v°/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
Global Warming Wheel Card
Curriculum Packet
A lesson plan for teaching about climate change and how
to calculate greenhouse gas emissions • For students grades 6-8
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
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Global Warming —
What's Your
Score?
In the United States,, a typical
household of two people
generates approximately
60,000 pounds of carbon
dioxide {CO?) emissions
every year from household
activities and personal
transportation,
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs EPA430-F-01-027
(6205J) August 2001
c/EPA
Environmental
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Protection Agency has
designed this
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curriculum packet for
teachers of grades
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6 through 8 to use for
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teaching students
about global warming,
wPir i
its possible effects,
and the kinds of
Welcome to the Global Warming
Wheel Card Curriculum Packet
What are the objectives of this curriculum packet?
The materials in this packet are designed to introduce students to:
• The concept of the greenhouse effect
• Carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas
• Common sources of carbon dioxide generated by humans and the role of
carbon dioxide in increasing the greenhouse effect
• A Global Warming Wheel Card that
enables students to see their individ-
ual roles in generating carbon dioxide
and therefore increasing the green-
house effect
Ways in which they might reduce
their individual, family, school, and
community contributions to the
greenhouse effect
m
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For more information on calculating
greenhouse gas emissions, see www.epa.gov/
global warming/tools/calcualtors.html.
EPA's Climate Change Education Database
provides educators with a complete, search-
able menu of lesson plans, videos, books,
toolkits, and other educational resources on
climate change. To visit the site see www.XXX.
Basic-level and advanced Fact Sheets on
global warming are located atwww.epa.gov/
globalwarming/publications/outreach/
index.html.
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•
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed this curriculum packet for teachers of grades 6 through 8
to use for educating students about climate change. The materials are designed to:
• Introduce students to the concept of the greenhouse effect, its sources, and potential impacts
• Enable students to calculate a household's greenhouse gas emissions using a hand-held Global Warming Wheel Card
• Show students how to conduct a simple energy audit of their classrooms and identify ways in which they can help
conserve energy
• Encourage students to think about ways to reduce their individual, family, school, and community contributions
to the greenhouse effect
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
Global Warming Wheel Card
Cut out the two large circles and the two
large rectangular pieces.
Cut out the two little rectangular windows
on each of the large rectangular pieces.
Put glue on the backs of both circles and
put them together to make the "wheel" of
the wheel card, making sure that you
align them so that the four labels that run
along the outside of each circle (Waste
Disposal, Home Heating, Electricity Use,
and Transportation) line up with the
corresponding labels on the other side.
The Waste Disposal label on one side
should line up with the Waste Disposal
label on the other side, and so on.
Lay the rectangular piece entitled "What
Can You Do?" upside-down on the table
with the larger of the two cutouts closer
to you. If you lift up the edge of the
rectangular piece and see the words
"Global-Warming—What Can You Do?"
right side up, you've done it correctly.
Put the glued-together wheel on top of
the rectangular piece, with the side
that has all the questions (such as
"On average, how much does your
household spend on electricity each
month?") facing up.
If you have access to a color printer and would like to download additional color Global Warming Wheel
Cards, please visit the EPA Outdoor Recreation and Wildlife Toolkit homepage at www.XXX.
Lay the other rectangular piece entitled
"What's Your Score?" on top of the wheel,
with the smaller of the two cutouts closer
to you.
Look for the "belly button" on the pasted-
together wheel and the two large
rectangular pieces. Push a paper fastener
("brad") through the "belly button" to
hold all the pieces together.
Glue the large rectangular pieces in all
four corners just enough to hold the
rectangles together but allowing the
wheel to turn freely.
If you wish, highlight each line inside the
windows in a different color to make it
easier to read. If you have access to a
color printer, this step will be
unnecessary.
If you are putting the wheel together to
use in a demonstration, now you're ready
to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions
"score" of members of your audience and
what they can do to reduce it.
