Grade 6 Understanding Matter and Energy Financial Literacy

Transcription

1 RESOURCE How can I make wise spending decisions about electrical energy? Grade 6 Understanding Matter and Energy Financial Literacy This resource has been developed by the Science Teachers Association of Ontario / L Association des professeurs de sciences de l Ontario

2 STAO Writing Team Jeffrey Major, Science Department Head, Saunders Secondary School, Thames Valley District School Board Pam Sutherland, Winchester Street Public School, Thames Valley District School Board Reviewers Chuck Hammill, Instructional Resource Teacher, South Field Office, Peel District School Board Victoria Winchester, Russell Public School Corrine Brook-Allred, Pickering, Retired Care has been taken to trace the ownership of copyright material contained in this document. The writing team will be pleased to receive any information that will enable it to rectify any errors or omissions in subsequent editions. Please direct any information or inquiries to STAO at: STAO Membership Office Box 771 Dresden, Ontario, N0P 1M STAO/APSO ScienceWorks 2011 The material in this document shall not be copied nor reproduced beyond a classroom without the Permission of Science Teachers Association of Ontario/L Association des professeurs de sciences de l Ontario [STAO/APSO].

3 Table of Contents Pages How can I make wise spending decisions about heat? Introduction... 2 Lesson 1 - How can electrical energy be conserved?... 3 BLM 1.1 What We Know About Conserving Energy... 6 BLM 1.2 What are some of the things you think you know about energy conservation?... 7 BLM 1.3 Sources of Energy... 8 BLM Lesson 2 How can other forms of energy be transformed into electrical energy? BLM BLM 2.2 How Do Appliances Use Energy? BLM 2.3 Electrical Energy Used by Television Compare and Contrast BLM Lesson 3 What information is on a hydro bill? BLM 3.1 Sample Hydro Bill BLM 3.2 A Day in the Life Lesson 4 - Do all light bulbs use/transform electrical energy in the same way? BLM 4.1 Testing Light Bulbs for Energy Waste BLM 4.2 What types of bulbs are in your house? Lesson 5 - What does it cost to light your classroom? BLM 5.1 EnerAction Student Mission # BLM 5.2 EnerAction Student Mission # BLM 5.3 School Calculation Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

4 How can I make wise spending decisions about heat? Financial Literacy Introduction Making financial decisions has become an increasingly complex task in the modern world; people need knowledge in various areas and a wide range of skills in order to make informed decisions about financial matters. They need to be aware of risks that accompany various financial choices. They also need not only to develop an understanding of world economic forces, but also to become aware of ways in which they themselves can respond to those influences and make informed choices. It is, therefore, essential that financial literacy be considered an important attribute of a well-educated population so that Ontarians may continue to prosper in the future. In response to a recognized deficit in financial skills in our students, the Ministry of Education released Financial Literacy: Scope and Sequence of Expectations in Ministry of Education 2011 Knowledge and skills associated with financial literacy have always been important and are included in these lesson packages. The lesson packages are designed using an issues-based approach and provide supports for teachers to connect financial literacy education topics across the curriculum while teaching the science and technology expectations. The lesson packages embed the core content and competencies required for science and technology, and seamlessly fit STSE education and the skills of financial literacy. Each issue was chosen with an economic component at its core. For instance, in the grade 9 applied course, students are asked to explore the economics around replacing appliances in their homes. The lesson packages are written using an issues-based approach and roughly contain the following phases of lesson development: 1. Introduce the Issue 2. Determine Prior Knowledge 3. Engage Student Interest in the Topic 4. Build the Skills and Knowledge 5. Develop a Level of Concern 6. Take Action From a financial literacy standpoint, the lesson packages help you to introduce discussion about the effect of always wanting something new and how that impacts our ability to save and make wise financial decisions. The issues-based approach is aligned with the organization of the curriculum documents. Students will learn both science and financial concepts through the exploration of a relevant issue. The lessons make use of a variety of approaches to address the multiple learning needs of our students. At the end of the learning time, students will be expected to demonstrate their learning by taking action on the issue in ways that recognize student readiness and ability to affect their surroundings. Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 2

