You down with O.E.P.?
(Yeah you know me!)
Westerville South High School
students reduce their energy footprint with the help of the
Ohio Energy Project (OEP) and
Columbia Gas of Ohio!
Aislynn Valentine - Grades 11-12 Ecology classes - 2015-2016 school year
Goal of the Energy Unit
Develop energy-literate citizens who are able to make informed
decisions about energy efficiency and consumption in their
personal and professional lives.
Lessons focused on helping students learn:
How energy transforms from one form to another
The various sources of energy production
The impact of energy use on the environment
Strategies to reduce energy consumption
e3Smart Program activities and resources used:
ENERGY SAVERS Booklets
NEED Energy Infobooks
“Introduction to Energy” activities
“A Day in My Life: Energy
Transformations” activities
Home Energy Audit
Energy Sources Relay
Light Bulb or Heat Bulb activities
Insulation and Air Leaks activities
Heating and Cooling activities
Appliances and Energy activities
Energy Synopsis activities
Journal Entry Reflection
Questions
Pre- and Post-Polls
Energy Savings Kits from
Columbia Gas
Highlights: Intro to Energy Activities
“Energy Efficiency Top 5”
5 areas of energy savings were projected on the screen
Groups of 3-4 to put them in order, writing their responses on a whiteboard
for evaluation and feedback
A representative from each group placed one energy savings card in its
correct position on the list
Students learned which areas have a greater impact on improving energy
efficiency than others
“A Day in My Life: Energy Transformations” Activity
Students evaluated daily energy use and assigned relative energy points,
comparing to other classmates
Groups of 3-4 work on energy transformations for common activities, using
symbols to represent the various forms of energy and arrows to represent the
transformations
Responses written on whiteboard for evaluation and feedback
Students learned how energy from a battery or outlet is transformed to fulfill our
daily energy needs
Highlights: Insulation & Water Heating Activities
Insulation Experiment
Student groups measured the effectiveness of various insulators
Materials tested: wool sock, cotton sock, saran wrap, plastic bag, aluminum foil,
styrofoam, paper bag, un-insulated beaker (experimental control)
Students observed that an insulated beaker demonstrates less heat loss than a noninsulated beaker, and that some insulators were more effective than others
Students learned the importance of insulation in boosting energy efficiency, and the
effectiveness of various types of insulation
Water Heating and Energy Experiment
Students tested the water temperature and flow rate at various
locations throughout the school, comparing data at different
locations
Students learned the value of using aerators to reduce water
use, and that our school water temperature is set fairly low in
all areas but the kitchen, likely in order to conserve energy
(reduce costs)
Highlights: Appliances and Energy Synopsis Activities
Testing the Energy Used by Electric Appliances Activity
Using Kill A WattTM Electricity Usage Monitors, students investigated the energy use and
estimated yearly cost of a variety of appliances
Appliances tested: CFL lightbulb, LED bulb, incandescent lightbulb, hot plate, microwave,
fish tank filter, lava lamp, Christmas lights, curling iron, blow dryer, box fan, cell phone
charger, laptop computer
Students learned that energy from the outlet is transformed into a variety of forms, with
heat-related processes requiring the greatest amount of energy. They also learned which
household items cost the most each year
Energy Source Relay
As part of our review for the energy unit, students tested their knowledge of the top 10 energy sources in a
fast-paced, team-oriented relay race
Evaluation:
44 Energy Kits supplied to
students in 2 class sections of
Ecology
23 activities and assignments
performed over a 3-week period
27% increase in knowledge
about energy from Pre-poll to
Post-poll assessments
Special Thanks to:
Ohio Energy Project
Columbia Gas of Ohio
National Energy Education
Development Project (NEED)
(Average score of 8.78 grew to 14.24 out of
20)
55% of online Family
Installation Surveys completed
Westerville Electric Division
(CFL lightbulbs donation)