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SSL Lesson for the Residential Program - Global Climate Change
Students investigate energy usage and its affect on the environment. Students assess energy usage at
school (and home), and develop an energy conservation message to be used at school.
Connection to the Investigation in Science 6 Curriculum:
Enduring Understanding
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Natural resources are used by living things in a variety of ways
Natural resources need protection and conservation in a given environment
As resources are used in a habitat, the environment is changed.
Human resource use can cause changes that have social, economic, and environmental impacts.
Indicators
6.6.A.1. Recognize and compare how different parts of the world have varying amounts and types of natural resources and how the
use of those resources impacts environmental quality.
d. Identify and describe problems associated with obtaining, using, and distributing natural resources.
e. Identify possible solutions to problems associated with obtaining, using, and distributing natural resources.
6.8.B.1. Recognize and explain how human activities can accelerate or magnify many naturally occurring changes.
Mastery Objectives:
Students will be able to:
List environmental and economic reasons for conserving electricity.
Explain the relationship between electricity use and global climate change.
Materials: (Please see the OE coordinator)
Calculators (on-site)
Bulb meter lamp(on-site
2 pounds of coal (on-site)
Students handouts page 1-4 (on-site)
*Schools should provide: student answer worksheets (page 5 and 6) and materials for the action
PREPARATION
Engage: (This can be done before attending outdoor education.)
Divide students into four groups and assign a question to each group – Students share out their
responses after a few minutes.
Ask students:
What is energy? What are some different kinds of energy?
Where does energy come from?
How do humans benefit by using energy?
How does energy usage affect the environment? Give examples.
Why do you think we should we conserve energy?
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Explore:
Transition: Today we are going to get a baseline measurement of the amount of energy used by our
school computers.
(See handouts which provide background, directions, and student worksheets.)
1. Students learn about the relationship between energy usage and global climate change, and the
terminology involved in energy measurement: watt, watt hour, etc.
2. Students perform an energy assessment of computer use in their local school. They determine
baseline energy usage and calculate possible savings by reducing the number of hours the
computers are on.
3. Students receive a handout which shows the energy usage for typical pieces of electronic
equipment. Students reflect on the data - Each group picks one item from the handout and
calculates the energy used for a year using that device and report out the cost to the rest of the
group; teacher facilitates discussion to lead students to critically examine the amount of energy
we use and how it can be reduced.
4. Demo: Bulb meter lamp allows students to measure the energy saved by using a fluorescent
bulb rather than an incandescent.
Action:
1. Students brainstorm specific messages that others at their school should receive.
2.
Students create a means to communicate a message to the school community or home about
energy conservation. The action can be poster, a bookmark, the book cover for an imaginary
book about energy conservation, a comic strip or cartoon, rap song or poem, a public service
announcement for school, a webcast, etc. (Posters can be entered into the SERT Poster
competition.)
Materials: (Teachers should select materials depending on the project(s) of choice.)
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Paper
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Scissors
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Pencils, markers, crayons, etc.
3. The student messages are communicated back at the local school! Local school and teacher
decision as to how this happens….hang posters in halls, on a bulletin board, TV announcement,
presentation on Earth Day to other grades, etc.
Reflection:
Evaluate/Extend
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Students write about their learning in their journals. This can be done during the SSL class or
during free time after the session.
Guiding questions for students:
o What is the environmental benefit of your service?
o Who benefitted from your service?
o Did you learn anything about yourself? Explain.
o How was your service-learning connected to something you studied at school?
Students will use their reflection to help complete the SSL Activity Verification form during the SSL
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class or in large group as a wrap up.
Teacher Resources
http://www.electricalconnector.com/searchproductdatabase-meterlamps-dual-lamp.htm
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cost.html
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/take_action/yourenergy/
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=3
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