National Science Standards

Science as Inquiry: Content Standard A:
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop:

Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- Design and conduct scientific investigations. Designing and conducting a scientific investigation requires introduction to the major concepts in the area being investigated, proper equipment, safety precautions, assistance with methodological problems, recommendations for use of technologies, clarification of ideas that guide the inquiry, and scientific knowledge obtained from sources other than the actual investigation.
- Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications. A variety of technologies, such as hand tools, measuring instruments, and calculators, should be an integral component of scientific investigations. The use of computers for the collection, analysis, and display of data is also a part of this standard. Mathematics plays an essential role in all aspects of an inquiry. For example, measurement is used for posing questions, formulas are used for developing explanations, and charts and graphs are used for communicating results.
Understandings about scientific Inquiry
- Mathematics is essential in scientific inquiry. Mathematical tools and models guide and improve the posing of questions, gathering data, constructing explanations and communicating results.

Learning Objectives

Each student will:

Identify data that are included in an energy audit.
Conduct a school building lighting audit.
Background Information, Vocabulary and Materials

Background Information, Vocabulary and Materials

Background Information

Review Lighting in the Library’s* “Student Worksheets” pages 1, 2, 3, and 4. Today’s class period will be spent actually conducting the lighting audit. You'll want to organize this with your custodial staff so they can assist with ladders and other details.

Vocabulary

Terms learned from Lesson 6.

Materials

Tape measures
Clipboards
Ladders (supervised) as required

Lesson Procedures

Presenting the Information
Organize the class into their audit teams. Note that different tasks can be divided among the teams (e.g. several teams count and identify lamps while other teams measure building area).

Student Practice / Activity

Conduct school building energy audit.
Collect data on worksheets.
If time allows, begin analyzing data.

Feedback

Check data collection worksheets together as a class.
As a homework assignment, have students organize data collected during school building energy audit and read over Lighting in the Library’s Student Worksheet pages 5 and 6.

Handouts and Worksheets

Lighting in the Library’s “Student Worksheets” pages 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Critierion-Referenced Test

This material part of final test. See Testing Blueprint in Teacher's Guide for details.

*Lighting in the Library
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs
(202) 586-9240
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/

Individual pages from this web site may be printed and duplicated for
student classroom use provided that proper credit is given to
the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC).