Download Road Trip - Sci-Port

Road Trip
Grades:
Program Duration:
Program Type:
6th – 8th
60 minutes
Lab
Program Description
By taking a road trip, students will develop an understanding of what a carbon footprint is and how they can modify it.
Louisiana GLEs and NGSS:
Grade 6
Science
43. Explain how the use of different energy resources affects the environment and the economy (SE-M-A6)
46. Identify ways people can reuse, recycle, and reduce the use of resources to improve and protect the quality of life (SE-MA6)
47. Illustrate how various technologies influence resource use in an ecosystem (e.g., forestry management, soil conservation,
fishery improvement) (SE-M-A8)
Grade 7
Science
39. Analyze the consequences of human activities on ecosystems (SE-M-A4)
43. Identify and analyze the environmental impact of humans’ use of technology (e.g., energy production, agriculture,
transportation, human habitation) (SE-M-A8)
Grade 8
Science
51. Analyze the consequences of human activities on global Earth systems (SE-M-A4)
Middle School
Human Impact
MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the
environment.
MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita
consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
Key Terms:
Air pollution: is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to
humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere.
Carbon: is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it
is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It is an element, which
is found in almost all living or formerly living matter including plants, proteins, organics and hydrocarbons. Carbon
combines readily with oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO2 ).
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 1 of 7
Carbon Cycle: – The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, chiefly
involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere
through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.
Carbon dioxide: (chemical formula CO2) is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of
two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists
in Earth's atmosphere in this state, as a trace gas. It results as a product of complete combustion. It is considered a
greenhouse gas.
Carbon Footprint – - The amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person,
group, etc.
Charcoal: dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining, obtained by removing water and other volatile
constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating
of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen.
Combustion: is burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by
the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the
form of either glowing or a flame. Fuels of interest often include organic compounds (especially hydrocarbons) in the
gas, liquid or solid phase.
Energy: Energy is the ability to do work or the thing that helps us to do work. (In the case of this lab, it will be the a general
discussion of forms of energy and the electricity they provide so we can do work)
Fuel economy: refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of
fuel consumed
Fossil fuel: formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the
organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years. Fossil
fuels contain high percentages of carbon and include coal, petroleum, and natural gas.
Global climate change: a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods
ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of
weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by factors
that include oceanic processes (such as oceanic circulation), variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate
tectonics and volcanic eruptions, and human-induced alterations of the natural world; these latter effects are currently
causing global warming, and "climate change" is often used to describe human-specific impacts.
Greenhouse effect: warming that results when solar radiation is trapped by the atmosphere; caused by atmospheric gases
that allow sunshine to pass through but absorb heat that is radiated back from the warmed surface of the earth
Greenhouse gas: (sometimes abbreviated GHG) is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within
the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases
in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.
Ground level ozone: zone present as a secondary pollutant in the lower atmosphere, where its formation can be enhanced
by other pollutants. It is highly toxic at levels above 0.1 parts per million (p.p.m.). It is created by chemical reactions
between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from
industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the
major sources of NOx and VOC. It is considered smog, which can be highly toxic to human and environmental health.
Mpg: Miles per gallon
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 2 of 7
Connections to Permanent Exhibits:
This exhibit is located in the Measure Up! Cluster of The Space Center, 2nd floor.
Driving Math: Drive to Oklahoma City. How far is it? Now fly. How far is it? Which is shorter? Why?
Web Resources:
Roofus’ Solar and Efficient Home
U. S. Department of Energy
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/roofus/index.html
This website has an explanation of all kinds of energy efficient modifications Roofus has made to his house. You just click on the
modification and it gives you an explanation of what Roofus did to his house. There are also instructions for making a solar oven
and sundial along with a seek-and-find puzzle about energy and a coloring page.
Energy Kids Puzzles
U. S. Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=Puzzles
On this website you will find puzzles about renewable and non renewable energy, coal, petroleum, alternative energy geothermal
energy and even a puzzle about greenhouse gases.