Sidel
Side 2
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
Global
Warming
Wheel Card
Side 1
[outside]
Global Warming —
What's Your
Score?
In the United States, a typical
household of two people
generates approximately
60,000 pounds of carbon
dioxide (C02) emissions
every year from household
activities and personal
transportation.
EMISSIONS SOURC
n>.
United States Office of Ai
Environmental Protection Office of Atmos
Agency Programs
I lovember 2000
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
Global
Warming
Wheel Card
Side 1
[inside]
On average, how many miles does
your household put on your car(s)
per week? Pick closest amount.
-inn miles/year)
600 miles (31,200 miles/year)
Global Warming —
What's Your Score?
11,800 Ibs./year
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Waste Disposal
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
Global
Warming
Wheel Card
Side 2
[outside]
If you took all of the actions on this wheel card/
you could save 22,800 pounds of
carbon dioxide (CO?) annuall
and $1,000 from your
home energy bill and
gasoline costs.
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
Global
Warming
Wheel Card
Side 2
[inside]
Rej:i '•• wstl incandescent
lirjht Ijulhs with 10 13-watt
compact fluorescent bulbs.
fiirn up your central air
conditioner's thermostat by
2°F in summer.
J3 —
O
o
Global Warming —
What Can You Do?
)|aaM e sajjiu sj GujAiip PJOAV •
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6
Waste Disposal
1,500 Ibs./year
100 Ibs./year
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
designed this
curriculum packet for
y^*^eachers of grades
V "
6 through 8 to use for
teaching students
about global warming,
its possible effects,
JHaMyl
and the kinds of
activities that
individuals, families,
schools, and
communities can take
to reduce their
contributions to
global warming. The
activities in this
curriculum are
focused on a Global
Warming Wheel Card,
which is included in
is packet.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
Welcome to the Global Warming
Wheel Card Curriculum Packet
What are the objectives of this curriculum packet?
The materials in this packet are designed to introduce students to:
• The concept of the greenhouse effect
• Carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas
• Common sources of carbon dioxide generated by humans and the role of
carbon dioxide in increasing the greenhouse effect
• A Global Warming Wheel Card that
enables students to see their individ-
ual roles in generating carbon dioxide
and therefore increasing the green-
house effect
• Ways in which they might reduce
their individual, family, school, and
community contributions to the
greenhouse effect
What are the contents of this curriculum packet?
The packet contains the following items:
• Global Warming Wheel Card (assembled)
• Instructions for Making a Global Warming Wheel Card (unassembled)
• TEACHER INTRODUCTION: Global Warming and Carbon Dioxide
• STUDENT INTRODUCTION: Greenhouse Effect and Carbon Dioxide
• STUDENT ACTIVITY #1: Using the Global Warming Wheel Card
• STUDENT HOMEWORK #1: Electricity Use and Carbon Dioxide
• STUDENT ACTIVITY #2: What You and Your Community Can Do to Reduce
Carbon Dioxide
• STUDENT ACTIVITY #3: A Simple Energy Audit
• Teacher Notes on Activities
I Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent post-consumer fiber.
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How can I use this curriculum packet?
This curriculum packet is designed to be used in two ways. The materials may be
used for a single, one session activity that focuses on the construction and use of
a Global Warming Wheel Card. Alternatively, the packet may be used to conduct
three activities over two successive classroom sessions.
The wheel introduces students to common sources of carbon dioxide, such as
manufacturing processes, power plants, and automobiles. The wheel also allows
them to estimate how much carbon dioxide they and their families produce in a
typical year through these sources. Once they understand how they contribute to
the production of carbon dioxide, the wheel provides them with examples of
activities that they can undertake to reduce the production of carbon dioxide.
Once studetns demonstrate that they understand the concepts introduced in the
Global Warming Wheel Card, the second session's activities involve asking them
more challenging questions and in-depth activities related to reducing the pro-
duction of carbon dioxide.
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www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
TEACHER INTRODUCTION:
Global Warming and Carbon Dioxide
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y
-7
What is global warming?
