
is an exciting way for schools to develop rich learning experiences which
build upon the strengths and expertise within different disciplines. Themes
such as health and wellbeing can be used as complex themes for
interdisciplinary learning, or taught within the science context to link with
wider learning. These also offer excellent vehicles for learners to develop
higher-order thinking skills and prepare learners for the life of work where
interdisciplinary approaches to complex tasks are often the norm.
 Themes relating to energy, sustainability, renewable energy and climate
change are embedded in the experiences and outcomes of a number of
curriculum areas, especially science, social studies and technology,
ensuring that all learners have the opportunity to explore these matters in
depth. These themes would be expected to underpin the learning in the
senior phase.
 Curriculum for Excellence encourages approaches to learning that are
motivational, fun, relevant, challenging and, importantly, develop the
skills of learners. Such approaches to learning include co -operative, active,
collaborative and outdoor learning.
There are many ways which this learning journey can develop, and you will
know best how to plan learning and teaching which meets the needs of your
learners. By planning opportunities for skills development in context you may
find that the learners’ interests, strengths, prior learning and locality, as well
as local, national and global events, lend themselves to progressing the
learning in different ways from the suggestions within this advice and
guidance. Ideas for learning and teaching can be adapted to allow
development and application of skills for learning, life and work, or to
incorporate ICT and take account of a range of learners’ needs.
Glow provides an opportunity for learners to work together across
geographical areas.
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Sustainability
Sustainable development education and the development of learners as global
citizens are key themes across learning within Curriculum for Excellence ,
ensuring that learners explore in-depth themes relating to energy use, the
environment, climate change, sustainable lifestyles and the imp act of
humankind on the planet and its ecosystems.
The World Wildlife Fund report Learning for Sustainability in Schools:
Effective Pedagogy (2010) in its conclusions (page 20) identifies the
pedagogical approaches common to schools practising effective learning for
sustainability.
Why ‘learning for sustainability’ with your learners? What is
sustainability anyway?
Our planet can no longer sustain the demands humanity is making on its
natural resources, and the way those resources are controlled and shared has
led to inequality and injustice. As we move further into the 21st century,
dealing with these issues will become ever more urgent. In preparing our
young people for life beyond school, we’ll need to equip them to deal with
these unprecedented challenges.
Learning for Sustainability in Schools: Effective Pedagogy, WWF Report (2010)
Scotland is committed to reducing greenhouse emissions by 42% by 2020 and
by 80% by 2050 (Climate Change (Scotland) Act, 2009). This will represent a
significant shift in Scottish society – by the time some of our children in
primary school finish their secondary education, Scotland will have halved its
annual greenhouse emissions. The Scottish Government has an energyefficiency policy which will provide a strong basis for learning and teaching
within National 4 Physics. This will be further exemplified within this advice
and guidance.
Ideas for learning and teaching to explore understanding of sustainability
 The Glow Science mind-mapping tool can be searched by the key word
‘sustainability’, providing images to prompt discussion among learners.
 Use a search engine such as Google to search the word ‘sustainability’ and
to discuss the information found with a focus on i dentifying quality
information via the web. This can allow opportunities to develop skills in
evaluating information.
 Consider four defined areas of sustainability and consider which of these
might impact on our energy security:
Ecological sustainability: protecting biological diversity, species and
ecosystems.
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Economical sustainability: ensuring economic activity is stable and
balanced, and respects the fact that the Earth’s resources are finite .
Social sustainability: enabling all people of the world to have a quality of
life that respects their human dignity and ensures that their rights to
nutrition, health, wellbeing, education and freedom are met .
Cultural sustainability: recognising that our communities and world are
enriched by a diversity of peoples, languages, traditions, knowledge and
beliefs.
 Discuss the Scottish Government’s definition of sustainability. Does it
agree with, add to or conflict with the learner ’s thinking formed as a result
of his/her discussions around sustainability?
 2012 is the year of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development. This is the follow-up to the 1992 United Nations Earth
Summit in Rio. This conference and its outcomes are likely to be a rich
source of media coverage and provide opportunities for discussion about
the global sustainability agenda.
Using the reflective question for learners (below) before and after these
activities will give opportunities to explore prior learning and developing
understanding. The ideas for learning and teaching lend themselves to
developing a learner’s skills in summarising and processing information, and
expressing his/her understanding in his/her own words.
Reflective question for learners

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As a result of targets to reduce emissions, in what way might society and
life be different for you for in 10 years’ time, 20 years’ time and by 2050?
Explain and justify your answers.
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Energy
Energy is an important idea in all branches of science, so you probably feel
familiar with it whether your background is in physics, chemistry or biology.
You may think of energy as an idea that you understand, which should not
therefore be too difficult to teach. In fact it is much less straightforward than
it appears, for two main reasons:
1.
2.
In science, energy is an abstract, mathematical idea. It is hard to define
‘energy’ or even to explain clearly what we mean by the word.
The word ‘energy’ is widely used in everyday contexts, including many
which appear ‘scientific’ – but with a meaning which is less precise
than its scientific meaning, and differs from it in certain respects.
Robin Miller, Teaching about Energy (2005)
This research provides pointers to successfully improving learners’
understanding of the concepts of energy, including developing understanding
of energy stores and transfers, and moving away f rom classifying ‘types’ of
energy and energy ‘changes’ because this can add ‘unnecessary variables that
do not contribute much to understanding...in some situations, the forms of
energy approach can lead to incorrect analyses of processes ’.
