Objective:
Students will recognize the energy efficiency of different kinds of transportation and the benefits of good fuel efficiency and ride sharing.
Materials List:
-Three signs: HOME, NEARTOWN, and FARVILLE
-Thirty car cards with vehicle name, estimated fuel economy (MPG) and passenger capacity
-One overhead transparency list of vehicles without the fuel economy or passenger capacity information
-Ten pretzels for each student
Teacher Preparation:
1. From the automobile list, prepare a 3" X 5" card for each vehicle with the name of the vehicle, the estimated fuel economy and passenger capacity information. Prepare an overhead transparency listing just the vehicle names without the fuel efficiency or passenger capacity information.
Click here for Auto List.
2. Prepare three signs, one each printed with HOME, NEARTOWN, and FARVILLE. Place signs on large poles or walls in the room, hallway, or other large area. Each sign should be 100 (toe-to-heel) steps apart.
Activity:
1. Have each student select an automobile from the list on the overhead. Each student should choose a different automobile.
2. Distribute the car cards to students according to their selections.
3. Distribute ten pretzels to each student.
4. Explain to students that:
5. Instruct students that they must travel from HOME to work in NEARTOWN and back HOME again. In order to begin the trip, students must eat a pretzel and take the appropriate number of steps (MPG). Students should continue eating pretzels (refueling) and taking steps (traveling) until they return HOME.
If any student eats all five pretzels (runs out of fuel) before they return HOME, they must stop moving and stay at the spot until the round is over.
6. Discuss what happened. Which cars got the students to NEARTOWN and back to HOME? WHICH DIDN'T? Discuss alternatives to each driving his/her own car. Discuss benefits and disadvantages.
7. Have students repeat the activity for ROUND TWO using the remaining 5 pretzels. Explain that students must now travel from HOME to FARVILLE and back HOME. Encourage students to try some of the suggestions mentioned earlier. Expect negotiations. (such as sharing pretzels and vehicles) Students should begin the trip by eating one pretzel and taking the appropriate steps.
8. Discuss what happened. Who made it to FARVILLE and back to HOME? How did they accomplish this? Who did not make it? Why?
9. Discuss the concept of fuel efficiency or fuel economy.
10. Discuss factors that would have an effect on fuel economy.
Where is Everyone Going?
With only five percent of the Earth's population, Americans own 34 percent of the total cars and use 26 percent of the world's oil.
(This activity is from Energy Education, Spring 1995, as presented in Mathematics & Science Frameworks for Nebraska Schools. The Mathematics and Science Framework was developed by the Nebraska Department of Education through funding provided by the Eisenhower National Program for Mathematics and Science Education, authorized by the United States Department of Education.)
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