Your School’s Energy Use

Activity Source: American Geophysical Union

 

Grade Levels: 3-6

Background

Did you ever think about how much energy (electricity) your school uses? Make a list of all the things you can think of in your school that use energy. Look at a graph of energy use in schools to help you add to your list. Why do you think space heating requires so much energy compared to the other “end uses” shown on the graph? What about your school building might affect how much energy is used to heat it? Where might heat be lost from the building? This activity will allow you to explore one factor that can affect energy consumption related to heating and cooling buildings.

Materials

  • Construction paper (darker colors recommended)
  • Scissors
  • Windows that are easily accessible
  • Painter’s tape
  • Scotch tape
  • Window tint film
  • Plastic sandwich bags (optional)
  • Sunscreen (optional)

Procedure

  1. Cut a piece of construction paper into various shapes. Use scotch tape to secure these shapes to another whole piece of construction paper.
    • Tape the construction paper to a window with the shapes facing the window.
    • Optionally, use windows that get different amounts of direct sunlight.
  2. Wait two days and remove the construction paper from the windows. Then, carefully remove the shapes. What do you notice?3 With permission, cover a portion of the window(s) you used in step 1 with window tint film.
  3. With permission, cover a portion of the window(s) you used in step 1 with window tint film.
  4. Tape a piece of construction paper onto the window(s) so that half of it overlaps with the window tinting.
  5. Wait two days, then remove the construction paper. What do you notice?

Analysis

  1. Describe how tinting windows affects the energy transfer between the environment and your school.
    • What evidence do you have that energy from the sun affects things through the window?
    • How do you think tinting the windows in your school would affect energy use for heating and cooling? Explain your answer.
  2. Watch a video about energy-efficient building modifications. Describe two changes that could be made in your school to reduce energy use in the building.

Further Steps

Watch a webinar on how AGU has made changes to its building (including triple-pane, auto-tinting windows!) in Washington, D.C. to improve energy efficiency and become Net Zero.

NGSS Connections

  • SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
  • DCI: PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
  • CCC: Energy and Matter

SDG Connections