Energy within the broad general education
Within the broad general education the concept of energy features through a
number of organisers. Some relevant second and third level experiences and
outcomes are indicated below.
I can use my knowledge of the interactions and energy flow between plants
and animals in ecosystems, food chains and webs. I have contributed to the
design or conservation of a wildlife area. SCN 2-02a
By considering examples where energy is conserved, I can identify the energy
source, how it is transferred and ways of reducing wasted energy. SCN 2-04a
Through exploring non-renewable energy sources, I can describe how they
are used in Scotland today and express an informed view on the implications
for their future use. SCN 2-04b
I can investigate the use and development of renewable and sustainable
energy to gain an awareness of their growing importance in Scotland or
beyond. TCH 2-02b
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I have used a range of electrical components to help to make a variety of
circuits for differing purposes. I can represent my circuit using symbols and
describe the transfer of energy around the circuit. SCN 2-09a
I can use my knowledge of the different ways in which energy is transferred
between hot and cold objects and the thermal conductivity of materials to
improve energy efficiency in buildings or other systems. SCN 3-04a
By investigating renewable energy sources and
taking part in practical activities to harness them, I
can discuss their benefits and potential problems.
SCN 3-04b
By contributing to investigations of energy loss due
to friction, I can suggest ways of improving the
efficiency of moving systems. SCN 3-07a
Ideas for learning and teaching to explore energy
A useful starting point would be to explore prior learning to plan learning and
teaching appropriate to the needs of the learners , and to ensure that the
learning within National 4 progresses understanding from the third level. This
might take the form of, for example, walkabout–talkabout, where learners
examine a number of statements and agree or disagree with them, explaining
their understanding. Statements might be based on common misconceptions
such as those identified in the Children’s Learning in Science project (Driver
et al., 1984) and summarised in Making Sense of Secondary Science:
Research into Children’s Ideas (Routeledge, 1994) to explore understanding
of the notion of energy, energy stores and transfers, and the difference
between energy and temperature.
Discussion of analogies of energy can be a useful way to explore and discuss
learners’ understanding. This also gives the opportunity to discuss mode lling
in science and the strengths and limitations of modelling in general and of
specific models. A simple analogy for energy stores and transfer comes from
the work of Richard Boohan, Gatsby Science Enhancement Project. This
models energy as water, being poured from one shaped container to another
differently shaped container.
Energy Storage, an illustrated overview with suggestions for practitioners and
learner activities by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme, is
available from the National STEM Centre e-library.
The Nuffield Foundation’s website on energy contains other useful guidance
for practitioners.
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Energy security
The definition of energy security will vary depending on who you are and
where you are in the world. Generally energy security is about ensuring there
is a reliable and resilient supply and distributio n of energy to ensure that
there is energy where and when it is needed for stability in society and the
economy.
Ideas for learning and teaching of energy security
 A starting point might be to consider what energy security means to the
individual learner.
Why is it an issue that matters?
In groups, learners could discuss what would happen if we did not have a
reliable energy supply, either as a result of lack of energy resources or a
national grid that cannot support the demands of users.
For example, what would happen if there was a power cut that lasted 1
hour, 24 hours or 1 week? What would happen if there was a power cut
that affected the local area, a whole city, an entire region or the whole of
Scotland?
 To set the scene for further learning within this topic, it might be useful to
explore the learners’ understanding of the infrastructure and requirements
for energy security, for example fuel or energy sources/resources, the
generation of electricity, the distribution of energy (the national grid) and
our demand for energy (usage and efficiency).
Reflective questions for learners
 Who would feel the greatest impact of the lack of reliability of the energy
supply or a prolonged power cut?
 Consider an area in the world where there is no access, or very limited
access, to energy supplies. What impact does this have on lifestyle,
medical care, food supply and how people live and work? How would life
be different in a place with an insecure energy supply where electricity is
only available for 1 hour a day or 2 days a week?
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Working in the energy sector
The energy sector comprises a number of different areas:
 oil and gas
 biofuels and biomass
 electricity transmission and
distribution
 wind, wave, tidal, solar
 energy policy
 geothermal energy
 energy efficiency – carbon
auditing, insulation
 hydrogen production
 microgeneration
 supply chains to all of these
 nuclear
 cleaner coal
 carbon capture and storage
technologies
 electrical energy storage
 fuel cells
 hydropower
 combined heat and power plants
 waste to energy
 energy companies and providers
Not just your average job
Working in the energy sector involves many interesting roles , including some
you might not have expected:
 deep-sea welders to fit marine renewable devices to the sea floor
 ecologists to study the proposed location of a wind farm and determine its
likely impact on local biodiversity
 tug-boat pilots to tow marine devices to their location
 meteorologists to determine the most suitable locations for wind farm
developments
 forestry professionals to manage the woodland environment used for
biomass production
 lawyers to provide legal advice to company managers on all aspects of
company business.
Ideas for learning and teaching
 This is an opportunity for learners to understand how their skills and
interests might be appropriate for pursuing a career in the energy sector.
Whilst a learner may not be interested in pursuing a career in physics or
engineering, exploring career opportunities may help the learner
understand how a knowledge of the sector, and of some of the
underpinning science, may open up opportunities as a lawyer or business
manager, for example, for an energy-related industry or employer. To
highlight such career options, Opito (the oil and gas industry’s focal point
for skills, learning and workforce development) has developed the ‘It’s
Your Future’ project. The introductory video is learner focused and
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highlights the range of careers described above. Skills Development
Scotland’s My World of Work is another helpful resource for career
information.
