Scientific LiteracyEnergy Consumption, Conservation and Sustainability

Literacyは何でしょうか？The ability to identify, understand, interpret,

create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society (UNESCO, 2004).

We must think critically!

Scientific Literacyは？knowing, using and interpreting scientific

explanations of the natural worldgenerating and evaluating scientific evidence

and explanationsunderstanding the nature and development of

scientific knowledgeparticipating productively in scientific practices

and discourse. (National Research Council, 2007)

たとえば、 Energy & the Environment

What’s this?

Energy Conservation Facts

Did you know that it costs more money to recycle a PET bottle than to make a new one?

It costs more than twice as much money to recycle garbage than to dump it.

Recycling and processing causes pollution but trash can be used in other creative ways.

The solutions lie in the concept of “zero waste”. Children can be challenged to provide original creative

answers to global and local problems associated with energy use, garbage, pollution and the environment.

Lesson Plan (1)

Review the 4 Rs: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce and Refuse. Focus on “Reduce” here.

Collect a week’s worth of garbage in clear plastic bags in the usual way. Bring it to class. Place it where all the students can see it clearly.

Dissect the garbage (this might have to be done outside!)

Ask students in small groups to brainstorm ways to reduce the amount of garbage and to share their ideas with the class using poster-sized mind maps.

Lesson Plan (2)

Ask students to take a garbage inventory for one week. Students can classify their families garbage and measure volume and mass of each kind (plastics, burnable, compost etc.)

Students can prepare bar graphs, pie graphs and other means to display their data and present their results to the class.

This project effectively achieves interdisciplinary/cross-curricular goals (Math, Science, & Socials).

Lesson Plan (3)

Ask students to repeat this experiment for another week but implementing some of their ideas to reduce garbage.

Then students can compare their results before and after to see the differences.

Extension activities could include similar projects to investigate energy or water consumption at home or at school. For example, showering vs. bathing or using A/C or not.

どうしよう？

Recycle or better yet, Reduce or Reuse!

House for Sustainability

Extension Activities

Have students compare approaches to Energy Conservation and Sustainability from around the world.

How do they do things in Germany, USA and other countries?