Using Our Energy Resources Wisely A Teaching Guide for Grade 4

Transcription

1 Using Our Energy Resources Wisely A Teaching Guide for Grade 4

2 For ward The purpose of this Teacher s Guide is to increase students understanding of natural gas and electricity resources. Each lesson is designed to build on the previous; first introducing students to what natural gas and electricity are, where they come from, and then understanding how they are used in their school. Next, students come up with actions to use natural gas and electricity wisely in their school. This guide is a stand alone resource as it meets curriculum objectives in Social Studies, Science and Mathematics. It can also be used to introduce or reinforce concepts learned on the Energy Education Mobile.

3 Table of Contents Activity 1 NATURAL GAS Lesson 1 Introducing Natural Gas page 1 Lesson 2 Learning about Natural Gas page 2 Activity 2 ELECTRICITY Lesson 3 Introducing Electricity page 3 Lesson 4 Learning about Electricity page 3 Activity 3 NATURAL GAS CALCULATION SHEET Lesson 5 Calculating Natural Gas Usage and Cost page 7 Lesson 6 Class Discussion and Sample Questions page 8 Activity 4 RECOGNIZING NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY Lesson 7 Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity page 9 Activity 5 DEVELOPING A SCHOOL ACTION PLAN Lesson 8 Learning about Actions to Reduce Energy Use page 11 Student Worksheets: Appendix A: Worksheet : What I Know Appendix B: Alberta s Electricity Mix Pie Chart Appendix C: Natural Gas Calculation Worksheet Appendix D: Monthly Natural Gas Usage Bar Graph Appendix E: Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity Appendix F: School Actions to Reduce Energy Appendix G: Natural Gas and Electricity in your Home Teacher Worksheets: Appendix H: Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity Appendix I: Suggested Actions to Reduce Natural Gas and Electricity Appendix J: Energy Efficiency Information Appendix K: ANSWER SHEET: Natural Gas and Electricity in your Home

4 Activity 1 NATURAL GAS Time Required: 20 minutes Introduction The purpose of the following section is for students to gain an understanding about the predominant home heating resource used in Alberta. This activity meets curriculum connections in Grade 4 Social Studies as indicated below. Curriculum Connections Social Studies 4.1 Alberta: A Sense of the Land General Outcome Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how elements of physical geography, climate, geology and paleontology are integral to the landscapes and environment of Alberta (Alberta Education, Social Studies 3). - Values and Attitudes Students will: value Alberta s physical geography and natural environment (Alberta Education, Social Studies 3). demonstrate care and concern for the environment through choices and actions (Alberta Education, Social Studies 3). - Knowledge and Understanding Students will: examine cr the following questions and issues (Alberta Education, Social Studies 3). What are natural resources in Alberta, and where are they located (e.g. mineral deposits, coal, natural gas and oil, forests) (Alberta Education, Social Studies 3) analyze ho upon the following questions and issues (Alberta Education, Social Studies 4) How are natural resources used by Albertans (i.e., agriculture, oil and natural gas, forests, coal) (Alberta Education, Social Studies 4) How do Albertans deal with competing demands on land use (e.g., conservation, solar, and wind power, recreation, agriculture, oil exploration, forestry) (Alberta Education, Social Studies 4). Lesson 1 INTRODUCING NATURAL GAS Suggested time: 10 minutes Instructions Ask students questions, such as those questions shown on the next page, to assess their prior knowledge about natural gas. You may want to use a KWL chart, the What I Know Worksheet (see appendix A) or start a vocabulary wall for unfamiliar words related to energy. For the vocabulary wall words (such as natural gas ), have students draw a picture to show what the word means to them. 1