 Using the STEM Central Exploring Engineering videos gives learners an
opportunity to hear engineers from Scotland and beyond talking about
what engineers do and how to get started in engineering, including routes
through apprenticeships. As you review the videos, consider how you
might familiarise yourself with routes into energy sector careers for your
learners and how you can help learners build on their skills to access the
range of careers on offer in STEM subjects. You will find each of the
video pages has prompt questions for you to consider as you plan learning
and teaching.
 Having discussed potential career opportunities and learners’ interests, the
STEM Ambassador scheme can arrange for industry, employer and higher
education representatives to visit the school. Learners may benefit from
the chance to talk to them about career opportunities. Alternatively, as the
learning progresses, an industry or higher education ambassador could
visit to share specialist expertise with the learners. STEM Ambassadors
can also help you plan learning and teaching that reflects the cutting edge
STEM research and development taking place in Scotland and globally.
Reflective questions for learners
 Before starting this section of work, consider what you already know about
career opportunities in the energy sector. You could record this using a
graffiti task. After watching a selection of videos, repeat this exercise. Has
your view of the job opportunities associated with learning about energy
security and the energy sector changed?
 Which skills you have learnt in physics do you think you would like to
develop further and continue to use at the next level of learning, trainin g
or employment?
 Having watched the videos, how do you think the jobs and projects
described link to learning in this topic (energy security) ? You might
consider this again as your progress your learning in this topic.
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Energy resources, usage and issues
Our energy security in Scotland is dependent on a number of energy
resources.
Scotland’s electricity is currently produced by a small number of large coal,
gas and nuclear generating stations, together with a larger number of smaller
renewable plants (mainly established hydro and onshore wind). We wish to
move to a much greater proportion of renewable energy together with clean
energy from coal and gas.
In meeting the demand for electricity, nuclear energy will continue to play a
part for the life of the current power stations. But the Scottish Government is
clear that new nuclear power is not wanted or needed in Scotland. There is
no clear or reliable proposition on storage of nuclear waste and we are not
willing to countenance such very substantial an d also open-ended costs for
this and future generations.
Coal and gas will continue to play an important part in electricity
generation, providing baseload, but there is a clear need for a reduction in
associated emissions. We want to see Scotland playing a leading role in the
development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to allow us to
continue to utilise fossil fuels while reducing the level of harmful emissions
being released into the atmosphere. As elsewhere in Europe, the Emissions
Trading Scheme will provide a commercial incentive for investment. With
existing skills and know-how from involvement in the North Sea, Scotland is
well placed to take a lead and generate wider economic benefit. The Scottish
Government has assisted research on CO 2 storage locations around Scotland
which concluded that Scotland has an extremely large CO 2 storage resource
which can easily accommodate the industrial CO 2 emissions from Scotland
for the next 200 years. The Scottish Government are also pressing the UK
Government for quick action; and seeking to be fully involved in European
action to support CCS.
Traditional Fuels, The Scottish Government (accessed February 2012)
Ideas for learning and teaching
 This is an opportunity to explore with learners their prior learning on
renewable and non-renewable energy resources. As the learners are at
fourth level it is likely that they will already be able to discuss the pros
and cons of various different renewable and non -renewable fuels. The
purpose as this unit builds is to take learners beyond their existing level of
understanding, offering greater challenge in their understanding,
opportunities for skills development appropriate to SCQF level 4 and to
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continue to engage with higher-order thinking skills of analysis, evaluation
and creativity.
 Starting with the gathering of prior learning suggested in ideas for
learners, it might be useful to record this , for example by asking learners
to make podcasts using simple free software such as Audacity. As learners
progress their learning within this section, they could make a series of
podcasts demonstrating increasing breadth and depth of knowledge and
understanding. By uploading to each others’ MP3 players, learn ers would
then have access to podcasts on different aspects of the learning.
Alternatively, learners could use Glow blogs to record their developing
learning.
 Using a website such as GridWatch, which provides information on the
status of National Grid, can be the basis of work associated with
developing learners’ skills in interpreting graphs and numeracy work using
the downloadable data to develop skills of analysis and drawing
conclusions from data. Alternatively, a simpler illustration of the
information can be found on the Education Scotland Weather and Climate
Change site.
 Learners’ discussions on the issues associated with the resources on which
we depend that might affect our energy security can provide the direction
for further learning in a context that learners find relevant, engaging and
motivating.
Issues for exploration may include:
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the Scottish Government’s position on nuclear energy and whether or
not this will impact on our energy security
geopolitical instability and its impact on our energy security
natural resources and associated conflicts, for example Darfur,
Ukraine/Russian, Colombia, the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta, the
Falkland Islands
the increasing difficulties of accessing oil reserves (this would give an
opportunity to link with learning in maths around the use of
mathematical modelling to identify oil reserves) and the added
difficulty of political and environmental tensions associated with oil
exploration, and impacts of oil spills and slicks
drilling for oil in pristine environments, for example the Arctic and
Antarctic
environmental impact – the global impact is explored in more detail in
the section Energy Resources: Climate Change in this document.
Education Scotland’s Marks on the Landscape resource can be used to
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explore the Fife Earth Project, the work of the Scottish Resources
Group and its production of surface mined coal.
exploitation of tar sands, for example, associated with negative
environmental impact in Canada
investigation of fracking for shale gas, which is taking place in the
UK, including at a number of Scottish site s.