5 How can I make wise spending decisions about electrical energy? Financial Literacy Lesson 1 - How can electrical energy be conserved? Connections to Financial Literacy Throughout this lesson series, students will learn about electricity consumption and how to reduce their consumption at home and school, examine home hydro bills and explore the variations in cost and the factors that impact the cost of the bill, examine the use of electricity at school through the exploration of light use throughout the day, examine the cost savings of conservation using an online calculator to determine savings of money, KWH, and carbon when conservation strategies are utilized. Lesson 1 - How can electrical energy be conserved? Curriculum Expectations OE1. evaluate the impact of the use of electricity on both the way we live and the environment SE1.2 assess opportunities for reducing electricity consumption at home or at school that could affect the use of non-renewable resources in a positive way or reduce the impact of electricity generation on the environment SE2.6 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including current, battery, circuit, transform, static, electrostatic, and energy, in oral and written communication Understanding Matter and Energy Learning Goals At the end of this lesson, students will be able to a. identify and implement ways to reduce electricity consumption in the home and at school, b. understand that wasting energy also wastes money that could be spent by a family in other ways SE2.7 use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes (e.g., using scientific and technological conventions, create a labelled diagram showing the component parts of the device they created to transform electrical energy into another form of energy and perform a function) Readiness recognize that electricity is a form of energy recognize that we use energy to do work Terminology conservation electricity Instructional Components and Context Materials a large copy of the KLEW (see notes) chart (BLM 1.1) for use at the front of the class (alternatively use the chart in the Notebook file) small copies of the mind mapping organizer (BLM 1.2) for individual student use access to computer in classroom or lab with speakers in-class access to computer projector, or photocopier to print PDF internet access 3 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

6 Minds On Students will work in pairs and as a whole group to brainstorm ways to conserve electricity in their homes. Their responses can be recorded on a KLEW chart (see BLM #1.1). Spark their interest. 1. Introduce the topic to students by playing the video clips featuring David Suzuki explaining ways to make simple changes in our lives that will help us conserve energy. 2. Direct students to focus on ways of conserving energy that they see in the videos. Explain that they will have a chance to record their ideas after watching the video clips. The clips can be accessed from YouTube at: 1. Lightbulb Energy Saving Tips Penguins - Think - Pair - Share (self, partner, whole class) 3. Give students time to write down some of the things they think they know about energy conservation on their own. They canwrite or draw pictures of their mind map (BLM 1.2). 4. Pair students together and direct them to share their answers witheach other. They should take this opportunity to expand theirwritten responses. 5. Bring class back together as a whole group to share answers. Record responses in the Know column of your KLEW chart. Post the chart so the class can refer to the chart during the lesson series.wn choosing) for this initial activity: Notes: A KLEW chart is very similar to a KWL chart and the substitution may be made if necessary. The titles in the KLEW chart are K- What we think we know, L - What we have learned, E - What evidence we have, W - What we are still wondering. Students first list the things they think they know about the topic in the K column. As the lessons progress, they can confirm their knowledge in the L and E columns, by recording what they have learned to support their knowledge and what evidence they use when learning (e.g., we could learn by reading the Every Kilowatt Counts website) and the evidence is that what we thought we knew was listed as one of the 25 tips. At the end of this lesson series, students use the last column to list anything that they are still wondering. The questions they generate could lead to further investigations if time allows. Connections Assessment Analysis of the KLEW charts will provide information of what preconceptions students bring to the unit and help to identify gaps in their learning. Differentiation Group reading of text will allow all students to access the text. Pairing of students will allow students with written communication difficulties to copy from their partners. If students have difficulty identifying concepts from the video clips, then make use of the list of 25 electricity saving tips on the Every Kilowatt Counts website. Website: index.html click: what is electricity click: 25 electricity savings tips 25 Energy savings tips is a printable PDF. Read through the list of 25 tips and have students choose the 5 tips that they feel would be easiest for them to implement at home or school. Add these choices to your KLEW chart. Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 4

7 Action Description: Read article as a group and learn how various forms of energy can be turned into electricity. As a whole class, students will learn about how different kinds of energy can be transformed into electricity. Understanding where electricity comes from is important to develop an interest in why we should conserve the energy. You may also provide students with a printout of the PDF of the article which is available for download at the bottom of the online article instead of reading the article online using a data projector. Before Reading 1. Describe the various features of the article that will help students to find the main ideas in the article. For instance, students can make use of the subheadings to figure out what is important in the text or they might use the pictures to help figure out the main idea. During Reading 2. As a class, read and discuss the article. Teacher should complete a Read Aloud of the whole article. o As you read, focus on identifying the main ideas in the article. o Model the use of subheadings and topic sentences as ways of identifying what the paragraph is about. o You may want to highlight the main ideas (projected or on paper). o Encourage students to participate in the highlighting. Assessment Observe students as they work with the article and take note of strategies they are using to identify the main ideas. Review summary tables for completion of ideas. Differentiation Students may record answers in written form or in pictures. Students working in pairs can support each other s writing. The list of 25 energy savings tips in Every Kilowatt Counts can be printed for students who struggle with written communication. As an alternative to reading the article, use the flash movie to present the information. The text is broken up into small manageable chunks and supported with pictures and animations. Many students may find it easier to access the information in this format. The website is: ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/electricity.asp After Reading 3. Students pair up and complete the summary table. Students will work in pairs to record responses in point form. Share responses as a group to ensure completion of BLM 1.3. Consolidation Independent task Before you finish the lesson, have students write a text message to someone they know about how to conserve energy, or something important they have learned in this lesson. Make videos available for students to watch on their own time (allows for review of concepts). Assessment Collect the organizer and review student comments in order to assess the impact of the lesson. 1. Give each student a copy of the Smartphone Organizer (BLM 1.4). 2. Students should write their text message in the blank space on the screen of the Smartphone. 3. Collect each organizer and use them to assess student learning so far. 4. Y ou may want to post the organizers on a bulletin board in the room. Differentiation Rather than sending a text message, students could draw an image on the phone screen that represents ideas that they have learned so far. 5 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

