Welcome to Buddy Project: The Next Generation of Teaching and Learning

Energy Monitor Activity

for Grades 6-12

Follow these suggestions for learning activities on how to conserve energy, both at home and school.

• How much energy do you use? Get copies of your energy bills from the past year and track your energy use using a spreadsheet application like Excel™. (Spreadsheets/ NETS 3)
• Research / brainstorm a list of ways to cut back (i.e., put monitors and computers to sleep when not in use, unplug small appliances when you aren’t using them, etc.) Use a webbing application like Inspiration™ to create a Venn diagram of things to do at home and at school. (Graphic organizers / NETS 1, 2, 3)
• Visit myGreenElectronics.com to calculate how much energy you use even when you aren’t using your electronic devices. (On-line tools/ NETS 3)
• Do some detective work in your home or classroom to learn where you can save energy. Which appliances use the most energy? Which can be unplugged or plugged into smart power strips?
• Make an EnerJar to track how much energy you are using and wasting. Read this DIY Guide on how to create an energy meter. (Spreadsheets, Graphic Organizers / NETS 3, 4, 6)
  • Use your EnerJar and Excel™ to track your appliances’ energy efficiency; calculate the cost differential between incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs; and find out how much it costs to use your computer, printer, TV, stereo, game system, etc.
  • Implement some of the energy reduction ideas you came up with.
  • Track your energy use for the next month. Make graphs and charts to compare your energy use to last month’s usage and to compare it with the same month in previous years. How did you do? How much money did you save?
• Create a vodcast (video-podcast) or slideshow to demonstrate how your actions can save energy. Showcase your detective work and convince your audience to embark on their own energy monitoring quest. (Audio-visual tools, slideshow applications / NETS 1, 4, 6)

Indiana Standards:

English/Language Arts

• Standard 2: Reading and Analysis of Nonfiction and Informational Text
• Standard 4: Writing Process and Features
• Standard 5: Writing Applications

Science

• Standard 1: The Nature of Science and Technology
• Standard 2: Scientific Thinking
• Standard 5: The Mathematical World

Mathematics

• Standard 6: Data Analysis and Probability
• Standard 7: Problem Solving

This "Go Green" resource was developed by Buddy for an eco-education initiative, "Green Connections: Learning and Living." This initiative will run from February 1 through Earth Day on April 22, 2009.

This resource appeared in the ETC...and More! volume 2, number 5 newsletter and is published by the Buddy Project (Corporation for Educational Technology), in collaboration with the Hoosier Educational Computer Coordinators (HECC), Indiana Computer Educators (ICE), the Indiana Department of Education, and Promoting Achievement through Technology and INstruction for all Students (PATINS).