 Biofuels: once seen as a positive solution as a replacement for fossil fuels,
the sustainability of fuel crops is now in questi on. Two articles that
provide an overview and information appropriate for use with learners are
Biofuels – the good, the bad, and the ugly and Where now for biofuels?
 Carbon Capture and Storage – is this the answer? Carbon capture and
storage schemes have been proposed at Longannet in Fife and Peterhead ,
and the University of Edinburgh is at the forefront of research associated
with scientific and technological developments into this technology.
Organisations such as the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum can
provide information appropriate to learners in secondary schools.
 Biomass: construction work is underway on a £200 million combined heat
and power plant in Markinch, Fife.
 Learning about energy security also provides an opportunity for learners to
explore in more detail, using practical investigation, the formation and use
of fossil fuels, in order to be able to contribute to discussions on the
responsible use and conservation of finite resources ( SCN 4-04b).
 Exploration around fuels lends itself to linking with learning and
investigative work within chemistry, for example exploring ethanol as an
alternative fuel.
 The Nuffield Council on Bioethics: Education Resources has produced
materials entitled Case Studies in Biofuel Production, which explore the
advantages and disadvantages of different types of biofuels and begin to
make comparisons. The ideas for learning and teaching within this
resource could be adapted for use elsewhere in your learning and teaching,
to promote structured discussion and scientific literacy.
 A simple tool to explore and engage learners in quality discussion around
the issues associated with energy resources is a diamond 9 diagram.
Interactive diamond 9 diagram templates can be found online, allowing for
this activity to be learner led and adapted to suit relevant and engaging
contexts for learners.
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Ideas and reflective questions for learners
 Consider what you already know about the main energy resources on
which Scotland depends for its energy security. What are the pros and cons
of these energy resources? Start with a think, pair, share activity and then
use the square and share technique, taking it in turns to add information to
your shared knowledge.
 How can you confirm that your thinking on Scotland’s main energy
sources is correct? Have a look at a website such as GridWatch, which
provides information on the status of National Grid . Do the data available
confirm your thoughts?
 How could you best record your knowledge at this point in the learning ,
for example via a podcast or Glow blog?
 Why is there a need to change the resources on which we are dependent?
Why can’t we continue to rely on traditional fuels?
 What are the issues with the resources on which we depend that might
affect our energy security?
 Where do we draw the line? To what extent does our need or dem and for
energy override environmental impacts? Should we continue to rely on
fossil fuels providing we use technologies such as carbon capture and
storage?
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Energy resources: climate change
Why is the issue of climate change incorporated within the learn ing and
teaching around energy in physics?
Scotland, with its rich renewable resources, world class research base,
experience in the oil and gas industry and leading financial institutions, has
much to gain from the move to a low-carbon society. We’re on the verge of a
new form of industrial revolution and Scotland could benefit from novel
economic opportunities, increased energy security and better use of resources
to build stronger, more sustainable communities ’ comments Professor David
Sugden, Chair of the RSE’s Inquiry.
Facing up to Climate Change: breaking the barriers to a low -carbon
Scotland identifies the obstacles that are stopping us from taking steps
towards a low-carbon society. It recognises that there is a wealth of activity
at EU, UK and Scottish level, including in local authorities, communities,
households and civil society, but that there is an acute need for coherence
and integration between these levels.
The Report considers the issues of climate change, sustainability and
opportunities for creating a more sustainable, fairer world. It looks at the
science of climate change and its implications at both a global and Scottish
scale and outlines the economic, social and environmental contexts that will
shape Scotland’s move to a low-carbon future. The Report then focuses on the
findings of the Inquiry and the implications for Scotland, looking first to
public bodies (local authorities, education, water), then to key economic
sectors (finance, energy, other industry, heating, transport and land use).
Royal Society of Edinburgh, Facing up to climate change: breaking the barriers to a
low-carbon Scotland (March 2011)
Chapter 2: Climate change, sustainability and the new industrial revolution
Key findings
 Climate change is inextricably linked to wellbeing, security and
sustainability.
 Rising levels of CO 2 in the atmosphere, linked to burning fossil fuels and
land use, present a major risk of climate change with chal lenging regional
impacts.
 A new industrial revolution is underway to achieve energy security and to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with energy efficiency and energy
production emitting low or no CO 2 at its heart.
 Scotland has much to gain economically and socially from this revolution.
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 Scotland’s ambitious emission reduction targets (42% cut by 2020 and
80% by 2050) are achievable but require major commitment and
resources.
 Despite success in cutting emissions from activities within Scotland,
Scotland’s consumption-based emissions rose by 11% in 1996–2004.
Royal Society of Edinburgh, Facing up to climate change: breaking the barriers to a
low-carbon Scotland (March 2011)
Chapter 3: Climate change and Scotland: recent trends and impacts
Key findings
 Human activity is causing a rise in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations; there
is little doubt that this is contributing to global warming.
 There is some uncertainty as to how this will affect regional climate
patterns.
 Scotland’s climate has recently proved to be wetter (especially in the west)
and warmer and this is expected to continue throughout the 2 1st Century
with, on average, hotter and drier summers and milder and wetter winters.
 Sea levels will continue to rise, most rapidly in the Outer Hebrides and
Northern Isles.
 Extreme weather events will continue to affect Scotland, as they have
always done; the severity and frequency of these events may increase.