8 K What We Think We Know What We Know About Conserving Energy L What We Learned E What Evidence We Have BLM 1.1 W What We Still Wonder Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 6

9 What are some of the things you think you know about energy conservation? BLM 1.2 Conserving Energy Write or draw one idea in each box on the mind map. 7 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

10 Sources of Energy BLM 1.3 Resource Renewable or Non- Renewable Energy Changes Involved Nuclear Non Nuclear reaction creates heat ª heat used to produce steam ª steam pushes against turbines ª turbines spin generated to produce electrical energy Coal Non Burning coal produces heat ª heat used to boil water and produce steam ªsteam pushes against turbines ª turbines spin generated to produce electrical energy Natural Gas Solar Non Renewable Burning the gas ª heat used to boil water and produce steam ª steam pushes against turbines ª turbine s spin generated to produce electrical energy, OR Burn gas directly in turbines ª gases turn blades Light converted to electricity by solar panel Or Heat of sun used to boil water and produce steam ª steam pushes against turbines ª turbines spin generated to produce electrical energy Wind Renewable Mechanical energy from the wind pushes on the blades of the turbines ª blades spin the generator to produce electricity Water Renewable Mechanical energy from the moving water pushes on the blades of the turbine ª the blades spin the generator to produce electricity Geo Thermal Renewable Underground sources of thermal energy boil water to produce steam ª steam spins the turbines ª turn a generator to produce electrical energy Biomass Renewable Burning waste produces heat ª heat is used to boil water and produce steam ªsteam pushes against turbines ª turbines spin generated to produce electrical energy Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 8

11 Sources of Energy BLM 1.3 Resource Renewable or Non- Renewable Energy Changes Involved Nuclear Coal Natural Gas Solar Wind Water Geo Thermal Biomass 9 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

12 BLM 1.4 BLM 1.4 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 10

13 How can I make wise spending decisions about electrical energy? Financial Literacy Lesson 2 - How can other forms of energy be transformed into electrical energy? Connections to Financial Literacy Throughout this three part lesson series, students will learn about electricity consumption and how to reduce their consumption at home and school, examine home hydro bills and explore the variations in cost and the factors that impact the cost of the bill, examine the use of electricity at school through the exploration of light use throughout the day, examine the cost savings of conservation using an online calculator to determine savings of money, KWH, and carbon when conservation strategies are utilized. Understanding Matter Lesson 2: How can other forms of energy be transformed into electrical energy? and Energy Curriculum Expectations Learning Goals SE1.2 assess opportunities for reducing electricity consumption at home or at school that could affect the use of non-renewable resources in a positive way or reduce the impact of electricity generation on the environment SE3.4 describe how various forms of energy can be transformed into electrical energy (e.g., batteries use chemical energy; hydroelectric plants use water power; nuclear generating stations use nuclear energy; wind turbines use wind power; solar panels use energy from the sun; wave power stations use energy from ocean waves) SE2.6 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including current, battery, circuit, transform, static, electrostatic, and energy, in oral and written communication SE2.7 use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes (e.g., using scientific and technological conventions, create a labelled diagram showing the component parts of the device they created to transform electrical energy into another form of energy and perform a function) At the end of this lesson, students will know, understand a. how various energy forms can be transformed into electricity. Readiness recognize basic forms of energy (e.g., light, sound, mechanical) understand that energy can be changed from one form to another by a device Terminology hydroelectric chemical energy transform turbines Instructional Components and Context Materials appliance cards (BLM 2.1) energy use table (BLM 2.2) television power ratings (BLM 2.3) power use in the past (BLM 2.4) 11 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

