Conservation
of Resources
|
|
||
|
|
Lesson 1 Conservation of Energy
In this lesson, we will begin by investigating the characteristics and importance of different types of energy. We will then discuss practical actions that we can take to conserve energy and protect our natural resources.
As a starting point, tell us how you feel about the importance of conserving energy by answering the following quizlet.
Objective:
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to list the different types of energy and describe several practical things that can be done to conserve energy.
Materials:
- one large box
- one pizza box, small
- old newspapers or other insulating materials
- black construction paper
- cardboard
- aluminum foil
- drinking straw
- scissors
- heavy-weight clear plastic laminate (often available in schools)
- *avoid using any materials that could give off toxic fumes when heated, such as duct tape and styrofoam pellets.
Invitation:
Do you have any idea of how much energy you use in a day? Have you ever even stopped and thought about it? We tend to take our energy consumption for granted. We wash our clothes, heat our houses, turn on the lights, and drive where we want without even noticing the amount of energy that we use. While some of the energy that we burn is renewable, much of what we use cannot be recycled into our environment. Since the energy reserves on the planet are being rapidly depleted, we must develop new ways to harness renewable energy sources and reduce our dependence on non-renewable sources.
To begin this
lesson, let's explore the characteristics and usefulness of
different types of energy. To start with, please
travel to the following site. As you investigate this site
please answer the questions below and place these answers
into your journal for this unit.
|
|
1. Describe the key differences between renewable energy and non-renewable energy.
2. Outline the main problem(s) that result from using non-renewable energy sources.
3. List the different types of fossil fuels.
4. Briefly define nuclear energy, describe how it is produced, and explain why it is useful.
5. List the
different types of renewable energy sources. Underline
the ones that you think are currently being used in your
community. Circle the ones that you think could be
used successfully in your area.
Exploration
For the exploration part of this lesson, your job is to build a solar oven so that you cook something tasty while using a renewable energy source. To learn how to construct this oven, check out the following link:
|
|
Your teacher will help you collect the materials needed for the oven. As a class, you may decide to build several ovens and test to see which one works the best. You will also have to decide what to cook. Remember, the warmer and sunnier it is outside, the higher the temperature you can reach in your oven. Don't try to cook a roast in the middle of January. We would suggest cooking marshmallows since they are relatively easy to make and yet are still very yummy. Here is a simple recipe for a delicious marshmallow treat.
Cut a marshmallow in half and place it and a piece of chocolate bar between two graham crackers. Place it into the oven and allow enough time for the marshmallows and chocolate to melt. Remove carefully, allow to cool and enjoy.
After eating, take some time as a class to discuss the success and/or problems that you had with your solar oven. Debate whether or not you believe solar ovens could be used as replacement for traditional ovens that rely on non-renewable energy sources.
Explanation
Solar energy powers the world. It causes living things to grow, drives the wind and waves, and lifts water into the sky to fall as rain. The sun has supplied almost all of the earth's energy since the start of time. As our pollution problems worsen and our gas, oil, and coal deposits disappear, we may want to look to renewable energy sources to fill the gap.
Solar
energy is abundant. Each year about 60,000
billion metric tons of solar energy reaches the earths
surface. If we could harness a mere 1% of that at just
5% efficiency, then we would have plenty of energy for all
people on the Earth for the next several billion
years. The problem is that solar energy is difficult
to capture and then concentrate in large amounts.
While this represents a problem in some ways, it represents
a solution in others. Unlike gas or oil that must be
transported over large distances, it has already been spread
around for free. It is up to us to develop thoughtful
and creative new ways to utilize this bountiful and
pollution-free energy supply. What are your
ideas?
Top
Taking Action
Energy patrols have been formed at at a few schools already and they have saved the schools thousands of dollars and conserved our valuable resources at the same time. In order to set your own energy patrol, check out the following link for specific details and directions.
|
|
After setting up and conducting your energy monitoring for a week or so, post a summary on the Eco-Connections Project Forum that describes how things are going.
Conclusion
In this lesson we learned about our dwindling supply of non-renewable energy sources and we discussed some ways in which we can conserve energy and learn to rely more on renewable or "green" energy alternatives.