Cost Effective Buying

Middle school energy experts read about the relationship between energy use and cost-efficiency. Then they work through a couple of scenarios to determine which approach is more cost-effective.

After reading about the amount of energy that is used to power a personal computer, learners take a look at their own computer use and therefore, their energy consumption. They do this through a series of questions and computations on...

Are average college tuition and fees really rising in the United States? Here is a fascinating take on the rising cost of college tuition and how price discrimination may explain what is often seen as an insurmountable cost for...

More than 100 cities around the world have shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Scholars investigate a city wanting to make this switch, but needs help determining how to make the shift. Groups consider all options,...

How much is your toaster costing you every day? Young environmentalists calculate the monetary costs of household appliances based on their average consumption of wattage.

Youngsters make a mental assessment of electricity-consuming appliances in their homes and then evaluate them for the amount of energy consumed. They learn how to use power meters and measure the electrical consumption of several...

Pairs simulate the energy usage of different countries by drawing beads from a bag, which contain different beginning ratios of non-renewable and renewable energy resources. The activity concludes with a series of questions to tie...

Students investigate ways to save energy. In this environmental lesson, students play the role of a building inspector and identify "culprits" that waste energy. Students use a checklist to identify specific practices that waste energy.

The price of those new shoes involves more than just money! Individuals explore the concept of opportunity cost using a video clip and gratification discussions. They prepare a budget based off of their set of values in regards to...

Think you can solve the energy problem? You'll first need to know about current energy use. Analyzing a set of circle graphs lets scholars see where energy consumption is the greatest, both by sector and by household use. They develop a...