As we enter a new millennium, the findings of the international scientific com-
munity indicate that our world is becoming warmer. Abundant data demonstrate
that the average global climate has taken a sharp turn upward during the past
150 years. Recent observations about trends in climate include:
• The 1980s and 1990s are the warmest decades on record
• The 10 warmest years in global meteorological history have all occurred in the
past 15 years
• The 20th century has been the warmest globally in the last 600 years
Thousands of scientists around the world have concluded that the average tem-
perature of the Earth's lower atmosphere has increased approximately 1 degree
Fahrenheit since 1900 and that recent trends show that annual mean global tem-
peratures could rise by 2.5 to 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century.
The graph on the right
shows the average
annual increases in tem-
perature at the surface
of the Earth since 1880.
The trend is clearly
upward. Are there likely
to be human health or
environmental effects
from this warming? And
if so, what can we do to
reduce our contribution
to this trend?
Global Temperature Trends (1880-2000)
-0,6
1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1960 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Y«r
Surtaca Dale Souros: National CBmsac Data Canter, 2001.
SaU*e Data Soirai: John R. Christ)'. Unlvenlty of Alabama In HuntevHla. and
Roy Spencer, National Aeronautics and Space AdmmistralKO.
What are the effects
of global warming?
Scientists have observed several recent environmental changes that they believe
may be related to global warming. These changes include the rapid retreat of
alpine glaciers in the northern hemisphere, melting of permafrost, and rising sea
levels in the oceans. In parts of North America, lakes are freezing later in the fall
and thawing earlier in the spring than they did just 50 years ago, and several
cities have had numerous episodes of record heat during recent summers.
In addition to the effects on oceans and ice, there's a risk that the climate will
change in other ways that will directly affect our lives. Among the potential
impacts that might be expected are additional rises in sea level; more frequent
and severe heat waves and droughts; more extreme weather events such as
heavy rainfalls, producing floods and causing property destruction; and infectious
diseases becoming more widespread.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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What causes global warming?
Global warming is a result of the "greenhouse effect," so-called because it is
similar to the way that the glass panels of greenhouses trap heat from the sun.
This causes the greenhouse to heat up, much like the inside of a car parked in a
sunny spot. The trapped heat keeps the plants warm enough to live in the winter.
Gases in the atmosphere behave much like glass panes. Sunlight enters the
Earth's atmosphere, passing through a blanket of greenhouse gases. As it reaches
the Earth's surface, the sunlight is absorbed by land, water, and living organisms.
Once absorbed, a percentage of this energy is radiated back into the atmosphere.
Some of the radiated energy passes back into
space, but much of it remains trapped in the
atmosphere by the greenhouse gases, causing
the atmosphere to heat up.
What role does carbon dioxide play?
Although several greenhouse gases (see "What
Are Greenhouse Gases?") contribute to global
warming, one of the greenhouse gases—carbon
dioxide—is believed to play a major role in the heating of the Earth's atmos-
phere. Carbon dioxide is a common by-product of the burning of fossil fuels, such
as coal, oil (including gasoline), and natural gas. Major sources of carbon dioxide
include burning fossil fuels to produce electricity in power plants, supplying that
electricity to power industrial activities and household appliances, and burning
gasoline to run automobiles and other vehicles.
What Are Greenhouse Gases?
Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide (COz), methane (CH4),
nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (Os). Greenhouse gases allow solar radiation
to reach the Earth's surface and become absorbed, yet they trap thermal
radiation that is leaving the Earth's surface. Outgoing thermal radiation
absorbed by these gases heats the atmosphere. The atmosphere then emits
thermal radiation both outward into space and downward to the Earth, fur-
ther warming the surface.
It is important to note that global warming is a separate problem from
ozone depletion. Ozone depletion refers to the thinning of the ozone layer
in the stratosphere, which extends roughly between 9-31 miles above the
Earth's surface. A diminished ozone layer allows more harmful radiation to
reach the Earth's surface. Global warming, on the other hand, refers to an
increase in the Earth's average temperature.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
STUDENT INTRODUCTION:
Greenhouse Effect and Carbon Dioxide
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What is the greenhouse effect?
