Search for Resources

Reduce Your Energy Use

Middle, Secondary

Description

Reduce Your Energy Use is a math activity in which students consider those electricity-consuming items in their homes that could be eliminated from their lives and they would still live comfortably.

In groups, students examine cards (provided) showing the energy consumption of various appliances   The group selects three appliances to remove from their homes and discuss their choices with the rest of the class. After this discussion the students note their choices  along with their reasoning on a worksheet (provided). 

Next the students convert the electrical consumption of each appliance to the same format (rate, percentage, fraction or decimal). The appliances are then ordered from least energy user to the most. The students revisit which appliances to remove from their lives and justify their choices.

Extension ideas are included.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

The activity is best suited for the middle school classroom.  It supports numeracy outcomes in working with ratios, decimals and percentage and science outcomes related to energy use and electricity.

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.

  • Step 1Select a province
  • Alberta
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Algebra: Equations express relationships between quantities.
        • Number: Quantity is measured with numbers that enable counting, labelling, comparing, and operating.
        • Statistics: The science of collecting, analyzing, visualizing, and interpreting data can inform understanding and decision making.
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Matter and Energy: Understandings of the physical world are deepened through investigating matter and energy
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probality
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Knowledge and Employability: Number (Number Concepts and Number Operations
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Knowlege And Employability: Number
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electrical Principles and Technologies
        • Knowledge and Employability Science: Electrical Principles and Technologies (Science and Technology Emphasis)
  • British Columbia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals
        • Data from the results of an experiment can be used to predict the theoretical probability of an event and to compare and interpret
        • Mixed numbers and decimal numbers represent quantities that can be decomposed into parts and wholes
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with integers and decimals
        • Decimals, fractions, and percents are used to represent and describe parts and wholes of numbers
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 7:The electromagnetic force produces both electricity and magnetism
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility extend to operations with fractions
        • Number represents, describes, and compares the quantities of ratios, rates, and percents
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 9: Electric current is the flow of electric charge.
  • Manitoba
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Senior 1 Science: Nature of Electricity
  • New Brunswick
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics & Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics & Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electricity
  • Northwest Territories
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals
        • Data from the results of an experiment can be used to predict the theoretical probability of an event and to compare and interpret
        • Mixed numbers and decimal numbers represent quantities that can be decomposed into parts and wholes
        • Number Operations
        • Statistics and Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Energy and Control: Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electrical Principles and Technologies
  • Nova Scotia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 6: Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics & Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 9: Characteristics of Electricity
  • Nunavut
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Energy and Control: Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Knowledge and Employability: Number (Number Concepts and Number Operations
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Knowlege And Employability: Number
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electrical Principles and Technologies
        • Knowledge and Employability Science: Electrical Principles and Technologies (Science and Technology Emphasis)
  • Ontario
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Data
        • Number
      • Science & Technology
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Matter and Energy: Electrical Phenomena, Energy, and Devices
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Data
        • Number
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
  • Prince Edward Island
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics and Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
        • Statistics & Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 9: Content Knowledge
  • Quebec
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arithmetic
        • Statistics and Probability
      • Science & Technology
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Material World
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arithmetic and Algebra
        • Statistics and probability
      • Science & Technology
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • The Material World
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arithmetic and Algebra
      • Science & Technology
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • The Material World
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Arithmetic & Algebra
  • Saskatchewan
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Mathematics 6 : Number
        • Mathematics 6: Statistics and Probability
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 6: Physical Science: Understanding Electricity
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Mathematics 7: Number
        • Mathematics 7: Statistics and Probability
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Mathematics 8: Number
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Math 9: Number
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 9: Physical Science: Characteristics of Electricity
  • Yukon Territory
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 6
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with whole numbers and decimals
        • Data from the results of an experiment can be used to predict the theoretical probability of an event and to compare and interpret
        • Mixed numbers and decimal numbers represent quantities that can be decomposed into parts and wholes
    • Grade 7
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with integers and decimals
        • Decimals, fractions, and percents are used to represent and describe parts and wholes of numbers
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility extend to operations with fractions
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Math
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 9: Electric current is the flow of electric charge.

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Sustainable Consumption

Energy (1)

  • Energy Use