14 Minds On Students will work in small groups to sort a group of appliances from biggest power user to least power user. 1. Arrange students in groups of Provide each group with a copy of the appliance cards (BLM 2.1). Each card has a picture of an appliance on the front and the power rating on the back. 3. Ask students to spread the cards picture side up on the desk. Instruct them not to look at the numbers until after they are done the sorting task. 4. The cards should be sorted from smallest to biggest energy user based on their previous knowledge. 5. Before giving out the correct answer, ask students to explain some of their choices. (e.g., Why do you think that the hair dryer uses the most energy?). Hearing some of their thinking provides crucial information about student understanding. 6. Pass out an answer card so that students can check their answers. Connections Assessment Observe how students are arranging the cards. What factors are they considering during the sorting activity? Once sorted, what errors did they make? Differentiation Action! What is a Watt? Assessment 1. The term Watt is not a required vocabulary term in the expectations. You can avoid its usage, if necessary, by simply discussing the amount of energy the different devices use when they function. If you choose to define the term, students can draw on the previous activity to define what the term Watt means. Below are a few possible answers. Choose the one that works best for your class or combine the ideas to make your own. A watt is a measurement of total electrical power. Volts x amps = watts. A watt is a measure of power or the rate of energy consumption by an electrical device when it is in operation. Watts is the measurement of the amount of electrical power drawn by the load. A watt is a measure of electricity. What happens to all the electrical energy that runs an appliance? Only some of the electrical energy used by an appliance is used for its intended purpose. The rest of the energy is wasted when it is transformed into unwanted forms of energy. For instance, a hair dryer uses electricity to produce heat to dry our hair, but a lot of the electrical energy is turned into sound rather than heat. The energy that goes into making sound is wasted making the appliance less efficient. 1. Ask students to explore the electrical appliances in their world to see how electrical energy is transformed. How is the electrical energy intended to be used? How is energy wasted? Complete the table found in BLM 2.2. If the number of cards makes the activity too difficult, have students only use the pictures of cards for items that they use in their homes. Have them sort this reduced number of cards. Students should be able to talk about the various ways electrical energy is transformed by a device. Be sure that they distinguish between the intended use of the electrical energy and the other forms of energy that are created as waste. Differentiation If analysis of the BLM 2.2 is too difficult for students, you could discuss the difference between old and new appliances and devices. Newer devices convert more of the energy into the intended form and convert less of the electrical energy into forms that are wasted. You might take a poll of students to see how many have that old fridge hiding in the basement. Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 12

15 Action (continued) You could do this in two ways: a. Students can take the observation table home and use appliances they have around the house. b. Use the Appliance cards from the first activity (BLM 2.1) and ask students to reflect on any of the appliances from memory. Is the same appliance made by different manufacturers more efficient? 2. Manufacturers often include a power rating on many of the devices we use in our homes. You can use these labels to compare how much power a device uses. You can also use the labels to compare two similar devices and determine which device uses less energy - or is more efficient. Consolidation The power ratings for a number of 32 LCD televisions are presented in BLM 2.3. Students can analyze this data and compare similar appliances to see which one uses the most power. Analysis questions are included on the BLM to help students work through the data. Keep in mind that while the television with the lowest power rating would be the cheapest to operate, there may be other factors that impact the buyer s choice. (e.g., depending on the ambient light in the room, a brighter picture on the television might be required and would need more power to operate) Watts Happened in the Past? Assessment Most families today use more energy for their daily activities than we did in the past. In this writing activity, students will complete a compare and contrast organizer (BLM 2.4) by reflecting on how we used energy in the past and how we use energy today. (e.g., played board games in the past, play computer games today). Once students have completed the organizer, ask them to write a compare and contrast paragraph. Completion of the compare and contrast organizer allows students to demonstrate their ability to analyze the features of a concept. Writing the compare and contrast paragraph provides an opportunity to develop student writing skills. Ask students to comment on how these changes have affected society. How has it affected what it costs to run a household? Differentiation Develop the ideas in the graphic organizer as a whole class then produce the paragraph as a shared writing activity. 13 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

16 BLM Watts 1150 Watts 200 Watts 500 Watts Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 14

17 BLM 2.1 Toaster Hairdryer Refrigerator Computer (desktop) 15 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

18 BLM Watts 1000 Watts 5000 Watts 500 Watts Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 16

19 BLM 2.1 Microwave CD Player Washing Machine Clothes Dryer 17 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

20 BLM Watts 30 Watts 2000 Watts 1050 Watts Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 18

21 BLM 2.1 Stereo Television Air Conditioner Dishwasher 19 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

22 BLM Watts 50 Watts Energy Card 750 Watts Appliance Hairdryer Toaster Refrigerator Computer (desktop) CD Player Microwave Washing Machine Clothes Dryer (electric) Stereo Air Conditioner (window) Television Dishwasher Computer (laptop) Furnace Fan Average Wattage Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 20

23 BLM 2.1 Laptop Computer Fan Energy Card Answer Key Energy Card Answer Key Average Appliance Average Appliance Hairdryer 1000 Toaster 1050 Refrigerator 5600 Refrigerator 500 Computer (desktop) 200 Computer (desktop) 200 CD Player 22 CD Player 22 Microwave 1000 Washing Machine 500 Washing Machine 500 Clothes Dryer (electric) 5000 Stereo 30 Stereo 30 Air Conditioner (window) 1050 Television 80 Television 80 Dishwasher 2000 Computer (laptop) 50 Computer (laptop) 50 Furnace 750 Wattage Wattage Hairdryer 1000 Toaster 1150 Microwave 1000 Clothes Dryer (electric) 5000 Air Conditioner (window) 1050 Dishwasher 2000 Furnace 750 Fan 115 Fan 115 Furnace 21 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

