Energy Sciences

Introduction and Rationale

“By bringing fossil fuels to the surface and burning them, we are returning the carbon and oxygen to their original state. Within a few short generations we are consuming materials that were formed and concentrated over geologic eras. There was probably never more CO₂ in the air at any time in the past billions years than today.” -Roger Revelle, 1968

In 2000, it was published that Chicago, a city of 2.9 million residents, emitted 12 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents of greenhouse gases per capita. That’s a total of 34.7 million metric tons! In comparison, the amount per capita in Chicago was about double that of New York or London’s per capita emissions at that time. 91% of Chicago’s emissions were sourced from electricity, natural gas and transportation.¹ The significance behind these numbers lies in their relation to energy. In a review by NASA, it was declared that 97% of climate scientists agree that the climate-warming trend over the past century is most likely due to human activity, specifically humans need for energy.² As long as humans continue to use fossil fuels for things like electricity, heat and transportation the likelihood of reducing the impact of human activity on climate change is slim. 

If you were to ask most students in my 8^th grade Physical Science class what climate change is, they would likely tell you that it is something that is bad for the environment and it is making the world very hot. They would also probably reference their own experience with Chicago’s unpredictable weather patterns and assume the cause is attributed to climate change. While there may be some truth in their thoughts, it’s certainly not a complete understanding of what climate change is nor does it allow them to realize the causes or implications of this paramount issue. 

The unit is comprised of five topics that all relate to climate change. The beginning of this unit is designed to address the foundational principles of energy. Students will first define the types of energy (i.e., kinetic and potential) and their behavior. Next, they will move on to exploring the principles of energy conversion and transfer by examining current nonrenewable and renewable energy sources and how humans harness energy for usage. Finally, students will end by assessing their hometown’s effect, implications and response to greenhouse gas emissions. Their assessment of the city will start with analyzing how human activities contribute to the rising greenhouse gas emissions, research on how the city can and has been lowering their emissions and finally propose innovative ideas to continue to move toward a carbonless future of energy in Chicago.

This unit is designed for students at Tarkington School of Excellence, a Chicago Public School within the Academy of Urban School Leadership network located on the southwest side of Chicago. The population of students is made up of approximately 954 students, of which 91% are considered low-income. The student demographics are approximately 77% Hispanic and 22% Black. About 13% of the student population receives special education services and approximately 30% of students receive bilingual services. This unit was designed for approximately 100 eighth grade general education students. Prior to the 2019 school year, these students had minimal exposure to science classes in kindergarten through fifth grade and only began attending science as a core content class in their sixth grade year. The students have had minimal exposure to the scientific principles of energy, energy sources and climate change. This unit is designed to align with the Next Generation Science Standards, which has been adopted by the state of Illinois for use in science education.