VIDEO

VIDEO

Impacts of Using Energy

Impacts of Using Energy

Watch this brief, video picture of practice that captures everyday classroom life and provides real-life examples of how students learn and think about energy topics.

Grades

3 - 8

Subjects

Earth Science

At the most basic level, students recognize that burning fossil fuels makes "pollution," but students may not move beyond this basic understanding to develop more sophisticated ideas about energy use, especially as it is connected to large-scale problems such as global climate change and toxins in our food systems. Furthermore, understanding by-products from burning fossil fuels can be confusing because students may not differentiate between "smoke," "pollution," "carbon dioxide," and "bad gases." Working on improving student understanding of by-products will help students develop more sophisticated ideas about energy impacts.

Watch this video of 4th and 5th grade students in San Diego, California—a working class community. The purpose of this classroom video is to hear student ideas about energy impacts on climate change and biomagnification of toxins.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Writers
Lindsey Mohan, Ph.D.
Ivan Salinas, B.S. Chemistry
Marcia S. Matz, M.A. Design
Jose Marcos-Iga, Ph.D. Natural Resources
Nicole D. LaDue, M.A.T. Earth Science Education
Tania T. Hinojosa, M.Ed. Educational Technology
Rachel J. Fisher, M.S. Biology
Designer
Cindy Olson
Editors
Kristen Dell, National Geographic Society
Lindsey Mohan, Ph.D.
Chelsea Zillmer
Educator Reviewers
Catie Boarts, Heal the Bay
Rachel J. Fisher
Meghan E. Marrero, New York State Marine Education Association (NYSMEA)
Marcia S. Matz
other
Last Updated

December 21, 2023

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