24 Name: Date: BLM 2.2 How Do Appliances Use Energy? Appliance Electricity Transformed to Electricity Wasted as Toaster thermal energy (heat) light (the elements glow red) Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 22

25 Electrical Energy Used by Television BLM 2.3 The information in the table tells us how much energy different televisions use when the device is turned on. The numbers in the last two columns (Watts, and kwh/year) are measurements of how much energy is being used. Bigger numbers mean the television uses more energy to do the same job. Toshiba Brand Name ViewSonic Sony Sharp Sanyo Samsung Philips Panasonic LG Dynex Insignia Product Type Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Television (TV) Screen Type Screen Size (inches) On Mode Power (watts) Estimated Annual Energy Consumption (kwh/year) LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD Think About It! 1. Why is the amount of electrical energy needed to operate a television an important factor for a consumer? 2. How could you use this information to help your family save money if they were going to purchase a new television? 23 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

26 Compare and Contrast A compare and contrast paragraph is organized on the basis of the similarities and differences between two objects or concepts. Students are often asked to compare two different things (ex., plants vs. animals) as a way of demonstrating their level of understanding. A graphic organizer is a tool that can help students organize their thoughts before they begin writing. In addition to the graphic organizer, students should also be provided with key words that can be used to link their ideas together when they write. Step 1 Modeling 1. Start with a comparison that is easy for all students to complete. We want to stress the features of the form, not the content (ex., skate boards and bicycles). 2. Start with a blank organizer (overhead or poster) and describe the areas of thegraphic organizer to the students. 3. Give students 1 minute to think about how the objects are similar or different. How Alike? How Different? With Regard To 4. Using student responses, fill in the organizer. 5. Using the key words provided, write a paragraph, as a class, that compares a skateboard to a bicycle. KEY WORDS different from same as alike unlike similar to resembles on the other hand by contrast but both like yet while although similarly however whereas instead Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 24

27 Ex., Compare and Contrast of a Skateboard with a Bicycle Skateboards and bikes are alike because they both have wheels and are used for transportation. Bikes have two wheels whereas skateboards have four wheels. When you ride a skateboard, you stand on your feet, but when you ride a bicycle you sit on a seat. Skateboards are different from bikes in the way that you steer. Bikes have handle bars while skateboards are steered by shifting your weight from side to side. Both bikes and skateboards are fun to ride. Step 2 Guided Practice 1. As part of a future lesson, select another pair of objects or concepts that students could easily compare. Your choice this time need not be arbitrary, but could come from course material. 2. Organize students into pairs or small groups. Provide each group with a blank graphic organizer. 3. Students should first think of answers on their own, then work with their group to complete the graphic organizer. 4. The group should write a paragraph that explains the differences and similarities between the two objects four wheels Skateboard push on ground with feet shift your weight How Alike? Bicycle Both have wheels Both are types of transportation Both are fun to ride How Different? With Regard To Number of Wheels How you make then move How you steer them two wheels push on the petals turn the handle bars Step 3 Independent Practice 1. Require students to use the compare and contrast organizer as part of their prewriting strategies for projects and assignments they are doing on their own. A completed graphic organizer could even form part of the assessment or evaluation for the assignment. 25 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

28 BLM 2.4 How Alike? How Different? With Regard To Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 26

29 Activities in the Past Activities Now How Alike? Have devices that use electricity Need to wash our clothes and get work done around the house Like to play games How Different? board games or cards hang clothes on line sink and soapy water With Regard To Playing Games Drying Clothes Washing Dishes computer games put clothes in a dryer automatic dishwasher 27 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

30 How can I make wise spending decisions about electrical energy? Financial Literacy Lesson 3 - What information is on a hydro bill? Throughout this five part lesson series, students will learn about electricity consumption and how to reduce their consumption at home and school, examine home hydro bills and explore the variations in cost and the factors that impact the cost of the bill, examine the use of electricity at school through the exploration of light use throughout the day, examine the cost savings of conservation using an online calculator to determine savings of money, KWH, and carbon when conservation strategies are utilized. Lesson 3: What Information is on a Hydro Bill? Curriculum Expectations SE1.2 assess opportunities for reducing electricity consumption at home or at school that could affect the use of non-renewable resources in a positive way or reduce the impact of electricity generation on the environment OE1 evaluate the impact of the use of electricity on both the way we live and the environment Understanding Matter and Energy Students will: Learning Goals a. define and understand units of electricity (kilowatt), b. read and understand home electricity bills, c. understand how behaviour, environment, and choices impact the cost of hydro bills. Readiness/Prior Knowledge conservation results in less consumption ideas of how to conserve electricity Terminology conservation electricity kilowatt Instructional Components and Context Materials BLM for each student or projection ability computer lab access to complete questionnaire Minds On Description Summary Connections Students will complete an on-line questionnaire evaluating their use of electricity at home, based on their habits. Students will then examine a sample hydro bill to increase their general knowledge about hydro bills and assess factors that impact the hydro use and resulting cost within a household. What is my Electric Personality? 1. Students complete this on-line quiz to see how much electricity they conserve at home (based on their habits). Click on What s my Electric Personality. Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 28