Have you ever seen a greenhouse? Most greenhouses
look like a small glass house. Greenhouses are used
to grow plants, especially in the winter. Greenhouses
work by trapping heat from the sun. The glass panels
of the greenhouse let in light but keep heat from
escaping. This causes the greenhouse to heat up,
much like the inside of a car parked in sunlight, and
keeps the plants warm enough to live in the winter.
The Earth's atmosphere is all around us. It is the air that we breathe.
"Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," such as carbon dioxide, behave much like
the glass panes in a greenhouse. Sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, passing
through the blanket of greenhouse gases. As it reaches the Earth's surface, the
land, water, and living things absorb the sunlight's energy. But some of this
energy is not absorbed and instead is sent back into the atmosphere. Some of that
energy passes back into space, but much of it remains trapped in the atmosphere
by the greenhouse gases, causing our world to heat up. We call the heating of the
Earth's atmosphere by these gases the "greenhouse effect" because it is some-
what like a greenhouse. And the more greenhouse gases there are, the more this
effect occurs.
Sometimes little things can turn into big things. Think about brushing your
teeth. If you don't brush for one day, chances are nothing bad will happen. But
if you don't brush your teeth for one month, you may develop a cavity. It's the
same thing with global temperatures. If temperatures rise above normal levels
for a few days, it's no big deal—the Earth will stay more or less the same. But
if temperatures continue to rise over a longer period of time, then the Earth—
and everything that lives on the planet, including people—may experience
some problems.
This increase in average temperatures across our planet is called "global
warming," and it is one way that climate changes. Scientists use the term
"climate change" because warming is only one indication that
climate is changing. Rainfall also can increase in some regions. At
the same time, it can decrease in other areas. And, as climate
changes, some places may actually become cooler. But the overall
trend across the whole planet is a warming trend, and this is why
most people refer to "global warming."
Average global temperature has increased by almost 1° Fahrenheit
(F) in the past century. Scientists expect the average global temper-
ature to increase an additional 2.5 to 10.4° F over the next 100
years. This may not sound like much, but it could change the Earth's
climate more than it has in thousands of years. At the peak of the
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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last ice age (18,000 years ago), the temperature was only 7° F colder than it is
today, and glaciers covered much of North America!
Even a small increase in temperature over a long time can change the climate.
When the climate changes, there may be big changes in the things that people
depend on. These things include the level of the oceans and the rainfall that our
crops depend on. In some places, changes could also happen to the water we drink.
Why is this happening?
In the past, all climate changes occurred naturally. However, scientists have
found that once industrialization began in the 1800s, climate began changing
more rapidly than it had for thousands of years. As a result of the Industrial
Revolution, we began using more and more machines to make life easier. But
machines need energy to operate. In the 1800s, most of that energy started
coming from our burning of fossil fuels—coal, oil, natural gas, and gasoline. And
burning fossil fuels releases gases into the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide.
These gases help make the atmosphere warmer.
When do you send greenhouse gases into the air?
You send greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere
whenever you...
• Watch TV
• Use an air conditioner
• Turn on a light
• Use a hair dryer
• Ride in a car
• Play a video game
• Listen to a stereo
• Wash or dry clothes
• Use a dishwasher
• Microwave a snack
Holding place for
drawing of kids
watching t.v.
How is that possible? To perform many of these activities, you need to use electric-
ity. Electricity comes from power plants. Most power plants use coal, oil, or natural
gas to make electricity. Burning these fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases.
Whenever we ride in a car, we are adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
And when factories make the things that we buy and use everyday, they too are
sending greenhouse gases into the air.
What might happen?
