Year 9 Science · Unit 3 · Lesson 23

School Energy Audit and Depth Study

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Name
Date
Class

Learning Goals

Calculate classroom energy use

Scenario

A typical classroom at Riverside Secondary College, NSW, contains: 30 LED lights (10 W each), 1 air conditioner (2400 W), 5 computers (150 W each), 1 interactive projector (300 W). All appliances run for 6 hours per school day across 200 school days per year. Electricity costs $0.30 per kWh.

Key formula: Energy (Wh) = Power (W) × Time (h)  |  1 kWh = 1000 Wh

AppliancePower (W)Annual energy (kWh)Annual cost ($)
30 LED lights
Air conditioner2400 W
5 computers
Interactive projector300 W
TOTAL

Which single appliance dominates the classroom's energy use? What percentage of total energy does it use?

Design a depth study investigation

Design a depth study to investigate energy use at your school. Fill in each box below.

Research question: Write a testable question about energy use at school. (Example format: "Does ______ affect ______ ?") Must be specific and measurable.

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Hypothesis: Write an if-then-because prediction. "If ______, then ______, because ______."

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Controlled variables: List THREE variables you would keep the same to ensure a fair test.

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Data collection: How would you collect your data? What tools or instruments would you use, and how often would you measure?

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Displaying results: What type of graph would you use to display your results, and why is it the most appropriate choice?

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Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?