Electric Vehicles and Climate Change
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Provided by: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative|Published on: October 20, 2022
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
9101112AP
Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This lesson allows students to investigate where their electricity comes from, the effects of gas-powered vehicles on our health and the planet, and how we can help reduce emissions by making the switch to electric cars for most situations.
- The lesson includes a short podcast, teacher pages and resources, student worksheets, brief readings, investigation activities, a group project, and an analysis of charts and maps to establish why electric cars are an important climate solution.
Subjects: Physics
Authors: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The resource includes all teaching materials, an educator's guide on how to use the activities, and resource links for additional information.
- The Air Pollutants Communication Project allows students to apply their knowledge in the real world by creating a communication plan to encourage solutions for improving air quality at their school.
- Each section can be used as a standalone or in sequence.
Additional Prerequisites
- The first two activities require access to the internet.
- The Air Pollutants Communication Project tiny URL link is broken, so use this link instead.
- Students should be comfortable with reading charts and graphs.
Differentiation
- The first activity includes a glossary on the website and activity sheet for students unfamiliar with certain terms.
- Students could research the total emissions and costs of the different vehicles if we counted the footprint of the production of the cars. The last section of this resource only evaluates the cost and emissions once the vehicles are in use.
- This resource can also be used in language arts classes during lessons about communicating complex scientific topics and the importance of climate solutions.
- Health classes can make connections using this resource when discussing health conditions such as asthma, COPD, and cardiovascular disease.
- Additional resources include this activity on comparing gas and electric vehicles and this reading comprehension activity on electric cars.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Founded in 2014, the Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) is MIT’s institute-wide effort to mobilize the substantial scientific, engineering, policy, and design capacity of the MIT community to contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental challenges of global import. ESI pursues multidisciplinary research, education, events, and partnerships to help move society toward an environmentally and socially sustainable future. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts on MIT’s main campus, ESI is powered by a lean staff working closely with students and faculty across the full spectrum of disciplines. Led by architecture professor John E. Fernandez, a leading scholar in the emerging field of urban metabolism, ESI is advised by students, faculty, alumni, and thought leaders from many sectors of society.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