It is important to understand that scientists don't know for sure what global
warming will bring. Some changes brought about by global warming will be
good. If you live in a very cold climate, warmer temperatures in winter might be
welcome. Days and nights could be more comfortable, and farmers in the area
may be able to grow more crops than they could before. But it is also true that
changes in some places will not be very good at all. Some farmers won't be able
to grow as much or will have to grow different crops. And summers may get
much warmer.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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continued
STUDENT INTRODUCTION: GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND CARBON DIOXIDE
Human Health
Climate change may affect people's health both directly and indirectly. For
example, very warm temperatures and high humidity can cause what is known
as "heat stress"—people can faint from becoming overheated and can become
very sick. Untreated, heat stress can be a very serious medical problem.
Scientists suspect that, in many places, global warming will increase the number
of very hot days that occur during the year. More hot days increases the possibil-
ity of heat-related health problems.
Worsening air pollution, changes in food and water supplies, and coastal flooding
are all examples of possible impacts that might affect human health indirectly.
How people and nature adapt to global warming will determine how seriously it
affects human health. Some people and places are likely to be affected more than
others. Generally, poor people and poor countries are less likely to have the
money and resources they need to cope with preventing and treating health
problems. Very young children and elderly adults will run the highest risks.
Ecological Systems
Climate change may alter the world's habitats, and all living things rely on those
habitats. Together, they are the world's ecosystems. (An ecosystem is the inter-
acting system of a biological community-plants, animals, and other living organ-
isms—together with its non-living
environmental surroundings.) Many of these
places depend on a delicate balance of rain-
fall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid
change in climate could upset this balance
and seriously change the environment of
many living things.
Most climate changes in the past occurred
very slowly, allowing plants and animals to
adapt to the new climate or move somewhere else. However, if future climate
changes occur as rapidly as scientists are predicting, plants and animals may not
be able to react quickly enough to survive. The ocean's ecosystems also could be
affected for the same reasons.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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Sea Level Rise
Global warming may make the sea
level become higher. Why? Well,
one reason is that warmer tem-
peratures cause mountain glaciers
to melt. A glacier is a large sheet
of ice that moves very, very
slowly. Melting glaciers generally
add more water to the ocean.
Warmer temperatures also make
water expand. When water
expands in the ocean, it takes up more space and the
level of the sea rises.
Some scientists believe that sea level may rise as
much as 2 feet during the next century. This will
affect both marine life like fish and structures along
coastlines such as roads and houses. Coastal flooding
could cause saltwater to flow into coastal marshes
where too much salt would be harmful, threatening
plants and animals in those areas. For example, an
increase in the salt content of the Delaware and
Chesapeake bays is thought to have decreased the
number of oysters able to live in those waters.
As sea level rises, flooding during storms becomes worse. Some beaches tend to
erode during storms. Oceanfront property could be affected by this higher flood-
ing. As the sand is carried away, the houses could be even more vulnerable to
being hit by waves. Whether we move our houses and other buildings back from
the water or build walls in the face of a rising sea, it could cost billions of dollars
to adapt to climate change. And some of the adaptations may cause problems for
the ecosystems in the area.
Coastal flooding also may reduce the quality of drinking water in some regions
because saltwater from the ocean could enter into drinking water supplies.
Crops and Food Supply
Global warming may make the Earth
warmer in cold places. People living in
these places may have a chance to grow
crops in new areas. But global warming
also might bring droughts to other places
where we grow crops. In some parts of the
world, more people may not have enough to
eat because they cannot grow the food that
they need.
Holding place for
drawing of withered
grass, plants, etc.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
STUDENT ACTIVITY #1:
Using the Global Warming Wheel Card
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<
Purpose:
Time required:
Equipment:
This activity will introduce you to the Global Warming
Wheel Card.
15-20 or 30-40 minutes
• Four sheets of paper, from which you will need to cut out
pieces, then glue them together.
• Scissors
• Glue stick or liquid glue
• Small paper fasteners or brads (the brass kind that can be
pushed through paper easily and have flanges that can be
bent to hold the paper)
Now that you have made your wheel, use it to answer the
following questions.
