Household Energy Audit
Energy audits can save owners a lot of money and help conserve energy.Copyright Powerlines, Seattle, WA http://powerlines.seattle.gov/2011/03/01/february-really-was-cold-keep-warm-without-big-bills/
Students review the electrical appliances used at home and estimate the energy used for each. The results can help to show the energy hogs that could benefit from conservation or improved efficiency.
Evaluating energy consumption is the first step engineers take when trying to reduce energy consumption. This step is part of the "understand the problem" and "gather information" steps in the problem solving spiral (and the engineering design process).
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Calculate energy use.
- Analyze how changing personal behaviors and appliances choices affects the amount of energy they use.
- CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.
Grade 6
Do you agree with this alignment? - CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.
Grade 6
Do you agree with this alignment? - CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Grades K-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - CCSS.Math.Practice.MP4 Model with mathematics.
Grades K-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
- Energy can be used to do work, using many processes.
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment?
- recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics
Grades -1-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - model and solve contextual problems using various representations, such as graphs, tables, and equations
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment? - select appropriate methods and tools for computing with fractions and decimals from among mental computation, estimation, calculators, or computers, and paper and pencil, depending on the situation, and apply the selected methods
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment?
- Energy is a property of many substances and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion, sound, nuclei, and the nature of a chemical. Energy is transferred in many ways.
Grades 5-8
Do you agree with this alignment? - Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Grades 5-8
Do you agree with this alignment? - Electrical circuits provide a means of transferring electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced.
Grades 5-8
Do you agree with this alignment?
- 6.NS.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.
Grade 6
Do you agree with this alignment? - 6.NS.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.
Grade 6
Do you agree with this alignment? - MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Grades -1-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - MP.4 Model with mathematics.
Grades -1-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
- Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment? - Energy may take different forms (e.g. energy in fields, thermal energy, energy of motion).
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment? - Use mathematical representations to describe and/or support scientific conclusions and design solutions.
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment? - Collect data to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions or test design solutions under a range of conditions.
Grades 6-8
Do you agree with this alignment?
- Student Worksheet, one per student
- (optional) access to computer and personal energy meter.xls spreadsheet
- calculator
- watt meter (loan to students, as appropriate)
(See materials included in watt meter activity. The intro to this activity is scheduled for the same day. Students get started on this as homework and then work on calculations and discussion questions in class the following day.)
With the Students
- At the completion of the watt meter activity, hand out the student worksheet and explain the homework portion of the home energy audit to them in class. Explain that they can focus on one room, but they should be thorough in defining all electrical appliances in that room.
- Next day: Make sure that students brought in some information about their electric energy use. Work throughout the class period (on paper or on an Excel spreadsheet) to estimate the daily energy use for each appliance and answer discussion questions.
- Review findings with the class. Any surprises? What consumes the most energy in some households? Least? How important is leaking energy in your house? Any ideas for how they might use this information relative to their unit project?
Collect completed worksheet and discussion questions for review.
This activity was originally published by the Clarkson University K-12 Project Based Learning Partnership Program and may be accessed at http://internal.clarkson.edu/highschool/k12/project/energysystems.html.
Contributors
Jan DeWaters; Susan Powers
Supporting Program
Office of Educational Partnerships, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
Acknowledgements
This activity was developed under National Science Foundation grant nos. DUE 0428127 and DGE 0338216. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Copyright
2013 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2008 Clarkson University