Making a Campfire: Energy Choices

Description

This video uses the process of making a campfire on a cold morning as a means of exploring the pros and cons of wood as a "renewable" energy resource.

Image_List

Lesson

Printable Materials

Making A Campfire (PDF) Lesson Plan

Discussion

1. What kind of fuels have replaced firewood?

2. What are the benefits and costs of today's forms of energy resources?

3. What's a "renewable" resource?

4. Give an example of a renewable resource.

5. Give an example of a nonrenewable resource.

6. Besides firewood, what else do trees give us?

7. Why don't we use wood as our main energy resource anymore?

Standard

4-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity

Students who demonstrate understanding can: Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.

Disciplinary Core Ideas ESS3.A: Natural Resources

Energy and the fuels that humans use are derived from natural sources, and their use affects the environment in multiple ways. Some resources are renewable over time, and others are not.

Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and Effect

Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change.

Science and Engineering Practices: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information in 3-5 builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to evaluate the merit and accuracy of ideas and methods. Obtain and combine information from books and other reliable media to explain phenomena.