Unit 3 – Electricity Use in Hong Kong - Survey
STUDENTS’ GUIDE
CHALLENGE
Electricity is the major source of energy in Hong Kong.
How has the use of electricity in Hong Kong changed between 1960 and today?
ACTIVITY FOCUS
What would life be like in Hong Kong without electricity? What would you miss
most? Think about how you and your family use electricity every day. How has the
use of electricity changed since your parents were your age? What were the uses of
electricity in 1960? What can you and your family do to use electricity more
efficiently?
MATERIALS
For each student
“Electricity Then and Now Survey” Sheets
SAFETY NOTE
Turn off all electrical appliances before inspecting them. Move appliances at
home with the help of an adult.
PROCEDURE
Part A Life Without Electricity For A Day
1.
Think about how your life would change if you had no electricity for a day.
Discuss your ideas with your group.
2.
Decide on and make a group list of the five most important changes in your life that
a lack of electricity for a day would make.
3.
Share your list with other groups to come up with a class “How Would Life Change
Without Electricity” list.
4.
Think about how often you can remember the electric power going out at home or
at school. Does it happen often in Hong Kong? Discuss in your group what you
know about electric power OUTAGES and their effects.
SUSTAIN US - Sustainable Energy Curriculum
Unit 3 – Electricity Use in Hong Kong - Survey
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Discussion and Reflection
5.
How would your list change if there were a lack of electricity for a week?
6.
How would a lack of electricity change the community in which you live?
Part B Electricity Then and Now Survey
7.
On the “Electricity Then and Now” survey sheets, list in Column A the number of
each appliance in your home.
8.
In your group and as a class, discuss the variety of electrical appliances found in
Hong Kong homes today.
9.
Take the survey sheets home and interview a parent or other adult you live with to
complete Column B for the electrical appliances in their home when they were your
age. If you can, ask a grandparent or other citizen over 55 years old to fill in
Column C for the number of each kind of appliance in the home when he or she
were your age.
10. Add the numbers in Columns A, B & C to get the total number of appliances in
each column for each category. Add the totals for each category together to get the
grand total of appliances for Columns A, B & C.
Discussion and Reflection
11. How would life in Hong Kong be different if the only electrical appliances available
were those that were available when your parents and grandparents were your age?
What appliances did they use that are no longer used now?
12. What might be some reasons for the changes in the number of appliances used over
two or three generations? Which category of your survey had the largest changes?
13. What can families do to prepare for periods when there is no electricity? What
items do you think families should have available in a blackout kit? Make a list of
your suggestions.
14. How would your life change if you only had the electrical appliances available
when senior citizens were your age? What are the TRADEOFFS compared to your
life in Hong Kong today?
GOING FURTHER
Use the Internet or the Library to find out about life in a place that has no electricity.
Describe how life there is similar to and different from your life.
SUSTAIN US - Sustainable Energy Curriculum
Unit 3 – Electricity Use in Hong Kong - Survey
Page 2 of 2