Royal Society of Edinburgh, Facing up to climate change: breaking the barriers to a
low-carbon Scotland (March 2011)
Electricity and gas infrastructure located adjacent to rivers or along the
coast will become increasingly vulnerable to flooding. The electricity
infrastructure could also be degraded by higher temperatures affecting
transmission capacity, further exacerbated by higher demands for cooling in
the summer.
Other impacts are more difficult to assess, although an indirect consequence
of climate change in Scotland will be expand ing commercial opportunities in
renewables, (especially wind, marine and hydro-power), carbon-capture and
storage and off-shore engineering. In turn, these opportunities will require
major investment in training and education to ensure the availability of an
appropriately-skilled work force.
Royal Society of Edinburgh, Facing up to climate change: breaking the barriers to a
low-carbon Scotland (March 2011)
Ideas for learning and teaching on climate change as a threat to our
energy security
This area presents opportunities to develop learners’ scientific literacy in
relation to reporting of climate change in the media. Richard Milne,
University of Edinburgh and winner of 2009 EUSA award for innovative
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teaching presents an interesting and accessible lecture entitled ‘Final Nail for
Climate Change Disinformation’ which could be used for this purpose.
Depending on the approach you consider appropriate for your learners,
another Richard Milne video, ‘Critical Thinking on Climate Change:
separating scepticism from denial’, may also be useful. The article ‘How to
use science media effectively for enhancing learning and teaching’ offers a
range of strategies for structuring the use of science media in your learning
and teaching.
A starter activity for this learning could be to select a range of images from
advertising (eg for foods, cars, clothing, make-up, footwear) with which
learners may or may not be familiar. As each image is shown , for example on
a whiteboard, learners could be asked to capture their first impression of the
message being conveyed about the product , ie luxury, fun, practical or
expensive, on either on post-its notes show-me boards. Any commonality that
emerges can lead to discussion around how the media can influence our
thinking, leading onto the Richard Milne work and examination of science in
the media.
The Richard Milne video discusses a range of issues, including why we don’t
reduce carbon dioxide emissions despite having the technology to do so, what
is the difference between ‘scepticism’ and ‘denial’, and why does this matter,
and how are climate change and politics connected? As the video plays there
are many places where you may wish to pause for discussion with learners.
As learners progress through this unit, or within the course or other units,
opportunities to build on their scientific literacy can be planned into learning
and teaching. This might include learners writing a newspaper article, with a
headline and appropriate images, explaining and justifying their choices, to
link back to the learning developed in this topic.
Ideas and reflective questions for learners
 News articles from newspapers or the internet relating to climate change
and global warming could be brought to class or links could be shared via
a Glow blog or Glow discussion forum. Learners could then compare and
discuss the articles to consider:
- What is the headline? What impression do you get from the headline?
What is the writer’s viewpoint on climate change/global warming?
What does the headline make you think? Have images been used? Why
do you think these particular images have b een chosen?
- How does the information in the article connect to the use of the
headline and/or images?
- Think about what you have heard in the Richard Milne video (replay
sections if you need to remind yourself). Do you think that the article
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intends to influence what you think about climate change and global
warming?
- Consider the information in the article. What is the scientific evidence
on which it is based? How can you research the information so that you
can check whether the article is presenting a f air or balanced view of
the issues? When researching information on the internet, what criteria
should you use to identify whether the information is from a reliable
source?
Ideas for learning and teaching on climate change and its impact on our
lives
 The interactive animation Global Warming Impacts offers a tool through
which learners can explore the projected effects of a change in the global
mean temperature. This offers opportunities to explore impacts that are of
particular interest or relevance to your learners, as well as to explore
understanding of modelling in science, whether computer, mathematical or
experimental, and its usefulness and limita tions.
As an example, the impact identified for Norway in the event of an
increase in the global mean temperature of 1 °C is an increase in coldrelated winter deaths. This has particular relevance to the very harsh
winters Scotland faced in 2009/10 and 2010/11, despite global warming,
and the impact it had on people’s health, work and home lives. The impact
for the Andes in South America of the same increase in the global mean
temperature is indicated as threat to the water supply for 50 million
people.
The ability to use this tool to compare and contrast introduces a local and
global dimension to the learning.
 To review and consolidate understanding in this area, learners could
prepare a short talk for a school assembly or similar to convey to
‘sceptics’ or those who do not have an understanding of climate change
and global warming the nature of the impact on our lives locally,
nationally and globally, and why climate change is an issue that matters.
Learners could prepare a series of talks aimed at dif ferent age groups, for
example to help learners in primary understand more about global warming
and climate change. A Glow meet with cluster primaries would give an
opportunity to assess whether learners have successfully communicated
their understanding in a way that is relevant and engaging for a chosen
audience. Alternatively, learners might prepare the information from the
perspective of a young person in another country, and the impacts on their
life and seek to video conference with a partner school t o research, share
and discuss. Relevant images sourced from Creative Commons , which can
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be used in school multimedia presentations, displays or educational
materials as long as they are appropriately credited, can be found on the
Education Scotland Weather and Climate Change pages .
Reflective questions for learners
 Does climate change matter to you? Does it or will it have any impact on
your life, now or in the future? Is it already impacting on the lives of
people in your local area, in Scotland or elsewhere in the world?
 Watch the video Facing up to Climate Change
and use the Global Warming Impacts tool to
understand the impact of climate change and
global warming for you, your family, your
community and Scotland. Prepare a short talk
aimed at a school assembly or similar to help
others to understand the evidence associated
with climate change and global warming, and the project ed impact of
climate change on their lives. You may need to help others to understand
the underpinning issues, science and provide information, for example
about why modelling is used and its strengths and limitations.