1. Mr. Smith drives to work every day. He goes about 20 miles in each direction,
or 40 miles round-trip. He goes to work 5 days each week. How many miles
does he drive to work in a week?
A. Figure out how many miles he travels to and from work each year.
B. Use the Global Warming Wheel Card to calculate how much carbon dioxide his car produces
just during Mr. Smith's driving to and from work.
2. Mr. Smith's family also uses the car for lots of other activities, such as shop-
ping, going to evening football games, weekend camping trips, and other
places. Mr. Smith estimates that the family travels another 400 miles per
week, in addition to the miles he travels to and from work.
A. Use the Global Warming Wheel Card to figure out how much carbon dioxide the family
produces by driving during the week.
3. Use the Global Warming Wheel Card to find out what Mr. Smith could do to
reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that he and his family generate by driving.
4. What other things could the Smith family could do to reduce the amount of
carbon dioxide that they generate by driving?
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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5. The Jones family lives next door to the Smith family. Although the Smiths
recycle all of their trash, the Jones family thinks it is too much trouble to recy-
cle, so they throw every piece of paper, every plastic container, glass bottle,
and aluminum can into the trash, which gets picked up and taken to the local
landfill ("garbage dump").
A. Use the Global Warming Wheel Card to find out the estimated level of carbon dioxide the
Smith family produces every year from their waste disposal (throwing away trash).
B. How much carbon dioxide does the Jones family generate every year by throwing away their
trash instead of recycling?
6. Use the Global Warming Wheel Card to find out what the Jones family could
do to reduce the carbon dioxide that the family produces every year.
.
7. What other things could the Jones family do to reduce the amount of carbon
dioxide that the family generates with their waste disposal habits?
Holding place for
drawing of Recycling Box
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
STUDENT HOMEWORK #1:
Electricity Use and Carbon Dioxide
'?'
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This homework requires that you take your Global Warming Wheel Card home
with you and ask your parents or other adult to share their electricity and home
heating bills with you.
1. Look around your house for items that need electricity to operate.
List the first 10 items that you find.
1
2
3
4
5
8
9
10
2. Of those 10 items, which ones do you use every day?
3. How much did your family spend each month for electricity in the past six months?
Total amount:
Now divide that number by 6. This will give you an average monthly bill.
Average monthly bill:
4. Using your Global Warming Wheel Card, pick the amount that is closest to the
"average for six months" that you just calculated. How much carbon dioxide
does your household produce every year?
5. Use your Global Warming Wheel Card to find what your household can do to
reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that you generate.
6. Can you think of other things that you can do to reduce the amount of electric-
ity that you use in your home? You may want to go back to #2 for some ideas.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
I Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent post-consumer fiber.
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
'?•
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STUDENT ACTIVITY #2:
What You and Your Community Can
Do to Reduce Carbon Dioxide
Purpose: This activity will allow you to think about what you can do to
help reduce the release of carbon dioxide into the air and per-
haps limit the greenhouse effect in the future.
Time: 40 minutes
Equipment: Pencils and paper
Materials provided in this packet, including responses to
Activity #1, fact sheets, and Global Warming Wheel Card
1. Find three other students with whom you would like to work. You will need
pencils and paper, and you might want to have these things with you:
A. Your Global Warming Wheel Card
B. Your "Introduction to the Greenhouse Effect and Carbon Dioxide"
C. Your answers from Activity #1
2. Take the next 20 minutes to discuss the following:
A. The four of you work for your town's Department of Environmental Protection. You have
learned a great deal about global warming in the past several months, and you are becoming
concerned about the possible effects it will have on your local community if it continues to get
worse. You are now aware of some of the causes and effects of global warming, and you would
like to do everything you can to make sure that your community does not contribute more car-
bon dioxide than is absolutely necessary. However, you also realize that people in your com-
munity enjoy the way their lives are now, and you do not want to make too many changes that
will upset their lives. Your department has been asked to come up with some new programs
for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide generated by your community. What three pro-
grams would you propose to encourage your community's citizens, businesses, and institutions
(such as schools) to change their behavior so they produce less carbon dioxide?
