Class discussion on quickwrite topic. Ask students to imagine how their lives would be different without access to electricity at home. Students will identify the processes and fuel used to generate electricity. Otherwise, the teacher may wish to consider presenting this information to students in short lecture format or through an Internet assignment. Students are divided into five groups of four.
Groups report their findings to the class.
Identify some ways in which air pollution, for example, damages our society. Some economists and policy makers say that you should add hidden costs, such as damage from air pollution, to the price we pay for electricity. That we would know the true costs of the various types of fuel options for electricity production. Coal currently may be least expensive source of electricity, but if you added in the pollution and acid rain costs on society, it could become the most expensive source of electricity. Invite representative from local power provider to address the class on what types of fuel sources are used to produce the electricity needed for the school.