Exploring Energy Production and Consumption
Students will analyze energy consumption data across the industrial, transportation, commercial, and residential sectors. Students will analyze electricity distribution data to understand that the current US grid for electricity distribution is not efficient.
- Inform students that they will continue to examine US energy production and consumption.
- Give the Exploring Energy Production and Consumption exploration sheets back to the students.
- Instruct students to next, examine the 2007 Energy Consumption in the United States pie charts. Have students answer questions 13-15 on the their exploration sheets.
- Instruct students to next, examine the pie charts on the 2007 US Energy Consumption by Sector Web pages. Have students answer questions 16-31 on the their exploration sheets.
- Instruct students to next, examine the 2007 Electricity Generation in the United States pie charts. Have students answer questions 32-37 on the their exploration sheets.
- Discuss aloud the consumption and electricity generation data and student responses to key questions. Ask students if they have any questions about concepts covered in the lesson and respond to their questions.
Review key concepts of US energy production and consumption.
Implementation Suggestion:
- We recommend that the following facts be explicitly stated to the students.
Implementation Suggestion:
- We recommend that the following facts be explicitly stated to the students.
a) Petroleum is the most consumed energy resource in the United States. It is used primarily in the transporation sector.
b) Coal is used to produce the most energy in the United States. This is mostly used to generate electricity.
c) The current grid system for distributing electrical energy is inefficient. Much electrical energy is lost during the transport of electricity from the electrical energy power generating source to the receiver.
You may wish to use the appropriate US Energy Consumption and Production pie charts to emphasize these points.
Materials Needed:
Materials Needed:
Handout
Exploring Energy Production and Consumption Exploration Sheet (PDF / MS Word)
Assessment Information
Exploring Energy Production and Consumption Exploration Sheet Assessment (PDF / MS Word)
Supplemental Homework Readings for Students
Uses of Energy (PDF)