B. What would your community probably like about these programs?
C. What would your community probably NOT like about these programs?
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
I Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent post-consumer fiber.
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
STUDENT ACTIVITY #3:
A Simple Energy Audit
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Purpose:
Time required:
Equipment:
Introduction:
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To encourage students to examine their classrooms and iden-
tify ways in which they can help conserve energy.
20—45 minutes
For each student: This worksheet, a pencil, and a small piece
of lightweight paper (such as tissue paper), approximately
I" across and 3" long, that hangs on a paper clip (see drawing)
We spend much of our day in school. But few of us notice
details about buildings, such as windows and thermostats. We
also pay little attention to the small actions that each of us
does-such as turning lights on and off-that affect energy use.
These actions are important not only because they contribute
to our comfort, but also because the use of energy in heating,
cooling, and lighting school buildings increases the cost of
operating our schools.
An energy-efficient school is more comfortable than one that
is not energy-efficient, and it needs less oil, natural gas, coal,
or electricity for heating or cooling. A building that is badly
designed or poorly maintained is expensive to operate
because it is trying to heat or air-condition the outdoors as
well as the indoors.
The following activity will teach you to conduct a simple
energy audit. By conducting this exercise, you will point out
areas that could be improved and save energy, which means
saving money and making you more comfortable. You will
learn about things that you and your classmates can do to
save energy.
You will conduct an audit inside your classroom.
Audit: Inside Your Classroom
1. Where is the thermostat located?
A. It should be located on inside walls, away from a bright light source (such as sunlight) or a
heating or air conditioning vent. Is it? yes no
2. What setting is the thermostat reading?
A. It should be set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit in winter or 78 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. Is it?
yes no
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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Holding place for
drawing papers at window
3. Do you have windows in your classroom? Answer these questions, if you
have windows.
A. Does your classroom have window coverings that allow you to block out intense sunlight
during hot days? yes _ no
B. Take the small piece of paper and paper clip
you made. This is a "draft detector." Walk
up to the window, and hang the piece of
paper at four different spots along the edge
of the window, where the window meets
the wall. Hold it still for about 30 seconds
in each spot. Be sure to get really close to
the window, if you can do it safely, and
make sure that the heating vents aren't
blowing the paper.
C. Does the paper move? Can you feel warm
or cold air coming in through the window?
If you can feel air move, the windows are not energy-efficient. Are your windows energy-effi-
cient? yes no
4. Now take your draft detector to your classroom door. (If you have a door to a
hallway and a door to the outside, do this activity with both doors.)
A. Place the detector along the sides of the inside of the door, where it meets the walls, and along
the floor. Do you detect any air moving through the cracks between the door and the wall or
the floor? If you can feel any air moving, your door is not energy-efficient. Is your door energy-
efficient? yes _ no
B. Place the detector along the sides of the outside of the door, where it meets the walls, and
along the floor. Do you detect any air moving through the cracks between the door and the
wall or the floor? If you can feel any air moving, your door is not energy-efficient. Is your door
energy-efficient? yes _ no
5. Does your classroom have a floor covering, such as carpeting?
_yes
no
6. How high is your ceiling? (Use caution when trying to determine this.) Is it 8
feet or less? yes no
7. If you can safely open the air conditioning or heating unit in the classroom, do
so, and look at the filters. Are they clean (little dust or dirt, not clogged)?
yes no
8. Are the light bulbs used in your classroom energy-saving bulbs? (You might
need to ask your facilities manager this question.) yes no
9. Are all the desks and chairs away from heating or cooling vents?
yes no
10. Now we will look at some of your personal activities in your classroom that
affect energy use.