5 Assessing Prior Knowledge About Natural Gas: Sample Questions Has anyone heard of natural gas? What can you tell me about natural gas? Does anyone know how their home is heated? (This question may be used if students are having difficulty answering the first two questions) Where does natural gas come from? Can you give me some examples, besides heating your home, of how natural gas might be used? What items and/or equipment use natural gas in our school? Furnace Lesson 2 LEARNING ABOUT NATURAL GAS Suggested time: 10 minutes Instructions Have a class discussion about natural gas using the information found in the paragraphs below. See attached picture cards at the end of this guide for use in this activity. Where Natural Gas Comes From Natural gas is found deep inside the earth. When dinosaurs and plants died, layers of rock and dirt covered the remains, forming fossils. After many years, heat and pressure turned these layers of fossils into natural gas, oil, propane and coal. There are many fossil fuels found throughout Alberta. How Natural Gas is Transported It takes big drills to dig deep into the earth, where rocks hold the gas like a sponge. Then, huge pumps bring the natural gas out of the ground to a processing plant. The gas then travels through many kilometres of giant pipelines, called transmission pipelines, across mountains, rivers and forests to a gate station in your city or town. After that, the gas travels through smaller pipes called distribution pipes under streets and yards to get to your house and furnace. A stink like rotten eggs or skunk is added to the gas so that we can smell it in case of a leak a very important safety feature! A safety feature is needed because natural gas is highly flammable. How Natural Gas is Used The most common uses of natural gas are for heating and for generating electricity. Natural gas can also be used to fuel vehicles. How Natural Gas is Measured Natural gas is measured in units of cubic feet and then converted for billing purposes into a measure of energy called a gigajoule (GJ). The heat from one gigajoule is the same as the heat from approximately 950,000 matches; that s a lot of heat! 2

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7 Activity 2 ELECTRICITY Time Required: 20 minutes Introduction The purpose of the following section is for students to understand the various resources that make up the electricity mix in Alberta and to gain an awareness of the ways each student interacts with electricity in their daily lives. Curriculum Connections Same as Activity One Lesson 3 INTRODUCING ELECTRICITY Suggested time: 5 minutes Instructions Before beginning this lesson, ask students questions to assess their prior knowledge about electricity. You can also use the KWL chart or the What I Know Worksheet (see Appendix A). Assessing Prior Knowledge about Electricity: Sample Questions What activities, at home or at school, use electricity? What items in the classroom use electricity? How does electricity get to our home and school? Lesson 4 LEARNING ABOUT ELECTRICITY Suggested time: 15 minutes Instructions Have a discussion about how electricity is measured, electricity safety, and Alberta s electricity mix using the information found in the paragraphs below as a guide. Background Information about Electricity We need electricity to light up our communities and power our appliances. Electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kwh). A kilowatt-hour can be described as a unit to measure how much electricity is used over a period of time. Ten 100 watt light bulbs burning for one hour will use 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity. Electricity is the flow of electrons, like the flow of water from a pipe. Electricity Safety Some safety features to consider for electricity: Never touch a broken light bulb filament, frayed wire or any damaged electrical equipment while the electricity is still being carried to it. Do not use appliances with wet hands or close to a sink or bathtub. Since water is an excellent conductor, this can cause electric shocks or short circuits. For more electricity safety information and activities, visit: Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) contain a very small amount of mercury and must be disposed of properly. Disposal outlets may be provided by your local home improvement centres or hardware stores or contact your local municipality to find how to safely dispose of them. 3

8 Alberta s Electricity Mix Most of the electricity in Alberta comes from burning fossil fuels. This releases greenhouse gas emissions and is believed to contribute to climate change. In Alberta, our electricity mix comes from many different resources. Show chart of Alberta s Electricity Mix found in Appendix B. Refer to sample questions below for Alberta s Electricity Mix Chart. This chart represents the different resources in Alberta that currently make up Alberta s Electricity Mix. Biomass 3% Wind 6% Hydro 7% Gas 40% Fuel Oil 0.1% Coal 44% Coal Gas Hydro Wind Biomass Fuel Oil Figures from Alberta Energy as of November Alberta s Electricity Mix Sample Questions How large is the hydro piece? Answer: 7% Why is this? Hydro means water, so hydroelectricity is the electricity we make with moving water. The moving water turns a turbine which powers a generator which produces electricity. Hydroelectricity is limited because Alberta does not have many large lakes or rivers. What electricity resource has the largest piece of the pie chart? Answer: Coal Coal is abundant in Alberta. To get coal from the ground, giant machines are used to dig the coal up. Then it is shipped to a power plant by truck or train. Coal is burned in a power plant. Burning coal makes steam which is used to turn a turbine and a generator which produces electricity. Electricity is transported by transmission and distribution lines to homes, farms, and businesses. 4

