Curated OER
Energy Jeopardy
While science Jeopardy games are a dime-a-dozen, this one has some pretty unique categories that are still relevant to a middle school physical science curriculum. The topics include: leading nations, famous Americans (who invented...
PBS
House Warming
Things should heat up during a hands-on lesson exploring solar energy. An enlightening activity challenges young scientists to design a structure that collects solar energy efficiently. They keep track of temperature data over time and...
Radford University
Fuel Efficient Function Activity
Pupils research the five most fuel efficient vehicles of the same type and come up with a way to display the mile per gallon for each vehicle. After choosing a vehicle, scholars create graphs to display miles traveled given the amount of...
Radford University
Let's Buy a Car
Ready to buy a car? Learners research different makes and models of cars to decide on the best one to buy. They collect data on cost, fuel efficiency, safety ratings, and insurance costs, then create and analyze data displays to make...
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Cash or Gas?
Which option provides the best payout? Pupils predict which lottery prize to take. They devise a method to calculate which prize would likely provide the greatest monetary value.
Beyond Benign
Ecological Footprint
How does your lifestyle measure up in terms of your ecological footprint? Young ecologists examine their impact on the planet using an insightful online calculator. A short quiz asks users to rank the size of their homes, their energy...
CK-12 Foundation
Wind Turbine
Scientists know wind is a renewable resource, but is it an efficient one? Scholars adjust the propeller diameter on a wind turbine, the wind speed, and the conversion efficiency within range to learn about the efficiency of these...
Discovery Education
Drive it Green
Explore and brainstorm innovations for cars with a STEM lesson that asks scholars to weigh different options when considering when buying a car. They research the fuel efficiency and carbon emissions for various options, and then design...
Curated OER
Hybrid Vehicles: Cut Pollution and Save Money
Math and science meet in this lesson on hybrid electric automobiles. This 24-page resource provides everything you need for teaching a lesson that compares the use of internal combustion engines to hybrid electric engines. Participants...
Curated OER
Methods of Power- Hybrids
Students list the reasons why people chose hybrid cars over traditional cars. In this technology lesson, students create a poster describing how hybrid cars work. They discuss ways to save fuel and improve a car's efficiency.
Curated OER
Stop the Bus! America Wants a Ride
Middle schoolers compare the fuel efficiencies of various modes of transportation and graph the results. They, in groups, design and conduct a forum to discuss ways to improve on lifestyle actions and limit excessive pollution for the...
Curated OER
The Dymaxion Car
In this motion worksheet, students read about the invention of the Dymaxion car that was designed to achieve high speeds. Students complete 2 short answer questions based on the reading.
Curated OER
Math: Road Trip
Twelfth graders use road maps to calculate the distance between two locations. They estimate the cost for fuel and the miles per gallon. They consider other factors such as geography, road conditions, and traffic that may impact the cost.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: You've Got Permission to Be a Backseat Driver!
You can see what happens to your car's fuel efficiency when it takes you downtown to see a movie, up a hill for a great view, or out for a cruise on a flat country road. This is because a car's fuel efficiency does not remain the same...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Supersonic Dream
Examine how fuel use affects the mass of different planes during flight. This lesson teaches students how to determine the per person fuel cost of a transatlantic flight for seven airplanes, and display the results on a bar graph. Three...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Form vs. Function
Students take a closer look at cars and learn about some characteristics that affect their energy efficiency, including rolling resistance and the aerodynamics of shape and size. They come to see how vehicles are one example of a product...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: N q.a.1: Fuel Efficiency
The problem requires learners to not only convert miles to kilometers and gallons to liters but they also have to deal with the added complication of finding the reciprocal at some point. Aligns with N-Q.A.1.
Other
Mit Technology Review: Tomorrow's Cars
A collection of articles about innovations in automotive technology. Titles include: Prying Open the Prius, Cheaper Fuel Cells, Better than Hybrids, and Free Power for Cars.
Other
Ask Numbers: Measurement Conversion Calculators and Charts
What kind of unit conversion would you like to do? This site will allow you to do a multitude of conversions. Just click on the specific measurement you are needing to convert. It also provides a history of measurements and a chart of...