The purposes of this activity are to help middle school students understand the carbon cycle and realize how human activities affect the carbon cycle. This activity consists of two parts. The first part of the activity focuses on the carbon cycle, especially before the Industrial Revolution, while the second part of the activity focuses on how…

The standard for measuring fuel efficiency in the U.S. has been miles per gallon (mpg). However, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) switch in rating fuel efficiency from miles per gallon to gallons per hundred miles with the 2013 model-year cars leads to interesting and relevant mathematics with real-world connections. By modeling…

As the United States strives to achieve energy independence, students need to be literate about energy and environmental issues. In this article, the authors present a lesson about the nation's electricity resources that is part 1 of a free, comprehensive unit on coal and energy that is available online (http://tinyurl.com/coalenergyunit). The…

Transportation can simply be defined as the movement of goods, services, and people from one location to another. Without an efficient means to transport goods from place to place, the economy would be nothing like it is today. Throughout the history of the United States, American railroads have paved the way toward creating a nation of great…

Most high school students are at an age when they are learning to drive. They often want to offer input when their parents decide on what vehicle to purchase, so the activity described in this article should have direct personal interest for them. It allows students to use technology and mathematics to determine the environmental impacts of…

Presents an activity that allows students to apply problem-solving skills and chemical principles to calculate the cost for converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to propane. (Author/ASK)

A survey of adults that shows considerable misunderstanding of two major ideas--that there is no energy in fuels and burning involves two stages--is discussed. Proposed are fundamental changes in the way ideas about burning are introduced to children. (KR)

Prepared by energy experts and educators to introduce middle school and high school students to natural gas and its role in our society, this kit is designed to be incorporated into existing science and social studies curricula. The materials and activities focus on the origin, discovery, production, delivery, and use of natural gas. The role of…

Four energy conservation concept areas are developed in this unit: (1) energy resources are many and varied and have evolved over a long period of history; (2) as much as 30 to 50 percent of the energy in the United States is wasted; (3) homes, offices, and schools account for 24 percent of total energy consumption and savings can be made through…

When the fossil fuels unit was first designed for Science 101 (the currently approved provincial guide for grade 10 science in Manitoba), Canadian support materials were very limited. Since students are asked to interpret data concerning energy consumption and sources for certain fossil fuels, the need for appropriate Canadian data became obvious.…

Outlines a project in which the students calculate their family's energy budget. Presents efficiency guidelines for various appliances that convert to heat or kinetic energy. (GS)

Reviews techniques for energy conservation in the home. (SL)

The purpose of this handbook is to present information about energy and to translate this information into learning activities for children. Chapter 1, "Energy: A Delicate Dilemma," presents activities intended to provide an introduction to energy and energy usage. Chapter 2, "What are the Sources of Energy?" provides…

Photographs of snow covered buildings are used to illustrate thermal radiation from various types of structures and the effect of insulation on heat loss. (CP)

Describes a project for sixth-grade science class students designed to encourage them to save energy at home, and to calculate the savings on their monthly bill. (GA)