9 Information about other resources found in Alberta s electricity mix Wind: Wind power is air in motion. Like old-fashioned windmills, the wind turbines used today have blades to collect the wind s energy. A typical wind turbine stands as tall as a 20-storey building and has three blades that span 60 meters across. To help students imagine how big this is, have them measure the length of the longest wall in their classroom. A cluster of wind turbines is a called a wind farm. Biomass: Biomass is used to make electricity. Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals. Biomass can be made from garbage, wood chips, straw and animal manure. It is a renewable energy source because more biomass material can always be grown and garbage will always exist. Biomass makes up almost 3 per cent of Alberta s electricity mix. When burned, biomass releases carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Crops and trees use CO2 to help them grow. This can result in no new emissions being released into the atmosphere. Oil: Most oil is transported by pipeline to a refinery. From the refinery, oil used for heating in remote parts of Alberta is delivered by a truck that travels to the house and fills a storage tank. Oil also meets 0.10% of our electricity demand in Alberta. 5

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11 Activity 3 NATURAL GAS CALCULATION SHEET Time Required: 20 minutes Introduction The purpose of this activity is for students to complete Math calculations to see how much natural gas is consumed in an average school each month. This activity meets curriculum connections in Math and Social Studies. Curriculum Connections Mathematics General Outcome Apply arithmetic operations on whole numbers, and illustrate their use in creating and solving problems (Alberta Education, Math 20). Specific Outcomes 13. Demonstrate and describe the process of multiplication using manipulatives, diagrams and symbols (Alberta Education, Math 20). 16. Verify solutions to multiplication and division problems, using estimation and calculators (Alberta Education, Math 20). 18. Justify the choice of method for multiplication and division, using: calculators (Alberta Education, Math 20). Curriculum Connections Social Studies - Same as Activity One Lesson 5 CALCULATING NATURAL GAS USAGE AND COST This activity is designed to teach students about natural gas usage in an average school. Items Required: Copy of Natural Gas Calculation Sheet - Appendix C (1 per student) Copy of Monthly Natural Gas Usage Bar Graph Chart - Appendix D 1) Using the Natural Gas Calculation Sheet, read through instructions with students. 2) Using the bar graph chart find out how much natural gas in gigajoules (GJ) is being used each month. Place the GJ number in the appropriate monthly column of the calculation sheet. (Students can round to the nearest multiple of 10). 3) Students add all the numbers in the GJ column to get the total. 4) Have students fill in the cost of natural gas in the Dollar/GJ column on the calculation sheet. The cost of natural gas can be found in Appendix D. 5) Multiply the number in the GJ column by the Dollar/GJ cost. Fill this number in the cost column 6) After students have finished writing in the cost for each month, students add up all of the numbers in the cost column to get the total. 7

12 Lesson 6 Class Discussion and Sample Questions Below is a list of guiding questions and answers for discussion after students have completed the Natural Gas Calculation Sheet: Do you notice any patterns in the bar graph? Answer: The bars are taller in the winter months and lower in the summer months. Are there some months where the bars are higher/lower? Why might this be? Answer: Natural gas is used for heating in colder months that s why the bar graph is bigger/taller in the winter months. Natural Gas is also used for water heating so we are always using natural gas even when it is warm outside. In the months where the bars are higher, do you notice anything else? Is the cost higher or lower? Answer: The cost moves in the same direction as the bars. Why do you think it is important to reduce our natural gas and/or electricity use? Answer: When we reduce the amount of energy we use in our home we can save money on our energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are many actions we can take at home and at school to help us reduce energy. The energy used to heat and power our school, when produced and consumed, releases greenhouse gas emissions. It is important to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases as this is believed to contribute to climate change. These are two of the reasons why we will be conducting a school energy audit in the next section to identify areas in our school where we can reduce electricity and natural gas use. 8

13 Activity 4 RECOGNIZING NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY Time Required: 20 minutes per room Introduction The purpose of this exercise is for students to identify items in each of the rooms in their school that require natural gas and/or electricity to operate. This is the first step in getting students to identify waste reduction opportunities in their school that relate to energy use. Items Required 1 pencil Copy of Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity Worksheet - Appendix E (1 per student) Curriculum Connections Science Topic A: Waste and Our World - General Learner Expectations Students will: Recognize that human activity can lead to the production of wastes, and identify alternatives for responsible use and disposal of materials (Alberta Educaiton, Science 19). Specific Learner Expectations Students will: 2. Identify and classify wastes that result from human activity (Alberta Education, Science 19). 8. Identify alternative materials and processes that may decrease the amount of waste produced (Alberta Education, Science 19). 11. Identify actions that individuals and groups can take to minimize the production of wastes, to recycle or reuse wastes and to ensure the safe handling and disposal of wastes (Alberta Education, Science 19). 12. Develop and implement a plan to reduce waste, and monitor what happens over a period of time (Alberta Education, Science 19). Lesson 7 WHAT USES NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY Instructions: 1) Refer to the Teacher s Worksheet - Appendix H: Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity to help students identify items. 2) Take students to each room in your school listed on the worksheet to identify the items that use natural gas and/or electricity. To prompt students on the types of items that use natural gas and electricty relate the use of these resources to the home environment. 3) When students are in each room have them write the items on their worksheet, Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity found in Appendix E. 4) Once back in the classroom, have students share their findings with the class. Write their findings on a whiteboard or flipchart paper. 5) Move onto another room in the school until students have visited all applicable rooms in their school. 9

