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Why Should Kids Care About Gas Prices?
By: Sandy Dickerson, Cami Lain, and Darlene Ritzline
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Curriculum objectives Materials and Resources Investigations and activities Assessment
Learner Objectives:
Technology Standards
All students will be able to:
- Standard 4 - Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations to support
learning and research. - Standard 5 - Apply productivity/multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning throughout the curriculum.
- Standard 6 - Design, develop, publish, and present products using technology resources that demonstrate and communicated curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom.
- Standard 7 - Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using telecommunications and collaborative tools to investigate curriculum-related porlebms, issues, and information, and to develop solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
- Standard 8-Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and solve problems.
- Standard 10-Research and evaluate the accuracty, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bais of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems.
Information Literacy Standards
All students will be able to
- Standard 1 - The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
- Standard 2 - The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.
- Standard 3 - The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.
- Standard 4 - The student who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests.
- Standard 6 - The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.
- Standard 7 - The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society.
- Standard 9 - The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information
Internet Sources
- Energy Information Administration-Short Term Energy Outlook.
- US Retail Gasoline Prices-Average gas prices for different states in US.
- Fuel Economy-Compare fuel economy for different cars.
- OPEC Countries-Oil producing nations.
- US Department of Energy-Energy efficiency and renewable energy-clean cities program.
- Indiana Commerce of Energy-Helps businesses in the state develop cleaner, more efficient processes.
- Alternative Fuels-Alternative fuels to help reduce petroleum consumption.
- Advanced Technology Vehicles-Learn about new vehicle technology.
- Alternative Fuels Data Center-Advanced technology vehicles, fuel blends, and vehicle buyer's guide.
- Forms of Public Transportation-types of public transportation.
- Paris Plan to Ban SUVs-Paris, France plans to ban SUVs within 18 months.
- Gas Station Analysis-Major oil companies and the gas stations they own.
- Indiana Gas Prices-compare gas prices in Indiana.
- Marathon Oil Corporation
- British Petroleum
- Speedway Gas Stations
- Exxon Gas Stations
- Chevron Gas Stations
- Flying J Gas Stations
- Citgo Gas Stations
- Shell Gas Stations
- World Book Encyclopedia
- Encarta
- Groliers
News
- Why Should Kids Care About Gas Prices?. Kidz Only (B5). June 2, 2004. Tracy Grant. Lafayette Journal and Courier.
- Oil Together Now: The Bucks Don't Stop Here. May 26, 2004. Tracy Grant. Washington Post.
Videos
- Endless Energy: Wind, Solar and Geothermal. 1994. (29 minutes)
- Explains how environmental hazards created by gas, coal, and nuclear power have prompted people to find alternative energy sources.
- Hostages to Oil. 1991. (55 minutes)
- Alternate fuel sources due to Middle East crisis causing fuel shortages and price fluctuations.
- Alternative Routes: The Electric Car. 1995. (60 minutes)
- Information on electric car design and everyday use.
- Futures: Advanced Transportation. 1992. (15 minutes)
- See how designers develop cars and other transportation systems for the future.
- How Are Cars Made. 2001. (20 minutes)
- International history of the automobile and a tour of general motors.
- Scientific American Frontiers: Show 403. 1993. (60 minutes)
- How scientists harnessed the sun's energy to power cars in a 1,102 mile race.
Books
- Berger, Melvin., Green, Anne Canevari. Energy. F. Watts; New York, 1983.
- Bonnet, Bob. Energy, Serling Publishing Co, Inc. New York, 1997.
- Goldstein, Eleanor C. Energy. Boca Raton, FL: Social Issues Resources Series, Inc., 1971.
- World Book Encyclopedia
- Encarta Encyclopedia
- Groliers Encyclopedia
Investigations and activities
Brainstorm (1 day):
Where do we go in our cars?
What kinds of cars are in your household?
How many (working) cars are in your household?
How much do you think it costs to fill up a car? SUV? Vans? Truck? RV? Semi? Motorcycle?
Where do you get your gas (station name) from?
What does a gallon of gas cost (approx)?
Where does oil come from?
What countries produce oil? (OPEC)
Background Information (2 days)
Distinguish types of vehicles—economy v midsize v luxury v SUV/van v truck types v motorcycle
How to find miles-per-gallon
Grades/prices of gasoline—regular unleaded, mid-grade, premium, and diesel
Gasoline refineries/pollution standards (video?)
Crude oil (and by-products of crude oil)
Supply and demand
Hybrid cars
Mass transportation-comparing prices
Graphing skills
Survey:
Types of family-owned vehicles (2 days beginning on day 1)
Where do parents work- location-in town/out of town.
Number of miles round trip. How often does your family fill up each car per week?
Approximately how much does your family spend (per week) on gasoline?
Web Scavenger Hunt (1-2 days)
Check mpg on different models of vehicles
OPEC countries
Prices of gasoline for different companies
Where the larger gasoline companies get their gas from
Which gasoline companies own different station names
Alternative fuels- example-ethanol
Hybrid cars/solar
Mass transportation
Future Impacts of High Gas Prices/Research (2 days)
Less money to buy necessities
Quality of gasoline
Increased air pollution
Positive aspects?
Depletion of oil source
Alternative fuel sources
More fuel-efficient vehicles
Assessment
Graph-comparison-student choice based on topic
Persuasive newspaper article (letter to the editor)
Introduction: What’s happening , why are gas prices so high?
Middle: Why should kids care?
End: What is the solution to the problem? Support your solution with evidence
Round table discussion: present news release to groups and decide as a group what the best solution is to the problem