31 Action Group Task 2. Provide students with a copy of the sample hydro bill (BLM 3.1). 3. As a group, examine the different elements of the hydro bill. Meter Information: Inform students that a meter reading is done on the building s meter to determine how much electricity the building has used. The usage determines the cost of the hydro bill. Determine the usage for this home. Billing Summary box: Discuss the important elements within this box (previous balance, current amount due, interest charges for late payment). Your Electricity Charges: This bill is for the month of May. There are three separate billing costs (Summer Block 1, Summer Block 2, and Winter Block 1). The blocks are based on the seasons. The cost or rate applied to hydro usage during the winter block is less than both summer blocks. This hydro bill runs between the end of the winter block and the beginning of the summer block. Make note of the differing costs of the electricity and then calculate the cost of hydro if all calculations were based on one block only (i.e., cents). Explore the differences between the blocks. Discuss why the Hydro Company would have differing rates for different seasons. Link the discussion of the new Smart Meter programme and how it impacts the cost of hydro (encourages use of electricity during off-peak times which will reduce the cost of hydro to the consumer). Typical time of use: off-peak: 7:00pm 7:00am, mid-peak: 7:00am 11:00am, and 5:00pm 7:00pm, peak: 11:00am 5:00pm. Electricity and Water Usage History: Examine the average daily Electric Use (kwh) and discuss various elements that impact the usage on the hydro bills, including: time of year, season, temperature, appliance usage, holidays, working at home, size of house, size of family). Have students determine the months where the most electricity was used (Nov-Feb and July) to show the impact of cold and hot weather on the cost of electricity. Consolidation 4. Using BLM 3.2, students will read through two scenarios. The scenarios present two different families and their use of electricity during the day. When examining the use of electricity, students should take into account the time of use rates as the family in scenario one uses more electricity as compared to the family in scenario two, but they also use more during peak hours, which will result in a higher cost on the hydro bill. 5. Students will identify the behaviours that are costing the family money. They will also identify the times at which consumption is occurring and relate the times to the time of use graph. 29 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

32 Sample Hydro Bill BLM CUSTOMER NAME STREET ADDRESS Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 30

33 BLM 3.2 A Day in the Life Read each scenario and identify which behaviours are costing the family money and which behaviours are saving the family money. Be sure to refer to the time of use rate graph to evaluate the cost of electricity. Which family has the higher hydro bill? Scenario 1 Mr. Stay is a stay-at-home dad with 4 children. He works hard during the day to clean the house and get the chores complete before the children come home from school and his wife returns from work. Once everyone leaves for the day, he turns on the TV and watches his favourite morning show. He also starts the laundry. Mr. Stay likes to use hot water to clean his family s clothing. He runs the washing machine and dryer for the entire morning. Activities Lowest Cost per kwh Moderate Cost per kwh After lunch, Mr. Stay sits down and watches an afternoon programme. He has had the television on all day to keep him company. He then makes cookies and begins to clean the house. He vacuums all the floors. He turns the air conditioning down because he is hot. He begins dinner once the children come home from school. The whole family goes to watch a soccer game after dinner. Highest Cost per kwh lowest cost per kwh moderate cost per kwh highest cost per kwh 31 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

34 BLM 3.2 Scenario 2 Mrs. Go works outside the home. She rushes around each morning to help her 4 children get to school on time. Before she heads off to work, she makes sure the air conditioning is turned down because no one will be home during the day. At 5:00pm, Mrs. Stay returns home to greet the children and her husband, and starts dinner. She makes dinner and does one load of laundry after 7:00. When the washing machine is done, she hangs the clothes on the clothes line to dry. Activities Lowest Cost per kwh Moderate Cost per kwh The oldest child vacuums the house after dinner while Mrs. Stay makes cookies just before she goes to bed. The children watch television after dinner until bed time. Highest Cost per kwh lowest cost per kwh moderate cost per kwh highest cost per kwh Financial Literacy Lesson Planning 32

