1. Scientific Analytical Reasoning & Problem Solving in
Comparative Unit 9: Energy Consumption
World Perspective
Unit 9: Energy Consumption
Energy has become an issue of internaOonal proporOons as evidenced by the meeOng at
Kyoto, Copenhagen
and others in which world leaders debate the catastrophic effects to our climate as a result of
excessive use both of energy as well as of sources used to produce energy that pollute our
atmosphere.
Using the United States as the basis of your discussion, which as you know consumes more
energy than
any other country in the world, analyze the reasoning behind demanding that other countries
conserve
their natural resources and not use them to create energy for their countries. For example, the
Amazon
rain forest in Brazil is being deforested at an alarming rate, underdeveloped countries burn
nonrenewable
resources to produce the energy that their countries demand, and in general the fact that
the world demands more energy has created a serious situaOon for the US to maintain its
credibility
and partnership with the countries of the world.
Unit Descrip?on:
This unit will provide an extensive examinaOon of energy and its consumpOon from a naOonal
and
global perspecOve. This unit will offer students a varied range of foundaOonal knowledge from
the
types of energy sources available to technological advances in conservaOon. The unit will also
offer students
an opportunity to examine the issues and policies surrounding energy consumpOon while crea‐
Ovely devising plausible soluOons from their own vantage points.
Unit Narra?ve:
The students will gain an understanding of various types of energy and their uses in the United
States
and abroad. They will be guided to compare and contrast energy consumpOon on a naOonal
and interna
Oonal scale to define implicaOons for transportaOon, buildings and electricity generaOon. It
will also
be a goal to assess trajectory usage of energy for underdeveloped countries and appropriate
measures

2. adopted in renewable sources. Examining the role of technology in reducing energy
consumpOon and
exploring the internaOonal models holding successful outcomes in reducing energy
consumpOon will be
the objecOves for the student.
Week One: An Introduc?on to Energy Uses and Sources
Day One: Facilitator will discuss and define energy. Session will discuss forms of energy
(chemical,
radiant, mechanical, electrical, nuclear) and how energy can be transferred from one
Scientific Analytical Reasoning & Problem Solving in
Comparative
World Perspective
Unit 9: Energy Consump?on
Energy has become an issue of internaOonal proporOons as evidenced by the meeOng at
Kyoto, Copenhagen
and others in which world leaders debate the catastrophic effects to our climate as a result of
excessive use both of energy as well as of sources used to produce energy that pollute our
atmosphere.
Using the United States as the basis of your discussion, which as you know consumes more
energy than
any other country in the world, analyze the reasoning behind demanding that other countries
conserve
their natural resources and not use them to create energy for their countries. For example, the
Amazon
rain forest in Brazil is being deforested at an alarming rate, underdeveloped countries burn
nonrenewable
resources to produce the energy that their countries demand, and in general the fact that
the world demands more energy has created a serious situaOon for the US to maintain its
credibility
and partnership with the countries of the world.
55
source to another. Discussion will also disOnguish between renewable and non renewable
sources of energy.
Video Clip: Types of Energy hIp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzQqWMlAgGg
Reading:
How We Get Our Energy hIp://www.energyamericainc.com/
Day Two: Facilitator will conOnue building student knowledge on energy and its uses to
examine
issues of efficiency. PresentaOon will assess efforts for conservaOon and examine ways
that students can conserve energy in their own day to day acOviOes. PresentaOon will
also examine how energy conservaOon can improve the environment.
Video Clips: Energy and Policy Team

3. hIp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOMc1coT9oY
President Obama on Energy and the Environment:
hIp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abGlr9sTdEg
Week Two: Energy Consump?on and its Impact on the Environment
Day Three: Facilitator will offer an overview of energy consumpOon for the United States in
four major
areas: transportaOon, residenOal, commercial and industrial. PresentaOon will evaluate
our ever‐increasing dependence and its focus of discussion from the Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen.
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference Summary
hIp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doj5bwuCFHo
Day Four: Review of selected case studies of comparaOve energy consumpOon by developed
and
underdeveloped countries. Reports recognized by leading scholars and agencies will assist
in developing a Omeline for increased dependency while predicOng the need for
more sources as underdeveloped countries conOnue their economic growth.
Readings:
World Business Council for Sustainable Development: Powering Sustainable SoluOons:
Policies and Measurement.
hIp://www.wbcsd.org/web/publicaOons/PoweringSustainableSoluOons.pdf
56
Week Three: Technology and Renewable Energy Sources
Day Five: Facilitator will introduce new technology developed to assist in energy efficiency. A
series
of websites will be offered to students to guide in their insight of available technology
used in engines transmissions and fuel. Sites from the US Department of Energy will
offer iniOaOves in research and development on building pracOces in our naOon’s structures
from lighOng to roofing.
Energy Efficiency and Technology hIp://eetweb.com/
Energy Efficient Technologies hIp://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tech_adv.shtml
US Dept. of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
hIp://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/technologies.html
Day Six: Facilitator will assess a wide range of renewable energy sources and its use in
developing
countries. PresentaOon will center on the challenges and barriers to embracing renewable
energy sources in these areas and evaluate programs used to promote renewable
energy as a viable, less expensive opOon to fossil fuel.
Commonwealth of Australia (2001) Power to the People: Renewable Energy in Developing
Countries: A Summary of Discussion at the Renewable Energy Forum.
hIp://www.ausaid.gov.au/publicaOons/pdf/renewable_energy.pdf
ProducOve Uses of Renewable Energy in Developing Countries
hIp://www.marOnot.info/producOve_uses.htm
Qurashi, M.M. & Hassian, T. (2005) Renewable Energy Technologies for Developing

4. Countries: Now to 2023.
hIp://www.isesco.org.ma/english/publicaOons/Renewable%20Energy%20Technologies/
Renewable.pdf
Week Four: Group Presenta?ons
Students will be assigned to one of six groups to create a research plan on the use of renewable
energy sources in an underdeveloped country. Groups can choose from hydropower,
wind power, biomass, solar, marine, or geothermal to develop a plan appropriate
parOcularly for remote rural locaOons. Students will compile one comprehensive report
and make an oral presentaOon to the instructor and their peers. Report should be referenced
by appropriate citaOon and assessed using rubrics consistent with the course.
57
Day Seven: Groups 1‐3 PresentaOons (10 min presentaOon/5 minute Q/A)
Day Eight: Groups 4‐6 PresentaOons (10 min presentaOon/5 minute Q/A)