 Consider your thinking about climate change at the start of this work. Has
your understanding or viewpoint changed? If so, in what way? Why do yo u
think this is?
 How can we prepare for the effects of climate change locally, nationally
and globally?
Education Scotland resources supporting learning and teaching around
weather, climate change and global warming
Weather and Climate Change
Schools Global Footprint
Exploring Climate Change
In addition, Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Gateway is useful for
further work around the issue of how we in Scotland might prepare for the
effects of climate change. This would offer rich opportunities for
interdisciplinary learning around technologies and engineering solutions.
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Energy resources: opportunities and solutions
The Royal Society of Edinburgh report Facing up to climate change:
breaking the barriers to a low-carbon Scotland (March 2011) identifies the
following points in relation to Scotland’s energy security:
 There is an urgent need to support community efforts to secure local low carbon and renewable energy.
 There is a mismatch between national policy statements and the practical
local delivery of low-carbon initiatives.
 There needs to be impartial information on costs (social, environmental,
economic) and return on investment in different forms of energy
generation.
 Scotland should do more to capture the value of its intellectual capacity
and research and development.
 The optimal exploitation of renewable electricity in Scotland requires
strategic thinking about the national grid and particularly links across the
North Sea; it is not clear that the different perspectives at Scottish, UK
and EU levels are integrated effectively.
Royal Society of Edinburgh, Facing up to climate change: breaking the barriers to a
low-carbon Scotland (March 2011) p117
Renewable Energy Potential Scotland and Highlands and Islands Energy are
short videos (5–7 minutes) giving an overview of the potential for the
development of renewable technologies in Scotland. The STEM Central
Renewables video explores the opportunities for using the power of the wind,
waves and tides in Scotland to produce energy. The Institute of Ideas
Debating Matters resource ‘Debating Motion: it would be better for new
fossil fuel reserves to be left in the ground’ provides a useful background
summary with links to relevant articles. This is aimed at 16–19-year-olds and
the structure would work within the senior phase, with adaptation of materials
to meet the needs of learners as appropriate.
Some alternatives to traditional fossil fuels are:
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biofuels and biomass
cleaner coal
wind
wave
geothermal energy
tidal
hydrogen
microgeneration
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carbon-capture and storage technologies
fuel cells
nuclear
combined heat and power plants
waste to energy
solar
hydropower
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The Interactive Map of Renewable and Alternative Energ y Projects in the UK
is a useful tool.
Ideas for learning and teaching
 A starting point might be to mind map all the possible energy resources on
which Scotland, the UK and countries worldwide could build secure
energy, including pros and cons. If learners have blogged or podcasted
their ongoing work and learning this can be used as the basis for
progression. It may be of interest to indicate evidence-based pros and cons
in one colour and common statements from the media that may or may not
be evidence based in another colour. From this learners could select a
particular claim or viewpoint and research for information, data or other
evidence to support or refute the claim. This lends itself to opportunities to
extend learners’ scientific literacy and their ability to use, analyse and
evaluate data, and draw conclusions from that data.
 At this stage in the learning journey there is a natural overlap between
considering fuels or energy resources and the technologies and efficiency
of different methods of electricity generation. This lend s itself to
developing understanding of the concept of efficiency, and calculation of
the efficiency of different electricity-generation methods, as part of an
analysis of pros and cons of different methods of generation of electricity.
Learning about efficiency offers the opportunity to build on learners’
understanding of the principle of conservation of energy in the context of
energy security, building on learning from SCN2-04a.
 This section lends itself to open-ended investigative work by learners to
support their analysis of the pros and cons of different energy resources.
An approach where learners investigate an area of particular interest
through research and practically will allow the class to develop a rich
understanding that can be shared. Some examples of suitable areas are
described below.
Wind turbines
An investigative approach could be combined with a strong focus on
numerical data and calculations using the STEM Central Calculating the
Wind learning journey. Reviewing STEM Central’s context on
Renewables, focused on third level sciences is useful to aid practitioners’
understanding of the standards required for SCQF 4. Learners would
expect to experience progression of knowledge, understanding and skills
within learning to achieve National 4.
BP’s Real World Activities ‘Energy from Wind’ offers a useful activity to
support learners in investigating wind turbine design. This offers
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interactive simulations of investigative work; learning and teaching of
science skills appropriate to SCQF 4 would be enriched by offering
learners the opportunity to use this as a starter to undertaking practical
investigative work in class, for example to design an investigation to
determine the optimum output from a wind turbine. The interactive within
BP’s Real World Activities ‘Energy from Wind’ website also allows
exploration of the use of modelling and simulation in understanding
science.
The controversies associated with wind farms and learne rs’ understanding
of such issues could be captured via a letter to a newspaper or MSP, or via
a role-play task. Understanding of the issues could be enhanced by a visit
to a suitable site, for example Whitelee windfarm. There are clear
opportunities when exploring the role of wind energy in our energy future
to explore the roles of those who are involved in this work now, and the
demand for the future, for example via the STEM Central Renewables
video. Inviting an STEM Ambassador from higher or further education, or
industry, or a student studying a relevant course to work with a group of
learners focusing on wind turbine design could support the learning and
teaching and enhance both subject and careers understanding.
Learners’ understanding could be evidenced by the production of a suite of
resources, including leaflets, videos, blogs, podcasts or a game for other
learners, or through peer teaching and evaluation.
