Power in South Carolina

Engage: 

Ask the class, When we switch on a light, what is the source of this power? Students may say power lines or power plants in general or they may be familiar with a local plant.

Ask, How was this power created? Review with students the basics of electric power generation. You can use videos (e.g., Santee CooperTV at https://youtu.be/ c91STdJWOYo and NEED’s Electricity Generation and Transmission at http://youtu.be/OIrMBY1vkss) to review the generation process.

Ask, What can we tell about the different types of fuel sources that are used to produce electricity? They each create heat that is used to create steam that turns the turbine that creates electricity

Explore: 

Tell the class that there is a lot that they can learn about power in South Carolina from interpreting charts, graphs, and illustrations. Introduce these websites:

1. South Carolina Profile State Profile and Energy Estimates, www.eia.gov/state/?sid=SC

• Walk the students through the main sections of the website – Overview, Data and Analysis. Talk about what kind of information they might find on those pages. Have students look at the South Carolina Quick Facts page at www.eia.gov/state/print. php?sid=SC.

• Next, have students look at the Beta version website at www.eia.gov/beta/states/states/sc/ rankings and ask what information could be helpful to them on this website.

2. South Carolina Energy Office – http://energy.sc.gov/ • Show the students where they can find information pertaining to the assignment (i.e., South Carolina Energy Data, Renewable Energy, Residential). 

Explain:

Using a jigsaw method (explained below), have the students work in groups to research an energy source (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, solar power, wind) used in creating energy. Have the students find the following information:

• How was it formed or created (for fossil fuels) or what is the process that causes it (solar, etc.)?;

• The availability in our state; • Environmental advantages/ disadvantages;

• Five interesting facts about the energy source in South Carolina found on the websites. To run a jigsaw cooperative learning group activity, follow these six simple steps.

• STEP 1: Divide the class into groups of six students.

• STEP 2: Assign each student the group a different energy source to research.

• STEP 3: Give students time to learn and process their assigned segment independently.

• STEP 4: Put students who are assigned the same energy source together into an “expert group” to talk about and process the details of their segment.

• STEP 5: Have students return to their original “jigsaw” groups and take turns sharing the segments they’ve become experts on.

• STEP 6: Have students complete a task (see the Evaluation Activity) that’s reliant on them having understood the material from the contributions of all their group members.

Elaborate: 

The size of your carbon footprint indicates how much impact you have on the environment.

Complete the Carbon Footprint Survey and color a footprint to show the relative size of your family’s impact on the environment. The survey is available at www.energystar.gov/ia/products/globalwarming/ downloads/GoGreen_Activities%20508_compliant_ small.pdf.

Read the following BACKGROUND INFORMATION with the students.

Have students take the Carbon Footprint Survey in class. Complete this as a whole group activity, with each student having their own footprint handout.

The Carbon Footprint Survey will ask a series of questions that will direct the participant to color lines around the footprint drawing. The more greenhouse gases you produce, based on your answers, the bigger the carbon footprint grows.

The following color crayons will represent the four categories of behavior surveyed.

• Housing and Home Energy: RED

• Transportation: BLUE

• Personal Habits: GREEN

• Recycling Habits: BROWN

Have the students evaluate their footprints and make some observations about how they may reduce their carbon footprint on the back of the handout.

As a class, read through the “What can you do to reduce the size of your carbon footprint?” Handout.

Evaluate: 

Have the student groups create a way to communicate the information they learned through their research.

Allow the groups to create a poster or online presentation using a program that the students are familiar with. Have the students share presentations, if time permits.

E-Learning Activities: 

RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

See Santee Cooper’s Educational Resources at https://sites.google.com/view/santee-cooperteacherresources/home?authuser=0.

RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS

See the online module about energy sources at https://lsintspl3.wgbh.org/en-us/lesson/ttv-g3m6- Energy/1.

Background Information: 

The light and heat from the sun support life on Earth and provide energy needed for plants to grow. Energy from the sun drives the Earth’s weather and climate. The Earth absorbs some of the energy it receives from the sun and radiates (sends out) the rest back toward space. However, certain gases in the atmosphere, called greenhouse gases, absorb some of the energy radiated from the Earth and trap it in the atmosphere.

These gases act as a blanket, making the Earth’s surface warmer than it otherwise would be. In the past 100 years or so, humankind has created machines, factories, and vehicles that have greatly increased the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. This increased level of greenhouse gases means more heat is held in the atmosphere and the Earth is getting warmer.

These warmer temperatures are causing changes around the world on land, in the oceans, and in the air. This could upset the delicate balance that sustains life. Whether we realize it or not, we all emit carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases, through our day-to-day activities. The amount we emit is referred to as our “carbon footprint.” The bigger the footprint, the more carbon dioxide that comes from each of us as a result of the choices we make.

Climate change caused by excess greenhouse gases and a big carbon footprint can cause:

• Heat waves that damage crops, stress livestock, and make life difficult for people;

• More air pollution, which is linked to allergies, asthma, and other health problems;

• Severe storms and flooding due to higher sea levels; and

• Loss of habitat as the climate changes, particularly in Arctic regions.

Families can help reduce their carbon footprint by focusing on four major areas that generate excess carbon dioxide:

1. Housing and household energy use;

2. Transportation;

3. Personal habits; and

4. Recycling.

You’ll have the chance to estimate the relative size of your family’s carbon footprint as well as learn easy ways you can help reduce it.

Have the student groups create a way to communicate the information they learned through their research.

Allow the groups to create a poster or online presentation using a program that the students are familiar with. Have the students share presentations, if time permits.