Notes to Teachers
1
I. Main Content
There are four main foci in this unit:
＊
＊
＊
＊
Scramble for energy
Current energy problems
Renewable energy and nuclear power
Meeting future energy demand in a sustainable way
II. Objectives
Main Content
A. Scramble
Knowledge / Concepts
1.
for energy
2.
3.
Identify the types of
Skills
1.
renewable energy and
non-renewable energy
Understand the spatial
pattern of global
energy production and 2.
consumption
Understand the
implication of the
uneven pattern of
energy production and
Identify the spatial
Values / Attitudes
1.
pattern of energy
production and
consumption from
data, graphs and maps
Draw bar graphs to
show the percentage
change of various
energy production of a
country in certain
period of time
Show concern
for the serious
energy
shortage
problem
consumption
2.
Current
energy
problems
1.
Understand the
environmental
problems brought by
the use of
non-renewable energy
(fossil fuel and fuel
wood)
1.
2.
Find out the costs of
using non-renewable
energy by using
different types of
information
Interpret line graphs,
bar graphs and pie
charts
1.
2.
Reflect on how
energy is being
used recently
Show concern
about the
global
environmental
problems
caused by the
use of energy
C. Renewable
Energy and
Nuclear
Power
1.
Understand the
advantages and
limitations of using
renewable energy and
nuclear power
1.
2.
Analyze information
of different specific
examples, and show
the advantages and
limitations of using
renewable energy in
tabular form
Outline the arguments
1.
Understand the
limitations of
developing
new energy
resources to
replace the
traditional
fossil fuel and
2
Main Content
Knowledge / Concepts
Skills
Values / Attitudes
for or against the
fuel wood
using of nuclear power
in tabular form in
order to train the
ability of data
organization
D. Meeting
future
energy
demand in a
1.
sustainable
way
2.
3.
Identify the measures 1.
adopted by Hong
Kong and other
countries or regions to
Evaluate the
sustainability of the
measures according to
a set of criteria
alleviate energy
problems
Understand how to
meet the increasing
1.
Willing to be
responsible to
energy
conservation
2.
Understand
that personal
lifestyles and
habits must be
demand for energy in
a sustainable way
Understand how
individual’s effort can
help to alleviate
energy problems
changed in
order to
conserve
energy
III. Suggested Teaching Activities
Teachers can adjust and tailor-make the following activities according to the levels, interest and
abilities of students.
Main Content
A.
Scramble
for
energy
Lesson(s)1
3-4
Suggested activities
1. Think about it
Objective: to arouse learning
Page 2
--
Pages 3-4
Information
Sheet 1
Page 2
motivation, to reflect on the use of
energy
2. Activity 1: Investigating into
the scramble for energy
Objective: to understand the
general situation and reasons for
1
Worksheets Information
Folder
There are 15 40-minutes lessons in total. (The Geography Curriculum Guide (S1-3) has suggested a total teaching
time of 10 hours.)
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the scramble for energy
3. Activity 2: Where are the
energy resources?
Objective: to understand the
condition and implications of the
uneven distribution of energy
resources and uneven pattern of
energy production and
consumption
*Higher-ability students can have
Pages 5-8
Information
Sheets 1 to 3
Pages 2-4
Pages 9-10
--
1. Warm-up activity
Objective: to arouse learning
motivation, to have a preliminary
understanding on the
environmental problems caused by
using fossil fuels
Page 11
Information
Sheet 4
Page 6
2. Activity 4: Electricity‧Fossil
fuels‧Environmental problems
Objective: to understand the
environmental problems caused by
exploiting and using fossil fuel
*See Appendix 2 for details (P.11)
Pages 12-13
Information
Sheets 5-8
Pages 7-10
Pages 14-15
Information
group discussions
4. Activity 3: Knowing the types
of energy resources
Objective: to classify renewable
and non-renewable energy
* Group competition is
recommended (depending on the
levels, ability and characteristics
of students). For details, please see
Appendix 1: Competition –
Classification of energy resources
(P.7-10).
B.
Current
energy
problems
3-4
3. Activity 5: Goodbye Forest!
Objective: to understand the
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consequences of extensive use of
fuel wood
Sheets 9 to
10
Pages 11-15
C. Renewable
Energy and
Nuclear
Power
3-4
1. Warm-up activity
Objective: to arouse learning
motivation, to point out the close
relationship between renewable
energy and our daily lives
2. Activity 6: Understanding
renewable energy
Page 16
--
Pages 17-18
Information
Sheet 11
Objective: to identify different
types of renewable energy
D. Meeting
future
3-4
Pages 17-19
3. Activity 7: What are the
advantages of using renewable
energy?
Objective: to understand the
advantages of using renewable
energy
Page 19
Information
Sheet 12
Pages 20-21
4. Activity 8: Specific example
Objective: to understand the
advantages and limitations of
choosing different renewable
energy by different countries
*Teachers need not go through all
the specific examples but can
choose one or two as illustration.
Pages 20-21
Information
Sheets 13 to
16
Pages 22-30
5. Activity 9: To use “Nuclear” or
Pages 22-
Information
not?
