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Description
Comparing the Carbon Footprint of Transportation is a math-based lesson that allows students to explore the issue of sustainable travel and compare different modes by calculating their carbon footprints.
The lesson begins with a short introduction and discussion of the topic of climate change and ways to reduce it. A slide presentation is shared with the students to discuss the impact of transportation on climate change and to explain the term carbon footprint. Additional resources such as videos are included in the teacher resource to help illustrate the topic.
Continuing with the presentation teachers will share the carbon footprint and speed of each mode of transportation. The students will then use the provided worksheet and apply a mathematical formula to calculate the travel time and carbon footprint of each travel type. Afterwards the students will discuss which method of transportation is the most sustainable. Extension activity ideas are included.
General Assessment
What skills does this resource explicitly teach?
This resource teaches the students how to calculate the carbon footprint of various forms of transportation.
Strengths
- informative resource that highlights sustainable transportation methods
- all required resources are provided
- additional slides in the presentation provide the information in kilometers as well as miles
Weaknesses
- lack of assessment materials
Recommendation of how and where to use it
The resource is best suited to the Science classroom and can be completed in a single class period. It teaches the students how to use basic math skills to calculate the carbon footprint of various transportation methods. The resource helps to attain outcomes related to climate change, energy resources and their use, and human impact on the environment.
Relevant Curriculum Units
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
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- Alberta
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- Grade 5
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- Math
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- Number: Quantity is measured with numbers that enable counting, labelling, comparing, and operating.
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- Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
- Matter and Energy: Understandings of the physical world are deepened through investigating matter and energy.
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- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Number: Quantity is measured with numbers that enable counting, labelling, comparing, and operating.
- Science
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- Matter and Energy: Understandings of the physical world are deepened by investigating matter and energy
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- Knowledge and Employability: Number (Number Concepts and Number Operations
- British Columbia
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- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with larger (multi-digit) numbers
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- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals
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- Computational fluency and flexibility extend to operations with fractions
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- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with larger (multi-digit) numbers
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- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals
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- Computational fluency and flexibility extend to operations with fractions
- Number
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- Knowledge and Employability: Number (Number Concepts and Number Operations
- Number
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- Number
- Science & Technology
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- Earth and Space Systems: Conservation of Energy & Resources
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- Life Systems: Interactions in the Environment
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- Prince Edward Island
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- Living Things
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- Arithmetic and Algebra
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- The Living World
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- Arithmetic and Algebra
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- The Living World
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with larger (multi-digit) numbers
- Grade 6
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals
- Grade 7
- Grade 8
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility extend to operations with fractions
Themes Addressed
Air, Atmosphere & Climate (3)
- Air Pollution
- Climate Change
- Ozone Depletion
Citizenship (2)
- Ecological Footprint
- Sustainable Consumption
Energy (1)
- Energy Use
Land Use & Natural Resources (1)
- Transportation
Sustainability Education Principles
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Very Good | As this resource has at its core the calculation of carbon footprints of various modes of travel, the students are considering all of the modes of transportation and choosing the most sustainable. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
| ||
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | The resource allows for a culminating discussion in which the teacher will need to ensure that the students discuss the feasibility of travel types and the most viable option for each journey depending on its purpose. |
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
| ||
| Respects Complexity | Very Good | The information presented allows for the students to examine the issue in an authentic context as the data is taken from actual travel information. |
| Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
| Acting on Learning | Satisfactory | The resource is about building an awareness of the carbon footprint of the modes of transportation presented. |
| Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
| ||
| Values Education | Good | After the worksheet is completed the students are given an opportunity to express their ideas about the most sustainable form of travel in a group discussion. |
| Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
| Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus of this resource. |
| Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
| Personal Affinity with Earth | Good | The resource builds an understanding of carbon footprint and develops a concern for the emissions of greenhouse gases and their effect on the planet. |
| Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
| ||
| Locally-Focused Learning | Good | Allowing the students to explore the sustainability of different modes of transportation helps the students to make connections to their daily lives and how they move about their own town/city. The teacher could further develops this by having the students create a trip plan in their own area and calculate the carbon footprint to make it even more relevant to the students' lives. |
| Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
| ||
| Past, Present & Future | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus of this resource. It has a focus of developing an awareness of the carbon footprint of different modes of transportation which places it very much in the sense of the present. |
| Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. | ||
Pedagogical Approaches
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Ended Instruction | Very Good | As this resource has at its core the calculation of carbon footprints of various modes of travel, there is essentially one correct answer. However, it will be during the discussions that occur that multiple reasons and justifications for the different applications will be brought forward. |
| Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
| Integrated Learning | Very Good |
|
| Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
| ||
| Inquiry Learning | Satisfactory | The lesson is straightforward and deals with the computation of carbon footprints. |
| Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
| ||
| Differentiated Instruction | Good | The thought of travel and the idea of using different modes of transportation will be engaging for the students. The use of the videos to enhance the lesson will be a bonus. |
| Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
| ||
| Experiential Learning | Good | The computations made deal with real data taken from a real world context. |
| Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
| ||
| Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | |
| Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
| ||
| Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | There are suggestions made for the evaluation of learning but there are no tools provided. |
| Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
| Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | |
| Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
| ||
| Case Studies | Satisfactory | The information provided for the calculations is from real world data. |
| Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
| Locus of Control | Satisfactory | The students are directed as to how to complete the activities in the resource. There are included extension activities that do allow for more choice. |
| Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. | ||
