Lesson plan with activities for Grades 4-7

Are you an Energy Saver STAR? Essential Question: What ways can you and your family use energy more efficiently in your home? Science Processes/Concepts: Observe, Use Numbers, Collect & Interpret Data, Communicate, See Cause & Effect Skills: Computing, Graphing, Speaking Objectives: After completing the activity, students will be able to: Observe, record, and interpret data. Use charts, tables, and graphs. Identify how energy is measured, and read a power meter. Communicate ways that changes in behaviors can affect energy consumption.

• Activity I. Home Energy Survey
• Activity II. How do you measure up?
• Activity III. How can we create an energy-efficient home?
• Activity IV. Are you an Energy Saver Star?
• Activity V. How can smart buying behavior make you an Energy Saver Star?
• Activity VI. How can Energy Saver Stars shine over the region?
• Activity VII. Can Energy Saver Stars travel to the future: The Energy Web (Advanced level)

Activity I. Home Energy Survey

1. The class brainstorms a list of product categories that use electrical energy. Volunteers will check the yellow pages for the number and variety of sub-headings under the heading “Electrical”. They discuss and define terms such as Energy Hog, energy efficiency, and vampire devices---items that are always plugged in using a small amount of current. Students then each make a list of all items which use energy in their home with items listed under the category by room where it is found (i.e. KITCHEN: toaster, microwave, stove BATH: hair dryer, curling iron, electric toothbrush LIVING: TV, stereo, overhead light, lamps).
2. Students are asked to complete a chart covering 7 days of electric usage in 1 room at home. Name the room at the top of the chart, then make a list of all energy-using items in that room. Show whether item is plugged or unplugged during non-use, and an approximate amount of time the item is used each day for one 7-day period. Make one column for vampire devices.
3. Students ask their parents or grandparents which of these items were used and not used in the home when they were the student’s age. Students compare the differences and put P by items parents had and G by items grandparents had. Each compares differences and determine how home energy use has changed over time.
4. Students chart individual findings, and share this information with their Energy Team members.

Activity II. How Do You Measure Up?

1. A utility representative (such as a meter reader) will be invited to the classroom.
2. Students will learn how electricity and natural gas are measured in kilowatts and BTU/cubic feet.
3. Students will see a Watt-Rate Meter (which may be borrowed from utility) demonstration showing how much energy different appliances use.
4. A lesson on reading power meters will be done in class. Students will be given a handout to record the reading of their home meter everyday at the same time for one week.
5. Students will make a graph of the daily home meter readings.
6. Students will also learn how to read their home electric bill, and determine the amount of electricity used comparing the data and monthly graphs.
7. Students will chart and graph their findings, and share this information with their Energy Team members.

Activity III. How Can We Create an Energy Efficient Home?

1. The entire group will answer the question: Why should we care about energy efficiency? Put the answers in a list and post the list for all to see.
2. Within their Energy Teams, students will design a large poster of one room in a home.
3. The poster will include all of the items that this room may have, in normal circumstances, that use energy. Each finished poster will be displayed in poster-station of the classroom.
4. Within their Energy Teams, students will have 5 minutes to visit each poster-station, and brainstorm ways energy is possibly wasted. They list ways to reduce energy use and cost without major changes in lifestyle (such as sitting in the dark) in each particular room.
5. The team earns a Team Energy Saver Star point for each energy saving behavior or action listed.
6. These lists will then be presented to the entire class, and a classroom chart will be created.
7. The chart will be divided into two parts. One side will have a list of energy saving ideas, and the other side will show a list of how energy is wasted. (i.e. Energy Savers: turn off the television when you leave the room, Energy Wasters: stand in front of an open refrigerator looking for a snack.)
8. The chart is copied for each student for a take-home activity.

Activity IV. Are You an Energy Saver Star?

1. Students take home the Activity III lists of ways energy is wasted and how to save energy. They will share it with their family.
2. For one week, they write down each energy saving behavior, and receive Energy Saver Star points for their family.
3. The family will discuss how they could implement more saving energy ideas in their home to earn more points.
4. Students make a sign near each appliance and light switch for family members to record a point each time they perform an energy saving behavior (i.e.: turn off the light, TV, and computer when leaving the room).
5. The family will begin to implement some of these energy saving ideas. Each week the student will keep a list to see if their points have increased.
6. The checklist can be expanded to include energy saving ideas that do not directly use electricity in their home (i.e. recycling, buying food with less packaging).
7. Students will discuss the variables that might affect the different readings besides the human behavior impact of using energy more efficiently (i.e. weather, insulation, using compact fluorescent bulbs in highly used areas of the house).

Activity V: How Can Smart Buying Behavior Make you an Energy Saver Star?

1. Class creates a definition of term “hidden costs” of items and gives examples (i.e. remote-control car that requires batteries, coat that requires dry cleaning, clothes that require special detergent, autos that require oil changes and replacement tires, pools that require cleaning and chemicals, lamps that require bulbs, tennis racquet that needs restringing).
2. Which hidden costs in the examples are also normal maintenance? Which can be unusually costly?
3. Group narrows focus to examples of electrical products that have hidden costs. Introduce and explain the ENERGY STAR® label, sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE).
4. Display and discuss incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescent lights. If he visited us today, what would Thomas Edison likely say about the fact that his basic incandescent bulb technology changed very little and is still used in millions of homes today? (Note: the light is a mini-heater.) Group gets in Energy Teams to compare incandescent and compact fluorescent lights in design differences, price, cost to run (hidden cost), expected life-span, merits and drawbacks.
5. Energy Teams make a poster to illustrate the findings and give presentation to the class.
6. Ask class to list examples of places they would likely use incandescent light bulbs and places they would likely use compact fluorescent lights. Call on individuals to read lists and explain reasoning.
7. DEBATE: Have volunteers participate in a debate over which gets more energy savings: Human Behavior or Energy Efficient Products? (Once a panel has argued one side of the question, they must then re-debate supporting the other side of the question.)
   • Behavior Viewpoint: To get the most efficiency from electricity, we should we put the most time, money and effort into teaching energy efficiency behavior to people.
   • Product Viewpoint: To get the most efficiency from electricity, we should put the most time, money and effort into getting energy efficient products for people to buy.

Activity VI: How Can Energy Saver Stars Shine over the Region? (Advanced Level)

1. Students will create and defend their definition of the utility term "daily peak load demand hours." One student will be assigned to contact a local electric utility and verify the class definition is acceptable.
2. Students will brainstorm ways that increasing customer demand can be met, especially during peak load demand hours (e.g. build nuclear, oil or coal power plant, build dam, install wind turbines, install solar applications, use a demand exchange, gas turbines, use differential pricing, reward energy efficiency).
3. Energy Team members will then list the pros and cons, including environmental impacts, of each method of meeting demand that was mentioned during brainstorming. Each Team writes an environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for at least one technology.
4. Team members should list the community values to consider when deciding how to meet heavy load hours or predicted increases in load. Define costs and sustainability.
5. Each Energy Team decides its recommended priorities for the council and prepares a 5-minute presentation on their recommendations with reasoning.
6. The class and teacher rate each presentation based on effective visuals, persuasive speeches, community values, cost and sustainability.

Activity VII: Can Energy Saver Stars Travel to the Future: the Energy Web (Advanced Level)