Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students develop a school program that will help reduce the amount of energy used. Most of the program will focus on only having appliances on when they are needed.

Learning goals for this activity include:

  • Bring together all their findings and understandings to create a school energy saving plan or improve the school’s current plan.
  • To make connections between behaviors and energy reduction.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively to research and compile information on issues.
  • Communicate their plan in a well presented document for consideration by the school community.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 7 Science

  • Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE121)

Year 7 English

  • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)

Year 8 Science

  • Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE136)

Year 8 English

  • Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)

Syllabus Outcomes: SC4-13ES, EN4-4B. 

Topic: Energy

Year levels: 7 and 8

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor

Time required: 60+ mins, this activity may take several lessons.

Learning areas addressed: Geography, Science, Interpersonal Development.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Assist students with their plan and presenting it to the school community.

Resources required: Computers and applications for creating the plan.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Activity outline

This is one process which will help students sort and decide how their plan to reduce energy could work.

Step 1
Collect and review all the data and material produced.

Step 2
List all the ways the school is able to reduce its energy use.

Step 3
Sort the energy reduction solutions into categories. List the energy saving changes that;
2. Teachers can do if they are asked
3. Require staff other than teachers
4. Will need to be addressed by the school
5. Would require a change in school policy
6. Could be very frustrating for some people
7. Can’t be changed because of health, safety or security reasons
8. Would cost money to implement
9. Any other categories that become obvious as the energy reduction list is sorted.

Step 4
List what you would like each group within your school to do to reduce the use of energy. Identify any changes in school policy you would like to change.

Step 5
Using all the steps from 1 to 4 develop an action plan that i

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Student Worksheet

Step 1
Collect and review all the data and material produced.

Step 2
List all the ways the school is able to reduce its energy use.

Step 3
Sort the energy reduction solutions into categories. List the energy saving changes that;
2. Teachers can do if they are asked
3. Require staff other than teachers
4. Will need to be addressed by the school
5. Would require a change in school policy
6. Could be very frustrating for some people
7. Can’t be changed because of health, safety or security reasons
8. Would cost money to implement
9. Any other categories that become obvious as the energy reduction list is sorte

Step 4
List what you would like each group within your school to do to reduce the use of energy. Identify any changes in school policy you would like to change.

Step 5
Using all the steps from 1 to 4 to develop an action plan that includes:
1. Who will do which actions
2. What each action needs to be implemented (this may require the class to create

...
 
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