35 How can I make wise spending decisions about electrical energy? Financial Literacy Lesson 4 - Do all light bulbs use/transform electrical energy in the same way? Describe the financial literacy knowledge and skills which will be addressed and assessed in this lesson. Financial literacy knowledge and skills could include, but are not limited to: consumer protection and consumer awareness, personal financial planning, such as budgeting, saving, and investing, social, ethical, and environmental implications of financial decisions, active citizenship, planning for the future. Lesson 4: Do all light bulbs use/transform electrical energy in the same way? Curriculum Expectations SE2.1 follow established safety procedures for working with electricity (e.g., ensure hands are completely dry when working with electricity; be aware of electrical hazards at home, at school, and in the community) SE2.6 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including current, battery, circuit, transform, static, electrostatic, and energy, in oral and written communication SE3.5 identify ways in which electrical energy is transformed into other forms of energy (e.g., electrical energy is transformed into heat energy in a toaster, light and sound energy in a television, mechanical energy in a blender) Readiness understand that light bulbs transform electrical energy into heat and light that it costs money to power a light bulb Vocabulary compact fluorescent thermal energy Instructional Components and Context Materials incandescent bulb compact fluorescent bulb cardboard box desk lamp thermometer access to internet and data projector Blackline master 4.1 Testing Lamps Blackline master 4.2 bulbs at home Understanding Matter and Energy Learning Goals At the end of this lesson, students will know and/or understand... a. that light bulbs transform electrical energy into light and heat, b. that bulbs that produce more thermal energy are less efficient and cost more to use, c. that changing to a more efficient bulb can save a family money. 33 Financial Literacy Lesson Planning

36 Minds On Lights, Camera, Action! 1. Use the two video clips (see links) to introduce the idea that changing incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs can save money. An understanding of how different types of bulbs transform energy is important to help students understand that changing the type of light bulbs we use is one way of saving money and conserving energy. Connections Assessment Differentiation a. Use the David Suzuki Tips video to explore a wide range of energy savings ideas with students. b. Use the EcoGeek video to explain the properties of the different types of light bulbs available for us to use. This video will lead into the final conservation activity found in lesson 5. Action! How do different light bulbs use energy? All light bulbs transform energy into light, but depending on the bulb, a certain amount of thermal energy (heat) is also produced. The next task is designed to illustrate how much thermal energy is produced when an incandescent bulb and a compact fluorescent bulb are lit for 15 minutes. Assessment Differentiation 2. Explain to students that light bulbs transform electrical energy into light and heat. The energy that is transformed into heat is basically wasted energy. Their task is to measure how much thermal energy is released from two types of bulbs. We can compare the amount of thermal energy by measuring the temperature change of trapped air in an insulated box. Use the activity Testing Light Bulbs for Energy Waste (BLM 4.1) to gather the information necessary. Consolidation What types of bulbs are in your house? Assessment 3. Ask students to go home and count the number of incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs they have in their homes. Use BLM 4.2 to collect data about the types of light bulbs in students homes. 4. How could you save money on your family s energy costs by changing the way you light your house? Differentiation Financial Literacy Lesson 34

37 Testing Light Bulbs for Energy Waste BLM 4.1 Testable Question Which light bulb will waste the most energy? Materials Procedure Analysis Conclusion Cardboard box (big enough to safely hold lamp) Small desk lamp Thermometer Incandescent bulb Compact fluorescent bulb (equivalent brightness to incandescent) 1. Put an incandescent bulb into the desk lamp. 2. Cover the desk lamp with the box. Be careful that the box not touch the lamp. 3. Take the temperature of the air in the box before turning on the lamp. 4. Record the temperature in your observation chart. 5. Turn on the lamp for 15 minutes. 6. Take the temperature of the air inside the box. 7. Record the temperature in the observation chart. 8. Turn off the lamp and allow the air in the box to cool back to room temperature before proceeding. 9. Repeat Steps #1 7 using a compact fluorescent bulb. a. Calculate the change in temperature for each lamp by subtracting the final temperature from the initial temperature. b. Which lamp produced the greatest change in temperature inside the box? c. What caused the change in temperature in the box? d. Based on your observations which lamp do you think wasted the most energy? 35 Financial Literacy Lesson

38 What types of bulbs are in your house? BLM 4.2 Go home and count the number of incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs you have in your home. # of light bulbs # of light bulbs Compact fluorescent bulbs use about 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last at least 6 times longer. Unlike incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs require special handling once they burn out because they contain hazardous chemicals, like mercury. What do you think? 1. Which type of light bulb do you have more of in the place that you live? 2. What could you do if you wanted to save money on your family s electrical costs? 3. Are there any reasons not to switch to compact fluorescent bulbs in your home? Financial Literacy Lesson 36