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15 Activity 5 DEVELOPING A SCHOOL ACTION PLAN Time Required: 20 minutes Introduction The purpose of this exercise is for students to identify waste reduction opportunities that relate to energy use in their school. Curriculum Connections Science - Same as Activity Four Lesson 8 LEARNING ABOUT ACTIONS TO REDUCE ENERGY USE Upon completing this lesson, the class will receive a Certificate of Participation. Instructions 1) Students can work in pairs to come up with actions to reduce electricity and natural gas use in their school. Remind students to look around the classroom as they come up with their list. It may be helpful for students to refer to the Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity Items worksheet to recall items. 2) Students can write the list of actions on the School Action worksheet found in Appendix F. 3) With the whole class, record on flip chart paper or on an overhead sheet. Challenge students to come up with as many actions as possible. Once completed, let students know their actions will be sent to ATCO EnergySense. The results will be calculated and we will send you back the potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Please note it may not be possible to calculate all actions. 4) Send the action sheet by mail, , or fax as indicated below: ATCO EnergySense Energy Education Program Suite 400, th Ave. SW Calgary, AB T2R 1L8 EnergyEducation@atco.com Fax: The action sheet, with associated reductions in GHG emissions, (where possible to calculate), will be sent back to your school within five working days; provided all required information is submitted. 5) Encourage students to place this action list in their school and have them tell their friends and family what they can do to reduce energy use. 11

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17 Appendix A

18 Appendix B Alberta s Electricity Mix Pie Chart Most of the electricity in Alberta comes from burning fossil fuels. This releases greenhouse gas emissions and is believed to contribute to climate change. In Alberta, our electricity mix comes from many different resources. This chart represents the different resources in Alberta that currently make up Alberta s Electricity Mix. 3% 6% 0.1% 7% 40% 44% Coal Gas Hydro Wind Biomass Fuel Oil Figures from Alberta Energy as of November 2010.

19 Appendix C Natural Gas Calculation Worksheet Name: Date: Instructions: 1) Look at the bar graph to find out how much natural gas is being used in each month. 2) Write this number in the gigajoule (GJ) column. 3) Add up all the numbers in the GJ column to get the TOTAL GJ. 4) Fill in the cost in the Dollar/GJ column. 5) Multiply the number in the GJ column by the Dollar/GJ cost. 6) Add up all the numbers in the Cost column to get the TOTAL Cost. Month GJ Dollar/GJ COST Example 1 January 410 $7 $ 3,280 Example 2 February 270 $7 $ 2,160 Month GJ Dollar/GJ COST January $ $ February $ $ March $ $ April $ $ May $ $ June $ $ July $ $ August $ $ September $ $ October $ $ November $ $ December $ $ TOTAL $ $

20 Appendix D Monthly Natural Gas Usage Bar Graph * This chart does not represent current natural gas consumption patterns or cost.

21 Appendix E Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity Worksheet Name: Date: Room CLASSROOM List the items that use Natural Gas List the items that use Electricity GYM List the items that use Natural Gas List the items that use Electricity CAFETERIA List the items that use Natural Gas List the items that use Electricity LIBRARY List the items that use Natural Gas List the items that use Electricity STAFF ROOM List the items that use Natural Gas List the items that use Electricity MECHANICAL List the items that use Natural Gas List the items that use Electricity

22 Appendix F List Actions: School Actions to Reduce Energy 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

23 Appendix G Name: Natural Gas and Electricity in your Home Date: Instructions: 1) Circle items in and around the house that use natural gas or electricity. Write G for gas and E for electricity. 2) List actions you will take to use less natural gas and electricity. List at least 3 for natural gas and 3 for electricity. Natural Gas: Electricity:

