UNIT
7: LESSON 3
IT'S UP TO PEOPLE
SUBJECT: History, Social Studies, Current Events and
some Math
OBJECTIVE: Students will learn that the choices made
by people - including themselves and their families - are the most important
factors in determining whether renewable corn products like ethanol
or biodegradable plastics will be used.
MEASUREMENT: Students realize that they make choices every day,
and that all people make choices every day, and those choices can affect
the future. Hopefully they will also realize that individuals can make
a difference by what they say and do!
BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS:
Review the teacher's background, and the "Corn For Energy!" Fact Sheet
found in Unit 7, Lesson 1.
There are four possibilities relating to our current position of reliance
on foreign countries for so much of our energy supplies. People have
the choice. We can:
. Consume less energy
Will this lower our standard of living ?
. Produce more energy
Will we explore more environmentally sensitive
areas?
. Guarantee imports
Will we maintain military superiority?
. Find alternatives
Will we commit to renewable energy sources?
Review the teacher's background in Unit 7, Lesson
4 for information on corn as a source of biodegradable plastics.
Again, people have the choice!
The student activities in this lesson focus on energy, but all activities
are easily adaptable to the issue of biodegradable plastics.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES:
1. Ask students to read Hugh Buys a Car,
paying close attention to Hugh's feelings and reactions. He was very
excited to have his own car. He was very proud to be a farmer, and was
even more proud to think that farmers would be able to grow the raw
materials needed for building and running cars. He was also proud of
his country, and wanted it to be strong and self-sufficient.
2. Ask the students what they're proud of, and what is important to
them. Ask them if they think individual people can make a difference
in the world. Help them think of examples where individuals made a difference
by standing up for what they believed, or by helping others. (They can
think of historical examples like Gandhi, the Pilgrims, Martin Luther
King, or they can think of examples from their own lives and school.)
3. Talk about the ways that people can demonstrate their beliefs. For
example, if the class already did the "Corn For Energy!" Campaign, ask
them to list some of the ways they could demonstrate their belief in
"Corn For Energy!" For example:
- They can teach their families and friends what they know about
using corn for energy.
- They can choose to spend their money (or encourage their parents
to spend their money) on gasoline that is blended with ethanol.
- They can write letters to their representatives in government asking
them to encourage the use of energy from corn and other renewable
sources by providing tax benefits and money for research.
- They can thank the people and companies that are using and/or looking
for new sources of energy made from corn and other renewable resources.
- They can thank farmers for raising crops that can be used to supply
energy for the world.
- They can study and learn more about the subject of renewable energy.
(Background information is available at http://www.ilcorn.org/reports/natofcorn/airqual.html,
or www.ilcorn.org/pages/ethanol.htm.
4. 4. Tell students that in this lesson they will learn WHAT PEOPLE
KNOW, and HOW PEOPLE FEEL about renewable energy. Then ask them to complete
one or more of the following projects. (They might want to do this in
teams of two or more!)
Interview the owners, customers or employees of several community gas
stations. They could also draw a map of the community showing where
all the gas stations are located. Mark which ones sell ethanol. A 10%
blend of ethanol and gasoline (E10) would be the most common, but some
of them might sell an 85% blend (E85).
Develop and conduct a survey of students, teachers, families or community
members.
Note: It's very important that students develop this survey on their
own! The questions need to reflect THEIR concerns and THEIR understanding
of the issues. These surveys can be very simple or very complex, depending
on the maturity of the students. Surveys with "yes or no" questions
are the easiest for tabulating results.
Possible knowledge questions for the survey:
- A fuel for cars can be made from corn.
- Ethanol is healthier for the environment than gasoline.
- It's possible to make ethanol and food from the same bushel of
corn.
- Fossil fuels like gasoline are non-renewable.
Possible attitude
questions for the survey:
- This country
depends too much on oil from the Persian Gulf.
- The government
should encourage development of fuel produced from corn.
- The government
is doing as much as it should to reduce air pollution.
- Increased use
of ethanol is good for the economy.
Make a scrapbook
of news clippings about energy use in the United States. Highlight all
the comments made by people that demonstrate their attitudes and beliefs
toward sources of energy (fossil fuels or alternative sources like ethanol)
and uses of energy (conservation or wasteful).
5. Students should
summarize their results, then decide if there is more THEY can do!
