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What is the biggest event in a High School Student's career? Graduation?
Wrong! It is actually getting their drivers license and the inevitable
purchase of an automobile of some kind. When purchasing a car most people
including a first time car buyer do not always understand all the industry
and government regulation. This section will cover industry and government
regulations of miles per gallon. MPG is becoming a more and more explosive
issue with industry, government, environmentalists, and consumers. As
miles per gallon decrease many consumers blindly accept what is handed to
them while others fight to get improved gas mileage of up to 40 MPG
mandatory.
Embodied Energy
- The total amount of energy needed to manufacture a finished product from
raw materials, including the energy used to transport the product.
Externality
Costs - Portion of the cost of production and marketing of a product
that is borne by society, not by the producer, and thus is not included
in the price of the product. For example the cost of cleaning up beach
after an oil spill is usually not included in the price of motor oil
bought at an automotive supply store.
Miles Per
Gallon
- a unit of fuel efficiency expressed as the number of miles a vehicle can
travel on one gallon of motor fuel. The higher the miles per gallon
figure for a vehicle, the more fuel efficient it is.
Guest
Speakers
Click
here to find contacts for guest speakers in your area.
Field
Trips
1. Have students visit local car dealerships to compare the MPG rating on
the sales stickers. What cars have the best rating which cars have the
worst ratings? Why does the MPG have such a large range among automobiles?
What factors of an automobile can affect its efficiency?
Sample Academic Standards Addressed:
Mathematics D.12.1: Identify, describe, and use derived
attributes (e.g., density, speed, acceleration, pressure) to represent
and solve problem situations
Click
here to find field trip ideas in your area.
Activities and Lessons
1. Have students discuss what they are looking for in their
personal automobiles. Where does fuel efficiency rate? Have students
changed their opinions since covering this material? Why?
Sample Academic Standards Addressed:
Language Arts E.12.2: Make informed judgments about media
and products; analyze the content and effect of subtle persuasive
techniques used online and in broadcast and print media.
Student Projects
1. Participate in Wisconsin's High
Mileage Vehicle project! Students design, build and test a
vehicle with high fuel economy. Visit
their Web site to learn more:
www.wisconsinsupermileage.org/
Sample Academic Standards Addressed:
Technology Education C.12.6: Design and/or create
solutions that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, demonstrate
quality, have greater value than the investment, and meet a societal
need or want.
2. Involve students in an
Energy Issue Investigation and Action Project related to alternative
vehicles.
3.
Have students make a
Science Fair presentation about their research into alternative
vehicles.
Support Materials
Web sites
Miles Per Gallon Calculator
How many miles per gallon does your car run on? Use this online
calculator to find out.
www.webwinder.com/wwhtmbin/java_mpg.html
Clean Air Act
Would you like to learn about the Clean Air Act but get lost in the
political lingo? This Web site has simplified the information in an easy to
use format. Take a look!
www.cleanairprogress.org/classroom/teachers.asp
Fuel Economy
Compare the fuel efficiency of different automobiles. This site
contain gas mileage tips, information on alternative vehicles, the fuel
economy guide.
www.fueleconomy.gov/
Other Resources
CBS
CBS has articles compiled on Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) and the
controversy of the lack of fuel efficiency in SUV design. Various
interactive links will take you to web sites where you can compare gas
prices throughout the United States, view how tires affect gas mileage.
How Many Miles to the Gallon? - October 12, 2003
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/10/60minutes/main577479.shtml
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club would like the automotive industry to offer Freedom
Option Packages (fuel efficiency packages) along side their cup holder and
CD player packages.
www.sierraclub.org/planet/200206/carmakers.asp
Edmunds.com
Make Fuel Economy a "Must Have"
www.edmunds.com/advice/strategies/articles/105732/article.html
Shopping For a Fuel-Efficient Car
By Philip Reed
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/strategies/articles/105502/article.html |