24 Appendix H Teacher Worksheet: Recognizing Natural Gas and Electricity Introduction: You can use this worksheet to help students identify Natural Gas and Electricity items in their school. Room CLASSROOM List the items that use Natural Gas heating vent, hot water tap, thermostat List the items that use Electricity fan, CD player, lights, computer, fridge GYM List the items that use Natural Gas heating vent, thermostat List the items that use Electricity EXIT sign, lights, fan CAFETERIA List the items that use Natural Gas range, thermostat List the items that use Electricity microwave, fridge, stove, freezer, kettle LIBRARY List the items that use Natural Gas heating vent, thermostat List the items that use Electricity computers, lights, fan, scanner, photocopier STAFF ROOM List the items that use Natural Gas heating vent, thermostat List the items that use Electricity microwave, coffee maker, water cooler MECHANICAL ROOM List the items that use Natural Gas furnace, boiler, hot water tanks List the items that use Electricity pumps, fans

25 Appendix I Teacher Worksheet: Suggested Actions to Reduce Natural Gas and Electricity Introduction: If students need help in coming up with a list of actions, below are some of the actions that may be taken for each room visited in the school. For some items it may be helpful to have the caretaker present (for example to discuss T-12 vs. T-8 lighting and High Intensity Discharge lighting). Cafeteria Run the dishwasher only when full Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified fridge Let the dishes air dry to save energy and money Turn the lights off when leaving a room Change lighting to T8 Library Turn the lights off when leaving a room Change lighting to T8 Turn computers off when not in use Gym/ Bathrooms Change lighting to High Intensity Discharge (HID) Turn the lights off when leaving a room Make sure taps are always turned off and leaks are fixed promptly Staff Room Run the dishwasher only when full Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified fridge Let the dishes air dry Turn the lights off when leaving a room Change lighting to T8 Classroom Use shrink film kit on windows Close the blinds/curtains on a cold, cloudy day On a sunny day, make sure the blinds/curtains are open to let natural light in and allow for passive heating Apply caulking and weather stripping to the window Turn computers off when not in use Heating Systems Upgrade the boiler to a more energy efficient model Upgrade the furnace to a more energy efficient model General Ensure the doors to the school are closed on a cold day Plant leafy green trees on the sunny side of the school On hot days the leaves provide cool shade, and the bare branches in the winter let warm sunlight through The ENERGY STAR mark is administered and promoted in Canada by Natural Resources Canada and is registered in Canada by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

26 Appendix J Energy Efficiency Information ENERGY STAR Quilified Appliances The ENERGY STAR symbol identifies the most energy efficient products. For example, by replacing a 1997 fridge with a 2007 ENERGY STAR qualified fridge you could save 21.5 kwh per month. Boiler A boiler is an appliance in which water is heated and circulated through pipes either as hot water or steam. The hot water or steam is easily distributed for space heating purposes or domestic hot water. Windows You can tell if a window is single, double, or triple pane by looking at the layers of glass. Triple pane windows are best at keeping the heat in. Lighting T-12 lighting is less efficient than T-8 lighting because it consumes more electricity. You can tell if the lighting in your school is T-12 as the fluorescent tubes will be wider compared to T-8 lighting. High Intensity Discharge Lighting (HID) HID lighting is an efficient form of lighting that converts electrical energy to light or lumens. A bulb containing gases emits light or lumens when activated by electricity. The various gases produce different colors of light and degrees of efficiency; also known as lumens per watt. Furnace A furnace is an appliance that produces heat by forcing warm air into the rooms of your school via a network of ducts. Weather stripping Weather stripping is used to seal air leaks around moveable parts of windows and doors. Caulking Caulking is used to seal the inside surface on walls, ceilings, or floor. This helps prevent air leakage. Shrink Film Shrink film is a plastic placed on windows. It helps to improve comfort by sealing air leaks around windows. For more energy efficiency information visit: atcoenergysense.com

27 Appendix K ANSWER SHEET: Natural Gas and Electricity in your Home Instructions: 1) Circle items in and around the house that use natural gas or electricity. Write G for gas and E for electricity. 2) List actions you will take to use less natural gas and electricity. List at least 3 for natural gas and 3 for electricity. Natural Gas: Take a shorter shower Turn down the thermostat Close door so cold air doesn t get in Hang clothes to dry Wash laundry in cold water Electricity: Turn off the lights Turn off the TV when I am fi nished Shut down computer Close fridge door

28 NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION PIPELINES

29 TRANSMISSION LINES DISTRIBUTION LINES

30 1 gigajoule (GJ) = heat from 950,000 matches millions of years... natural gas oil coal propane FOSSIL FUELS

31 FURNACE