THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
ONTARIO – GRADES 7 TO 8
Fueling Your School
Lesson Overview
Energy required to heat schools comes from various fuel sources. Students will investigate the
heating plant in their schools as a starting point for investigating how fuels heat schools in
Canada and what fuels have been used, are used, and might be used in the future. (Note: this
lesson might be more appropriate during cold weather seasons.)
Grade Level
Grades 7-8
Time Required
60 - 80 minutes (2 periods)
Curriculum Connection (Province and course)
The Ontario Curriculum for History and Geography Gr. 7 (rev.2004) – Natural Resources
The Ontario Curriculum for Science and Technology Gr. 7 (1998) – Energy and Control - Heat
Link to the Canadian Atlas Online: Fueling Canada
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required

Permission for the custodial staff to give a description on how the school heating plant
works.

Access to the school computer lab

Centre For Energy (Canadian site)
http://www.centreforenergy.com/FactsStats/statistics.asp?template=5,0

Natural Resources Canada – Energy http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/eneene/sources/indexeng.php

Energy Information Administration (Note: American source)
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/

“Geographic Diagrams” resource sheet

“Resource Summary Table” worksheet
Main Objective
To increase students’ awareness and understanding of how schools in Canada are heated, and
to investigate the fuels used for this purpose.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
-
State what fuel heats their school and describe how the heating plant works
-
Draw a diagram to show how the heating plant works
-
State how schools were heated in earlier times
-
Predict how schools may be heated in the future
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Introduction
ONTARIO – GRADES 7 TO 8
Ask: “What foods would you eat for energy
if you were going to play a vigorous sport
or go on a field trip later in the day?”
Develop the concept that food is fuel which
is the source of energy for our bodies.
Respond with foods that are
high in energy –
carbohydrates, fats.
“To create energy, we require fuel. In
Canada, what fuels are used to create heat
energy?”
Students provide: wood, coal,
oil, propane, wood pellets,
natural gas etc.
In pioneer times, the teacher or one of the
older students would have to go to school
early to light the stove and get the wood
or coal necessary to keep the classroom
warm for the day. Study maps on Fuels in
CAOL on line.
Lesson
Development
Conclusion
When we got to school this morning it was
already warm and comfortable.
“What do you think is the fuel which
provides the energy to heat this school?”
Arrange with the custodian to explain how
the school heating system works. If
possible, visit the furnace / boiler room in
the school.
Best guesses.
Students listen politely to the
custodian’s explanation of
how the furnace / boiler
system works to heat the
school. They will ask
questions if necessary to
clarify the explanation and
take notes.
Divide the class into teams and assign
each one a fuel that could be used to heat
the school if the current source was
unavailable. Distribute the blank
Resource Summary Table. Provide access
to the school computer lab for student
research.
Teams will investigate the
fuels that could possibly be
used to heat the school.
Determine where each fuel is
found, how it is shipped and
stored, how much it costs
and all the benefits and
limitations of using that fuel.
1. Review in class how the school heating
plant functions.
2. Discuss team findings on energy source
alternatives.
3. Assign students the task of illustrating,
with a labeled diagram, how the heat is
delivered from the furnace / boiler room to
the classrooms. If the students have not
had an opportunity to make geographic
drawings before, perhaps a few minutes
should be taken to explain what is
expected and to develop a rubric for the
finished product. (See “Geographic
Diagrams” resource sheet)
Each team provides a written
summary under the given
headings. (See Summary
Table)
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
ONTARIO – GRADES 7 TO 8
Lesson Extension
1. Ask students to find examples of schools that are fueled by: solar energy, geothermal
energy, wind energy or any other type of renewable energy.
2. Have students cite the similarities between the global convection system and that of a
furnace or boiler system.
3. Have students discover how their own homes or apartments are heated.
4. Invite students to research pioneer schools in more detail.
5. Challenge students to calculate the annual energy costs for their school – heat / light.
Assessment of Student Learning
Use the following rubric to measure the students’ level of performance on the diagram activity
– see Diagrams in Geography worksheet.
Level 4 - Meets all requirements with a very high level of proficiency. Work is clear and carried
out with unusual precision and skill. It demonstrates an in-depth understanding and analysis of
the task.
Level 3 - Meets all requirements with a high level of proficiency. Work is complete and has no
significant errors. It demonstrates a thorough understanding of the task.
Level 2 - Meets basic requirements at an average or slightly less than average competency
level. A number of inconsistencies in thought or procedural errors exist. Work does not meet all
the specifications of the task. Revision is recommended.
Level 1 - Work is at a very low competency level. It is incomplete and fails to meet basis
requirements of the task. Lacks clarity and precision. Work demonstrates minimal
understanding of the task. Revision is required.
Further Reading
-
Exxoneration. by Richard H. Rohmer, Published in 1974, McClelland and Stewart
(Toronto) ...
-
An interesting novel where the United States wants to exploit Canada’s energy resources
and declares an ultimatum.
-
Canadian Wind Energy Association – Good site for renewable energy source
http://www.canwea.ca
-
The NEED Project – National Energy Educational Development Project – all sorts of ideas
and resources for other energy related lessons – by grade levels
http://www.need.org./Guides-Grade.php
Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography
Essential Element #5 – Environment and Society
-
Changes in the importance of energy resources (Grades 6 - 8)
Geographic Skill #2 – Analyzing geographic information
-
Systematically observe the physical and human characteristics of places on the basis of
fieldwork (Grades 6 - 8)
Geographic Skill #3 – Organizing geographic information
-
Prepare various forms of diagrams, tables and charts to organize and display geographic
information (Grades 6 - 8)
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
ONTARIO – GRADES 7 TO 8
Geographic Diagrams Resource Sheet
One of the ways that geographers communicate ideas is by using a drawing or a
diagram. It is important to make the diagram simple, clear, neat, and accurate.
Always use unlined paper and a sharp pencil. Have a ruler handy and make corrections
with a good quality eraser.
Draw an appropriate margin (e.g. 1 cm) around the outside of the blank page.
Try to fill most of the page with your diagram leaving enough space around the outside
for labels and captions.
Keep your drawings simple.
Always use color for a specific purpose, not just for decoration.
Identify the parts of your drawing with labels. They should be printed horizontally if
possible. Draw lines to join the label to the feature. Try to avoid crossing lines.
Make certain that all spelling is correct on your diagrams.
If you are making a scale drawing, include the scale so that the viewers can determine
how large each feature is.
Finally, every diagram in geography requires a title. It should state briefly what is
being illustrated and for what purpose.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
ONTARIO – GRADES 7 TO 8
Resource Summary Table
Fuel
Wood
Wood
Pellets
Coal
Oil
Natural
Gas
Liquid
Propane
Solar
Wind
Geothermal
Other
Location in
Canada
(Where found
or produced)
Method for
Shipping and
Storing
Fuel Use
Benefits
Fuel Use
Limitations