Integrating Energy, Equity, and Place in High School Physics
Heat pumps, air conditioning, energy equity and climate justice
The energy we use to heat and cool our living spaces represents a majority of home energy use in the US. Expanding access to these energy technologies is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions but it can also be a matter of life and death during extreme heat events. In this activity students construct diagrams which represent the energy story for electric furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners. When students have developed a scientific understanding of these devices they research and discuss equity and justice issues associated with their use in specific communities which are vulnerable to extreme heat events. .
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Energy is a foundational concept of physics and plays an integral role in a web of sociocultural realities, economic issues, and public policies. The Energy and Equity Portal supports high school teachers in teaching a robust model of energy, grounded in the NGSS, and also intentionally constructed to support engagement with current sociopolitical issues.
Using the resources and community provided in the Portal, teachers explore energy learning as a means for promoting discussions of energy justice and energy equity globally and in our local communities. By developing a model of energy in physics that is fully aware of how science is sociocultural, teachers and students create science concepts informed by their cultural worlds and educational priorities. Check out the classroom-ready teaching tools and enjoy a dynamic and compassionate professional learning community!
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Integrating Energy, Equity, and Place in High School Physics