Investigating solar (PV) panels
See the discussion around learning and teaching associated with wind
turbines.
BP’s Real World Activities ‘Energy from the Sun’.
Microgeneration
See the discussion around learning and teaching associated with wind
turbines.
The role of microgeneration in Scotland’s low carbon future. An example
of microgeneration in Stirling.
Reviewing STEM Central’s hydro microgeneration learning journey,
focused on third level sciences, is useful to aid practitioners’
understanding of the standards required for SCQF 4. Learners would
expect to experience progression of knowledge, understanding and skills
within learning to achieve National 4.
Waste to energy (incineration)
See the discussion around learning and teaching associated with wind
turbines.
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An example of a one such controversial project is the South Clyde Energy
Centre, Glasgow.
A learner investigating the issues surrounding waste incineration for
energy could, with appropriate risk assessment in place, consider how to
use specific heat capacity to measure the energy released when burning
waste and design a practical investigation. Such an investigation wo uld
provide opportunities to overtake learning associated with National 5
Physics.
Nuclear power
See the discussion around learning and teaching associated with wind
turbines.
Nuclear technologies are not static, with investigation into safer and more
efficient nuclear fuels, used in fourth-generation reactors. The video by
Steven Cowley called Fusion is Energy’s Future discusses nuclear fusion
as a sustainable option for the future. This presents a rich context for
exploring risk and risk management. The Institute of Ideas Debating
Matters ‘Topic Guide: After Fukushima, We Should Abandon Nuclear
Power’ is aimed at 16–19-year-olds. The structure would work within the
senior phase, with adaptation of materials to meet the needs of learners as
appropriate.
Hydroelectricity
See the discussion around learning and teaching associated with wind
turbines.
One aspect of this technology that could form the basis of open-ended
investigation is to explore the production of methane gas from rotting
vegetation that is associated with hydroelectricity.
Generating electricity
How do we generate electricity? What is the connection between energy
resources and electricity?
Ideas for learning and teaching
The Centre for Science Education Pupil Research Initiative has a useful
outline for learning and teaching around portable hydroelectric power plants
(PHEPP), elements of which could provide the basis for exploring electricity
and magnetism, and electricity generation, either in relation to PHEPP or
other generation methods.
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This section also provides the opportunity to explore the efficiency of
different methods of electricity generation to enhance understanding of what
is meant by efficiency.
Opportunities to explore electricity generation relevant to your learners , for
example in your local area, can be identified using interactive websites such
as Scottish and Southern Electric: Our Assets and Projects and Scottish
Power Renewables: Our Business.
Who designs power stations? People like Rebecca, from EDF Energy in
London.
Our energy security is affected by the reliability of our power stations and
other methods of generation. Scottish and Southern Energy publish data on
power outages from their various wind, coal, gas and hydro facilities.
Reflective question for learners
 How regular are power outages from SSE’s (or another company’s)
facilities? What are the impacts of this?
The next section provides more information to enrich learners’ understanding
of this issue. A useful generating electricity activity can be found on BBC
Bitesize.
Getting energy to where we need it
What is the National Grid? This video briefly describes the National Grid and
the challenges it faces in the future.
Ideas for learning and teaching
 If appropriate for the learners, a simple model of energy transmissi on via
wires can be introduced. The Glow Science video AC, DC and
Transformers provides a summary overview that links to this learning.
What does the future look like?
The smart grid is proposed as the future of energy transmis sion. The issues
faced by Scotland in terms of its aging National Grid are mirrored by
concerns in the USA, and similar smart grid developments are underway
world wide.
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Scottish Power is developing the UK’s largest smart grid in Glasgow.
Microgeneration will be vital to the reliability and efficiency of the grid, with
opportunities to sell excess power back to the grid and support the use of
electric vehicles. The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow is home to the
Power Network Demonstration Centre, the first of its kind in Europe, which
researches new smart technologies and increases the pace at which they are
adopted.
However, electricity distribution comes with controversy , for example the
construction of the Beauly to Denny power line to transport electricity from
the Highlands to the central belt.
Reflective questions for learners
 Explore the developments associated with the renewal and replacement of
the National Grid with a new smart grid. Are such developments taking
place elsewhere in the world? What kind of developments are anticipated
as a result of the smart grid and what impact might t his have on life in
Scotland?
 Explore the controversy surrounding a development such as the Beauly to
Denny power line. What are the issues of concern? What are the potential
solutions?
How much energy do we need?
The video Cambridge Ideas – How many light bulbs does it take to change a
man? could be used to prompt a discussion on energy use and/or an energy
use investigation using simple plug-in power meters in the learning
environment, workplace or home.
Reflective question for learners
 Can we save the world or should we save money?
This could allow opportunities for learners to explore :
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the power rating of appliances using information on rating plates
the power consumption of appliances using simple plug-in energy
meters, for example appliances on standby, the changing power needs
of computers when performing saves and searches.
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Learners would also develop understanding of energy needs and financial
costs through gathering and presenting data.
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Which appliance costs the most to run? Explain your choice.
Is there an easy way to spot which appliances are likely to have the
highest power rating? Does this mean these appliances will be the
most expensive to run? Is power rating the only fa ctor?
Learners could contribute to a Glow discussion thread called ‘Happy with
your electricity bills?’ where they could discuss, if appropriate, whether
or not their parents/carers are happy with the cost of their bills, and
whether they feel motivated to take action to reduce the bills, or whether
they have already done so.