The Energy Story
California Energy Commission
http://energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html
This website has 20 chapters on all kinds of energy topics. Each chapter gives an explanation of the energy topics. Of special
interest and applicable to “Road Trip” are fossil fuel, energy for transportation, and saving energy and energy efficiency. Also
found at this website is a 12 chapter story called “Devoured by the Dark” very appropriate for middle school students, “Movie
Room” with a selection of movies about energy, “New” and “Art Gallery.”
Learn About Climate Change
Facing the Future
http://www.facingthefuture.org/GlobalIssuesResources/GlobalIssuesTours/ClimateChange/tabid/363/Default.aspx
This is a brief overview of climate change including what is climate change, who is involved, who is most affected, what
are the consequences and why climate change is important.
Fuel Economy.gov
U. S. Energy Information Association
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
This website provides fuel economy information about all types of cars, the best and worst car and helps you find the fuel
economy of a specific car.
Pre-Visit Activities
Student Guide to Global Climate Change-Take a Climate Change Expedition EPA
To prepare your students for “Road Trip” introduce them to Global Climate Change. At the link listed below click on
The Midwest and take your students on a journey to explore the effect of global climate change on agriculture. Your
students will be presented with a short video and then an interactive program to check for their comprehension of the
information presented. At then end of the visit their passport will be stamped. This may be done as a class using an
LCD projector and computer or a Smartboard or your students may work in pairs in the computer lab.
The global climate change expedition is found at the following link:
http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/expeditions/index.html
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 3 of 7
You may also want your students to explore additional consequences of global climate change. These include the
Caribbean Sea (tropical storms), southwestern Africa (droughts), the Alps (snow pack), Maldives (sea level rise),
Southeast Asia (disease) and the Great Barrier Reef (ocean temperature and acidity).
Post-Visit Activities
Energy Hog Interactive Website
The Hog Busters Training Site is a great follow-up for “Road Trip” because it introduces students to other ways to be more
energy efficient ultimately reducing their carbon footprint. Below are some worksheets designed to be filled out by the students
as they explore this site. The site opens with the students providing their name and choosing a character. They will then be
presented with a chance to explore the training site floor plan. In each room there are links to strategies the students can use to
improve the energy efficiency of their homes. One link leads to a computer game that they can play. On the worksheet they are
to write the strategy to improve home energy efficiency and there are questions to answer about the computer game they play.
When they finish all the rooms of the training site, the students can then click on the “Who Is Hog?” link and choose their
favorite hog.
The Energy Hog Training Camp is found at the following link:
http://www.energyhog.org/childrens.htm
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 4 of 7
Energy Hog Buster
Instructions: If your computer is not already on the site open Internet Explorer and type in the
following website: http://www.energyhog.org/childrens.htm
You are going to go on an Energy Hog Scavenger Hunt, play 5 Energy Hog computer games, and identify
your favorite Energy Hog. There are several ways to navigate the site but please choose your character
and put your name on the Energy Hog Buster Identification Cards. So let’s go, have fun and learn how
you can be an Energy Hog Buster!
Energy Hog Scavenger Hunt
To fill in all of the blanks you may have to look elsewhere on the website!!
Location
Energy Hog Item
Solution
Attic
Kitchen
Bathroom
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 5 of 7
Living Room
Bedroom
Energy Hog Buster Computer Games
You do not have to play these games in this order!
Attic Attack
1. How much time do you have in this game?
2. What happens to the hog when you hit it?
3. How many rolls of insulation did you get to
cover the attic?
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 6 of 7
Bulb Hunter
1. What is a CFL?
2. How long does a CFL last?
3. How many times did you play this game?
4. What was your best time?
Fridge Frenzy
1. List all the things inside the fridge?
There are 9 things.
Hint:
2. What happens to the fridge when your match
the contents?
3. How many times did you play this game?
Whack a Hog
1. Fill in the blanks: In this game you have to whack ______________ hogs before
_____________________________.
2. How many hogs did you whack?
Whacky Windows
1. Where do you have to click to caulk the
window?
2. What is the most difficult part of the game for
you?
Who is Your Favorite Energy Hog?
Find the Who is Hog? Section of the website and fill in the blanks below.
My favorite Energy Hog is ____________________________ whose diet is __________________ and whose favorite
quote is __________________
Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center
Road Trip TRG.doc
Page 7 of 7