Resource Info: Designing an Energy-Efficient House (Level 3-4)

Designing an Energy-Efficient House

Intended Learning Outcomes

The students will be able to:

describe the factors that need to be considered in designing an energy-efficient house;
describe or model a range of approaches to the design and construction of energy-efficient houses.

Teaching Rationales

The students work in groups to conduct an Internet inquiry to research factors that need to be considered when designing an energy-efficient house. They share their research findings, develop a design for an energy-efficient house and construct a model energy-efficient house from materials supplied, then explain their model to the class.

Learning Areas, Strands, Achievement Objectives

3 - 4	Science	Physical World Physical inquiry and physics concepts Students will explore, describe and represent patterns and trends for everyday examples of physical phenomena, such as movement, forces, electricity and magnetism, light, sound, waves, and heat. Nature of Science Participating and contributing Students will use their growing science knowledge when considering issues of concern to them. Students will explore various aspects of an issue and make decisions about possible actions. Investigating in science Students will build on prior experiences, working together to share and examine their own and others' knowledge. Students will ask questions, find evidence, explore simple models, and carry out appropriate investigations to develop simple explanations.
4	English	Listening, Reading, and Viewing Processes and strategies Students will integrate sources of information, processes and strategies confidently to identify, form, and express ideas. Ideas Students will show an increasing understanding of ideas within, across, and beyond texts. Speaking, Writing, and Presenting Students will show an increasing understanding of how to shape texts for different purposes and audiences.
3	Technology	Technological Knowledge Technological products Students will understand the relationship between the material used and their performance properties in technological products.

Activity-specific Achievement Objectives

3 - 4	Science	Physical World Physical inquiry and physics concepts Students will explore, describe and represent passive solar energy and other features of energy-efficient house design and construction to create a model of an energy-efficient home. Nature of Science Participating and contributing Students will use their growing knowledge of passive solar energy and work together to process knowledge and explore various options before making decisions and building a model of an energy-efficient house. Investigating in science Students will ask questions, undertake Internet research, find evidence and explanations and process available information before building a model of an energy-efficient house and presenting an explanation of its energy-efficient features.
4	English	Listening, Reading, and Viewing Processes and strategies Students will integrate sources of information, processes and strategies with growing confidence to identify, form and express ideas as they work in groups to design a model of an energy-efficient house. Ideas Students will show an understanding of ideas contained in complex text that explain the scientific concepts of passive solar design and construction. Students will show an increasing understanding of how to shape texts for different purposes when they present their energy-efficient house model to the class. Students will understand the relationship between the material used and their performance properties.