This approach would also lend itself to learners doing a home survey to
identify the highest power appliance, the lowest power appliance and the
appliance that is typically used for the longest period of time, using rating
plates, a simple plug-in energy meter or data from home smart meters.
The EU-funded Popularity and Relevance of Science Education for
Science Literacy website explores in further detail the topic ‘How happy
are you and your family with your electricity bill’ as a motivator for
learning, and elements of this have previously be en successfully adapted
for use with learners in Scotland. This lends itself to learners developing
understanding of electricity bills, mechanisms for payment and issues of
fuel poverty.
A tool such as the Energy Saving Trust’s water energy calculator can be
used to consider water use, energy use and carbon dioxide emissions for a
typical home or specific individual circumstances.
 Decide which appliances you could not live without and calculate how
much it would cost you to use only those appliances for one week. Justify
your costing in terms of power rating, time the appliance is for and cost
per unit of electricity. Don’t forget to consider essentials like washing
clothes!
 Identify appliances which you keep on stand -by and use a simple plug-in
energy meter to calculate the power consumption of the appliance when on
stand-by. By calculating how many appliances are typically left on standby in your home, calculate the total energy consumption and cost for one
year.
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 Explore the cost of electricity for users who pay by direct debit, monthly
bill and card-operated/pre-payment electricity meters. Which is the most
or least expensive method of payment? Who is likely to use each method
of payment and how might the costs impact on that user?
If you want information you can trust, you’ve come to the right place. Make
the Energy Saving Trust your first stop for in dependent and impartial advice
about how to save energy and money.
Energy Saving Trust (Feb 2012)
 Can we ‘save’ energy? How does this fit with your understanding of the
principle of conservation of energy?
 What is meant by ‘saving energy’? How might this be reflected in your
everyday life?
Learners could prepare a Glow blog or leaflet with their top ten tips for
reducing electricity bills, justifying these choices in terms of potential
financial savings.
Once learners have developed an understanding of the connection betwee n
energy, power, time and cost, energy demand on a UK level can be
explored, for example using the website National Grid Electricity – Real
Time Operational Data. This provides opportunities to develop skills in the
interpretation of graphs and the connection between data and its meaning
in context.
This can be connected to the learning on energy resources and the issues of
matching demand to supply, for example the building of the Cruachan Dam
in the 1950s to meet peak demand.
This may also be an opportunity to introduce:




the idea of alternating current and its meaning
the 50 Hz normal system frequency of the UK electricity supply
the impact of over- or under-generation on the frequency of the supply
the impact of a significant change of frequency of the supply on
appliances, which can be illustrated using a signal generator and lamp.
The Worldometers Real Time World Statistics website has a section on
energy, which might prompt discussion.
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What does all this mean for your life?
The video David Mackay: Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air
discusses planning for life after fossil fuels. It is available in five parts and
depending on the focus of your learning and teach ing, and the purpose of
learning in terms of skills development, you may choose to use one or more
of the sections with learners. The video also includes detailed data that can be
used to develop numeracy skills around energy consumption and costs using
units such as kWh, kWh per day and W m–2 . An article that summarises the
key point cans be found on the BBC News website.
 Our daily energy consumption per person in the UK is much less than i n
the USA. Suggest reasons for the difference between the two countries.
 Do you think your energy consumption will be greater, or less, by 2030 or
by 2050? Justify your response.
The TED talk Richard Sears: Planning for the End of Oil is an interesting,
short talk about the end of the age of oil.
 Review your learning in this unit. What impact do you think it might have
on your life in future? Will we be living in the same type of housing,
working more locally to our housing or travelling by different modes of
transport?
Learning and teaching ideas: impacts on our now and
tomorrow
Sustainable housing
New building regulations that are designed to effect a step-change in energy
efficiency come into effect in 2016. Catherine Mohr Builds Green is a short
TED talk introducing the concept of sustainable housing design.
Renewable demonstration homes can be visited in Glasgow, Dundee and East
Kilbride to see how renewable technologies and clever design can be used to
minimise energy use.
Sustainable housing brings together disciplines including a rchitecture and
sciences.
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ENERGY SECURITY
Energy Efficiency and Architecture: building design and energy transfer
Energy Manager for London 2012 Olympic Games
This provides opportunities to explore specific heat capacity and energy
transfer.
Sustainable communities
Looking at sustainable communities will provide an opportunity for learners
to explore the learning within this topic in the context of planning for
sustainability.
Examples of sustainable communities are Park Ecovillage Trust and Green
Eigg.
Examining these communities or planning for a sustainable school will help
to gather learners’ understanding of the learning. Fifty per cent of local
authority energy use in Scotland is associated with the school estate, and it is
likely that there will be moves to try to reduce this to meet targets associated
with climate change.
Sustainable transport
Sustainable transport provides an obvious link between energy security and,
for example, food security.
Sustainable transport, including issues such as de-carbonisation of transport,
electric cars, hybrid buses and bio-fuelled buses, could be explored.
Carbon credits: how will you spend yours?
In 2007, the Scottish Executive’s Environmental and Rural Affairs
Department published a feasibility study into Local Authority Carbon
Trading.
Reflective questions for learners
 Will your future involve a system of carbon credits to ‘pay’ for the CO 2
that you use?
 How would use your carbon allocation? Justify your choices with
information regarding CO 2 emissions related to a variety of everyday
activities, including travel to work and heating your home.
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