39 How can I make wise spending decisions about electrical energy? Financial Literacy Lesson 5 -What does it cost to light your classroom? Connections to Financial Literacy Throughout this five part lesson series, students will learn about electricity consumption and how to reduce their consumption at home and school, examine home hydro bills and explore the variations in cost and the factors that impact the cost of the bill, examine the use of electricity at school through the exploration of light use throughout the day, examine the cost savings of conservation using an online calculator to determine savings of money, KWH, and carbon when conservation strategies are utilized. Lesson 5: What does it cost to light your classroom? Curriculum Expectations OE1. evaluate the impact of the use of electricity on both the way we live and the environment SE1.2 assess opportunities for reducing electricity consumption at home or at school that could affect the use of non-renewable resources in a positive way or reduce the impact of electricity generation on the environment SE3.5 identify ways in which electrical energy is transformed into other forms of energy (e.g., electrical energy is transformed into heat energy in a toaster, light and sound energy in a television, mechanical energy in a blender) SE3.8 describe ways in which the use of electricity by society, including the amount of electrical energy used, has changed over time (e.g., drying clothes in a dryer instead of using a clothesline; playing video games instead of playing board games; using electric lights instead of candles) Understanding Matter and Energy Learning Goals Students will: a. calculate the cost of lighting a classroom/ school using variables, such as type of light bulb, duration of use, number of lights utilized, b. gain an understanding that using energy efficient lighting and reducing the amount of time that lights are utilized will save energy, c. develop an understanding that use of a device impacts consumption of electricity and energy costs. Readiness saving energy often means saving money the amount of electricity consumed will increase or decrease cost of hydro bill Terminology conservation Instructional Components and Context Materials computer lab access for class photocopies of BLM 37 Financial Literacy Lesson

40 Minds On Students will watch a video to set the stage for learning. Then students will use the website to explore the cost of lighting a classroom/school and the impact of implementing electricity savings measures on the total cost of the school s hydro bill. Follow the website prompts so that students can follow the instructions on the website to calculate the cost of using all the lights in their classroom for the entire day. After calculating the base cost, students are given the opportunity to suggest changes to how they use the classroom lights during the day. For example, they can modify how long they use the lights, the type of bulb used, and how many lights are utilized. Students will use BLM 5.1 recording sheet to record the cost of the lighting plan that is calculated based on the choices they make. Introduction to Changing Light Bulbs 1. Use the Tree House Commercial to set the stage for students taking action with conservation. Calculating the Cost of Lighting the Classroom 2. Students will access 3. Select Lessons and Activities from tool bar. 4. Select: EnerAction conservation activities. 5. Select the large orange button on the right hand side labeled EnerAction Student Energy Missions. 6. As a group, begin the on-line activity ( Let s get started ). 7. Explore the character icons at the top, including GHS s?, Watts?, and Why Lights?, Then click on Let s Go!. 8. Click Let s Go! and then read Your Mission. 9. Begin using the online conservation calculator and guide students through each step. 10. Students are expected to complete BLM 5.1 which records the data from their calculator. 11. ** It will be important to pre-determine the type of light bulbs in the classroom. (ie., fluorescent bulbs are either old type at 40 watts or new retrofitted type at 28 watts). Action! Checking on Other Classrooms 1. The students in the class will be assigned a specific classroom in the school to study. 2. Students will calculate the cost of lighting the assigned classroom. They will also calculate the cost of electricity if only half the lights were used each day. 3. Students must record their data using BLM 5.2 and complete a list of ideas about how to reduce their consumption of electricity at school (including: type of bulbs, number of bulbs in classroom, duration they were turned on). Note: there are different types of fluorescent bulbs which use different watts. 4. Students will insert their data into a BLM 5.3 School Calculation Chart to determine savings for the whole school if only half the lights were utilized on a daily basis Consolidation Persuasive Letter Writing Campaign: 1. Given the data we collected, think of one or two solutions that might help us use less electricity. Using specific data and environmental factors, write a persuasive letter to the principal that might allow your class to implement change and, as a result, use less electricity within the school environment. Financial Literacy Lesson 38

41 Name: Date : BLM 5.1 EnerAction Student Mission #1 As you analyze your classroom lighting, record the choices you select as you progress through the website. Record your original choices and then record the changes you selected to conserve electricity. Original Choices Now Conservation Choices What if Watts Bulb type Hours used GHGs Watts Bulb type Hours used GHGs Cost $ Cost $ kwh (per week) kwh (per week) Comments 39 Financial Literacy Lesson

42 Name: Date : BLM 5.2 EnerAction Student Mission #2 Make a list of the different things you could do at school to reduce the electricity consumption. Classroom Number: Using the EnerAction Calculator, calculate the cost of lighting the assigned classroom. Then calculate the cost of electricity if only half the lights were used each day. Original Choices Now Calculations using ½ the lights What if Watts Bulb type Hours used GHGs Watts Bulb type Hours used GHGs Cost $ Cost $ kwh (per week) kwh (per week) Comments Financial Literacy Lesson 40

43 Name: Date : BLM 5.3 School Calculation Students will insert their data from the EnerAction Mission #2 (BLM 5.2) into the School Calculation to determine savings for the whole school if only half the lights were utilized on a daily basis. Classroom Number Original Cost using all the lights Cost using ½ the lights 41 Financial Literacy Lesson