Cars of Tomorrow and the American Community

Topics:  Pollution and Global Warming Effects of Current Transportation.  Alternative Fuels for Transportation.

Source:  Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, with support from the U.S. Dept. of Energy and an advisory board of high school teachers, town planners and engineers.

Web Address:  http://www.nesea.org/education/edmaterials/edu_download.html, the first “Curricular Unit.”  Download by chapter.

Grade Level:  HS

Learning Strategies:  Read and comprehend; research, teamwork, presentations, debate; cooperative learning; peer teaching; community service learning; brainstorming and creativity.

Frameworks Connections:

Science and Technology/Engineering

• Technology/Engineering, Grades 9-10

1. Engineering Design

• Earth and Space Science, Grades 9-10

2. The Earth's Sources of Energy

• History/Social Science

The main theme “The development of scientific reasoning, technology, and formal education over time, and their effect on people's health, standards of living, economic growth, government, religious beliefs, communal life, and the environment.”

Cost:  Free download, or order hard copy for free (plus shipping charges).

Description: This 97-page guide examines the impact of present-day transportation on communities and explores possible effects on the community of a shift to alternative-fueled vehicles.  Nine alternative fuels including fuels for internal combustion engines and electric or hybrid motors are researched in three major topic areas:  Availability and Distribution, Health, Pollution and Safety, and Operation, Maintenance and Refueling.  Students identify important energy and transportation issues, research these issues, present findings to classmates, and make a presentation to the community if desired.

Lesson plans for each unit include suggested time allocations, objectives, materials, and procedures.  Each unit consists of background reading and discussion, identification of community relevance, team research, presentations, and group discussion.  Handouts and readings are provided.

This guide should not be used as a primary resource to cover renewable energy or global warming topics.  Rather, this guide would be a good supplement to studies of pollution, global warming, and alternative energy sources, providing student-centered activities combining science and social sciences.