Objective: to understand the pros
and cons of using nuclear power,
to reflect on whether Hong Kong
should use nuclear power
* See Appendix 3 for details
(P.12-13)
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Sheet 17
Page 31-32
1. Activity 10: Solving energy
problem
Page 24
Information
Sheets 18 to
5
energy
demand in a
Objective: to understand the
energy policies of Hong Kong
sustainable
way
and/or other countries, and analyze
whether such policies are
sustainable
* can choose to study the case of
Hong Kong only or the case of
Hong Kong and India/Singapore
according to the abilities of
students
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Pages 36-43
-2. Be an energy-saving
ambassador
Objective: to understand how
individual can help in energy
saving
*different kinds of exercises are
provided to cater for learner
diversity
Page 25
IV. Catering for Learner Diversity
1.
For students with average ability, teachers can let them finish the basic parts of the worksheets.
2.
For students with better ability and are interested in this subject, teachers can let them
complete the basic parts of the worksheets. In addition, they can choose different kinds of
teaching activities, such as group discussion, role play, etc. Students can complete the part on
“Extended Activity” and “Further Reading”.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Competition – Classification of energy resources
Type of activity: group competition
Suggested procedures:
1.
Students are divided into 6-8 groups (about 5-6 people in each group).
2.
Each group will be given:
a. The worksheet on P.8 of this document. (Please print on A3 paper when use).
b. A set of word cards (see pages 9-10. It is recommended that they are laminated so that they
can be reused.).
c. Blue tap.
3.
Students are required to classify the types and characteristics of the energy resources and affix
the word cards onto the A3 worksheet within the time limit.
4.
A small gift will be awarded to the group which completed the worksheet first to arouse
students’ motivation in participating in this activity.
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Energy
Resources
Characteristics
Characteristics
Examples
Examples
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Renewable Energy
Non-renewable Energy
Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
Nuclear Power
Wind Power
Solar Energy
Geothermal Energy
Biofuels
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Hydroelectric
Wave Energy
Power
Inexhaustible
Use inexhaustibly
supply
Limited
Will be exhausted
reservations
Renewable within a
Non-renewable
short period of
within a short
time
period of time
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Appendix 2: What are the environmental problems caused by exploiting and
using fossil fuels?
Types of activity: group discussion and oral presentation
Suggested procedures:
1.
Students are divided into 6-8 groups (with about 5-6 people in each group). Each group should
elect a group leader.
2.
Each group will be given different sets of information (pages 7-10 of the Information Folder:
Information Sheets 5 to 8). Some groups may have the same sets of information.
Example:
3.
Information Sheet 5
Information Sheet 6
Information Sheet 7
Information Sheet 8
Group 1
Group 2
Groups 3-4
Groups 5-6
Groups 1-2
Groups 3-4
Groups 5-6
Groups 7-8
Students read the information and discuss among themselves. Time allowed is about 10
minutes. Students should:
a. identify the environmental problem shown in the information sheets assigned to their group
and put it onto the space provided in the title of the box on page 12 of the worksheets.
b. discuss how such environmental problem is caused by exploiting and using of fossil fuels
and put their answers onto the space provided in the box on page 12 of the worksheets.
4.
Group leader will present the results of their discussion. Other students should record the
answers onto the table on page 12 of the worksheets.
5.
Teacher gives conclusions to the discussion.
Extended activity:
6.
Ask students to prepare a concept map on page 13 of the worksheet at home to illustrate the
“environmental problems caused by exploiting and using of fossil fuels”
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Appendix 3: To use “nuclear” or not?
Type of activity: debate (informal) *
Suggested procedure:
1. Students are divided into the “pro” side and the “against” side (each side is sub-divided into 3
groups, with 6-8 people in each group).
Motion: “We should develop nuclear power for generating electricity”
2.
Each group of students should collect the relevant information, and should:
a. Summarize the arguments which favor their side. Write down the discussion results onto
Table 1 of page 22 of the worksheets.
b. Prepare questions to attack the viewpoints and rationale of the opposite side. Write down
the questions onto Table 1 of page 22 of the worksheets.
(Procedures 1-2 can be conducted earlier [suggested to be one week before] so as to allow
sufficient time for students to collect and organize the information.)
3.
Start the debate: (Ask students to record the main points during the debate onto Table 2 of page
23 of the worksheet.)
a. One representative from the “pro” side (Group 1) should speak first. He/She should
b.
c.
d.
e.
describe their views and give two reasons to support the views. Time limit is 1 minute.
One representative from the “against” side (Group 1) should speak first. He/She
should describe their views and give two reasons to support the views. Time limit is 1
minute.
One representative from the “pro” side (Group 2) should continue to give two reasons
to support their views. Time limit is 1 minute.
One representative from the “against” side (Group 2) should continue to give two
reasons to support their views. Time limit is 1 minute.
One representative from the “pro” side (Group 3) should raise questions for the
“against” side. Time limit is 1/2 minute.
f. One representative from the “against” side (Group 3) should reply the questions. The
time limit is 1/2 minute. Then they should raise questions for the “pro” side. Time
limit is 1/2 minute.
g. One representative from the “pro” side (Group 3) should reply the questions. The time
limit is 1/2 minute.
h. Time for questions and answers. Time limit is 2 minutes
4.
Teacher gives conclusions to the debate.
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5.
Students are required to complete Table 3 on page 23 of the worksheets at home to consolidate
the main points mentioned in the debate, i.e. the arguments for and against the use of nuclear
power
* Teacher can conduct a formal debate if students are capable or interested in the topic. Students can
collect information by themselves.
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