A. Do you wear clothing that is appropriate for the season, such as sweaters in the winter and
lightweight clothes in the summer? _ yes _ no
B. Do you turn off the lights if you are the last one out of the room? yes no
C. Do you avoid putting your textbooks, notebooks, etc. on top of heating or cooling vents?
yes no
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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continued
STUDENT INTRODUCTION: GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND CARBON DIOXIDE
If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, your classroom is doing well.
But if you said "no" to three or more, you need to work with your teacher, facili-
ties manager, or other adult to improve these areas.
Here's why your answers matter:
1. If your thermostat is located too close to a strong light or heat source, it will
not properly measure the room temperature, which means that energy will be
wasted because the heater or air conditioner runs more than it needs to. It
also could mean that you are uncomfortable in your classroom, because if the
thermostat is near a source of heat or air-conditioning, it will turn off well
before the entire room is heated or cooled.
2. If your thermostat is set too high in winter or too low in summer, you are
wasting energy. Ask the person responsible for energy management in your
school to check your thermostats and make sure that they are working properly.
3. If your windows do not have the ability to block out intense sun, your air-con-
ditioning costs are too high, or your comfort level is lowered (because the
room cannot cool down). If you see or feel air moving through the edge of the
window, this means you are losing energy from your classroom, and the
windows need to be caulked, sealed, or covered by a storm window system.
4. Your draft detector has helped you to determine whether your door is
energy-efficient.
5. Carpeting helps keep rooms more comfortable and conserves heat.
6. Clean filters conserve energy. Dirty filters waste energy.
7. Ceilings higher than 8 feet waste energy, because warm air moves to the top
of the room instead of remaining
near the floor where we are.
8. Energy-saving bulbs are more expen-
sive to buy but save lots of money on
electricity in the long term.
9. If furniture blocks heating or
cooling vents, the furnace or air
conditioner will insufficiently heat
or cool the room.
Holding place for
drawing of CFL
10. When you wear clothes that are appropriate for the weather, you require
less energy to keep warm or cool.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Atmospheric Programs
(6205J)
EPA430-F-01-027
August 2001
Teacher Notes on Activities
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Student Activity #1:
• Classroom Time Needed:
• Without classroom introduction to greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide:
15—20 minutes
• With introduction and discussion: 30-40 minutes
• You may want to send students home with the "Introduction" fact sheet the
night before you do this exercise, so that they are familiar with all the terms
and the issues of global warming.
• We have provided a "homework" activity that follows up on the classroom
exercise. This homework activity asks students to ask their parents about their
electricity bills and their heating bills. Because some families live in housing in
which they do not pay utilities, you might want to prepare some "sample"
heating or electric bills that students can use to complete the exercise.
• This exercise is very good for reinforcing students' abilities to follow written
directions. However, if your students find reading the instructions too difficult,
demonstrate how to put together the wheel. You may need to do this twice for
all students to comprehend the process.
• This exercise is also very good for practicing fine motor skills. However, if you
have students with impaired mobility or limited fine motor skills, you may want to
cut the pieces out in advance and provide them with partially prepared wheels.
Student Activity #2:
• Classroom time needed: 40 minutes (20 minutes for group discussion, 20
minutes to discuss responses)
• You may want to reinforce some of the key concepts from all four areas of the
Global Warming Wheel Card, because Activity #1 focuses on transportation
and waste disposal. If the students have not completed the homework activity,
you may want to walk them through the "Electricity Use" and "Home Heating"
portions of the Global Warming Wheel Card to remind students that those are
also controllable sources of carbon dioxide.
• This is a group exercise. Be sure to point out that all four members of the group
are equals-each person gets to contribute his or her fair share to the process.
• Require that all students write down the answers to the questions. This will
reinforce writing and organizational skills.
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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Student Activity #3:
• Without introduction to global warming: 20—30 minutes
• With introduction: 30-45 minutes
• Another possible activity would involve having the students perform an audit
on other rooms in the building, such as the cafeteria, gymnasium, or even
another classroom.
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www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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