Activity Introduction

powerlines2-heroActivity details: In this activity students compare how energy is used in their current world to how it was used in the past. They interview an older person about their energy use when they were the age of your student. This person should be at least as old as their parents or as old as their grandparents if possible.

NB: This activity must comply with your school’s privacy policies. Modify the activity if you need to. You may wish for students to contribute verbal rather than written findings.

Key lessons and understandings of activity:

  • Students use oral skills to interview and gather information about past energy needs and consumption.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 3 History

  • How the community has changed and remained the same over time and the role that people of diverse backgrounds have played in the development and character of the local community (ACHASSK063)
  • Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI061)

Year 3 English

  • Understand that successful cooperation with others depends on shared use of social conventions, including turn-taking patterns, and forms of address that vary according to the degree of formality in social situations (ACELA1476)

Year 4 History

  • Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI082)

Year 4 English

  • Understand that social interactions influence the way people engage with ideas and respond to others for example when exploring and clarifying the ideas of others, summarising their own views and reporting them to a larger group (ACELA1488)

Syllabus Outcomes: EN2-1A, HT2-, HT2-5.

Topic: Energy

Year levels: 3 and 4

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor

Time required: 45 mins class time (plus a few days out of class time)

Learning areas addressed: History, English, Maths.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Familiarise students with interview techniques and recording answers. Engage students in a discussion around interview results following completion of the activity.

Resources required: Printed interview sheets.

Homework and extension opportunities: Parts of this activity can be set as homework.

Keywords: Energy, interview, history.

(Adapted from Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria)

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

 

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher preparation

Lifestyles have changed a lot over the past 80 years. Your students will discover just how much has changed when they audit all of the electronic devices in their family home and then interview an older person about their energy use when they were younger. Students will investigate the effect these changes in energy use have on the natural world and our general happiness. The big question is: Are we happier now that we have more 'stuff' in our lives?

See what other schools are doing by exploring a case study here.

Activity outline

Step 1: Prior to begining this activity ask the class to brainstorm a list of appliances and gadgets we use now in our homes today. How many of these items do we own? How often do we replace these items? For examples our TV and mobile phone?

Step 2: Students will audit their own home for the number of appliances and gadgets they own. They should fill this in on the Student Worksheet. After they have completed this they will then inter

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Student Worksheet

How much has changed since your parents were your age? You will find out by auditing all of the electronic devices in your family home and then interviewing an older person. Your job will be to investigate the affect these changes have on the natural world and our general happiness.

Interview date:


Electrical appliance

Number in your household

Number in their household 

What did they use instead? 

Mobile phone
Play station
Toaster
Kettle
Television
Microwave
Hairdryer
Washing machine
Computer/laptop
Radio
Electric blanket
Fridge
Iron
Vacuum cleaner
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Heater
Hot water heater
Lights
Mozzie zapper
Hair straightener 


Interesting notes:

 

Part 1: Graphing

Select five appliances and make a simple b

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