Class Details
3 Hours
4th Grade to Adult
easy
How can my energy home-use choices decrease pollution?
In this class, students explore how to make decisions about consuming energy in their homes. From there, activities are focused on what choices we have to reduce our energy footprints and some reasons students might care. The class explores what sectors in the US consume the most power, followed by what activities in the average US home consume the most power. Students learn how to decide what they need vs want to buy, conserve energy, and choose energy-efficient appliances. At the end of class, students are challenged to reduce their footprints.
This is a very activity-oriented class that is almost entirely indoors.
Concepts
- Energy use in the home can be reduced by considering: the efficiency of the machine, conservation techniques, needs versus wants, and the source of the energy.
- Our home’s structure and contents can affect the energy we consume and pollution we produce when burning fossil fuels.
- The more energy we consume, the more CO2 pollution we produce.
- Living and working in buildings represents the largest percentage of energy consumption in the United States of America.
- Humans have a great ability to alter natural systems and a responsibility to consider the effects of our actions.
Outcomes
- Describe the hierarchy of choices necessary to reduce their energy footprint.
- Examine personal energy choices and how they are connected to climate change.
- Air movement through and around windows and doors can represent large energy loss.
- Learn about options for changing energy consumption behavior and using less energy.
- Test common household appliances and determine efficiency.