APPENDICES

Appendix A

Science

Plans for Converting Electrical Meters

Your local utilities should have old electric meters available. Some utilities may be willing to donate the old meters to you if you explain that it is for classroom use. The utilities may even offer to mount and wire the meters for you. It would be best to have five to six meters for your classroom. However, two would be sufficient if you had students do the activities in "shifts".

The directions below will allow you to "wire" the meters for classroom use. Purchase the following materials: Approximate costs are indicated after some material.

Wire strippers
wire crimpers
hacksaw
screwdriver
magic marker
electrical tape
ring terminals
covered wire
electrical tape
1" x 8" x 12" pine board (1 per meter) $0.50
1" x 8" x 9" pine board (1 per meter) $0.40
2" x 2" x 71/2" #2 pine board (1 per meter) $0.25
Wood Glue
#6 finish nails (8 per meter) $0.10
#12 3/4" wood screw (1 per meter) $0.05
#6 3/4" wood screw ( 2 per meter) $0.05
#14 - 3 wire electric cord (6 feet per meter) $2.40
Door pull (1 per meter) $1.00
electrical extension cord (approximately 1 meter long) Must be able to accept 3-prong cords. Should be at least 13 Amp, 125 volt, 1625 watt rating. $5.99
A-Base 120 volt electric meter free to $15.00 (contact local power company)

Assembly Directions:

Click here to get the diagram of the meter

Using a magic marker, mark the "hot" side of the extension cord about 10 inches from the outlet end. To locate the "hot" side, simply note which side of the plug-in end of the cord has the narrow metal strip. Cut the extension cord near the place you marked. Make sure you know the "hot" side of each piece--you may want to mark both pieces. Using a wire stripper, strip the ends of all wires. Using a standard screwdriver, lift up the plate on the "wired" part of the meter. Loosen the four large screws, the two small screws on the upper right (take off and discard the brass pieces), and the small screw on the right on the bottom of the meter. Cut a notch in the plastic, using a hacksaw, on the lower right-hand side of the front to allow room for a cord to lie when the front plate is put back. Expose the middle ground wire (green) by pulling down the hot side of each piece of cord about 4 inches. Make sure that the ends are stripped about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Twist together the two ends of the ground wire and insert into a ring terminal. Crimp the plastic terminal to secure the ends of the wire. Place the stripped ends of the "cold" side of the cords into a ring terminal and crimp. Twist the exposed wire of the "hot" side of the plug-in end and insert it into the farthest left box. Hold it in there and tighten the screw so that it is squarely on top of the wire and holding it tight. Do the same with "hot" wire of the outlet side, and put it in the next box over. Tighten that screw. Cut a short piece of wire to connect the two right hand boxes, forming a U-shape. Strip the wire ends, twist, and tighten the screws as before. Take the green ground wires and the screw that was on the right-hand side of the bottom. Put the screw in the hole of the ring terminal, and screw it back into its original space. Make sure it's tight. Take the final small screw that you loosened and put it through the ring terminal of the "cold" wires. Screw back into place and tighten. The "cold" wires should lay in the place you notched out. Turn the meter over. You will see a place for the meter to "hang" on a screw and two smaller holes for additional attachment. Lay the meter on the 1" x 8" x 9" board, about 3/4" from the top. Mark on the board where the top of the meter is. Screw the larger screw into the board about 1/4" to 3/8" below this mark, leaving 1/4" exposed to be able to hang the meter. Hang the meter on the board and lay the board and lay the board on your work surface. Drop a pencil into the two holes near the bottom to mark the center of these holes. Remove the meter and start screw holes at these marks. Now attach that board to the 2" x 2" x 7 1/2" board with several nails. The 2" x 2" should be attached at the back so that its bottom and the bottom of the 1" x 8" x 9" board are flush. Attach the door pull on the back of the 8" x 9" board about 1 inch down from the top. Turn the board over again and hang the meter on the large screw. Drop a screw into one of the holes so that its point is in the hole that you started in the board. Screw in tight and repeat with the other screw. Replace the plate on the meter--it may require some hammering to secure it. Follow the directions on the wood glue and attach the 2" x 2" and 8" x 9" boards to the 1" x 8" x 12" board. The 2" x 2" should be flush with one 8" side of the big board. The meter should be facing over the board. When the glue is dry, nail the 2" x 2" into the bigger board.

Attach the outlet end of the cord to the large board with electrical tape. Your meter is ready to use! Just plug it into an electrical outlet and plug an appliance into the cord outlet and read the meter.

Click here to get the diagram of the meter mounting assemby

Average Rating of Common Household Appliances

Cooking & Food Preparation Range (standard) ... 12,500 Watts Dishwasher ... 1300 W Microwave ... 1450 W Broiler ... 1400 W Coffee Maker ... 900 W Garbage Disposal ... 450 W Toaster ... 1150 W Blender ... 390 W Electric Mixer ... 100 W Can Opener ... 175 W Lighting Table Lamp (3-way inc. bulb) ... 100 W Ceiling fixture (5-bulbs) ... 300 W Fluorescent bulb ... 15 W Home Entertainment Radio (solid state) ... 5 W Television (color) ... 330 W Stereo .. 30 W Comfort & Health Room Air Conditioner (6000BTU/hr) ... 935 W Room Air Conditioner (9000BTU/hr) ... 1400 W Fan (portable) ... 115 W Hair Dryer ... 1250 W Heating Pad .. 65 W Electric Toothbrush ... 10 W Electric Blanket ... 180 W Clothes Dryer ... 4800 W Water Heater ... 4500 W Freezer (frost-free) ... 425 W Refrigerator-freezer ... 500 W Miscellaneous Clock ... 2 W Electric Lawn Mower ... 1500 W Sewing Machine ... 75 W Vacuum Cleaner ... 800 W

Sample Letter Home

Dear Parent/Guardian:
Over the next two weeks your son/daughter will be completing an in-depth unit on energy use and efficiency in the home. Students will be collecting data on their home's lighting, appliances, air leaks, and other energy use practices. Throughout this unit, students will be compiling data and developing written summaries of suggestions for improvement in your energy use. It is important that students gain experience in making verbal presentations as well. We would like your son/daughter to schedule a short presentation with you to discuss their findings. The presentation should occur during the days of November ####, 199#. Not only would we like you to listen to the presentation, we also request that you evaluate their presentation and the accompanying written material. In doing so, please use the following format:

1. Students will speak for a time of approximately five minutes. They should discuss their findings, including mention of those energy efficient practices you are currently using.

2. Following the presentation, the listeners may ask questions.

3. Complete the evaluation sheet at the end of the session.

4. Place the evaluation sheet in an envelope, seal, sign across the seal, and return it to school with your son/daughter.

Thank you for your cooperation in this project. The students are quite excited about the possibility of actually influencing their parents energy behaviors.

Sincerely,
Teacher's name
Class

Home Energy Inventory - Student Presentation

Evaluation Sheet

Parent/Guardian Evaluators:
Student:

1. Knowledge of subject: (up to 5 points each)
____Appliances
____ Lighting
____ Energy Waste
____ Air Leaks

2. ____ Organization of information in writing and throughout the presentation (up to 5 points)

3. ____ Clarity, ease with subject, enthusiasm throughout presentation (up to 5 points)

4. ____ Informative nature of written letters and summary reports (up to 5 points)

_____ TOTAL

Comments:

Do you view the home energy inventory as......
beneficial?
just OK
a waste of time

Thank you for your participation in this project!

Home Appliance Survey

Answer the following questions by either asking your parent/guardian or by examining the appliance. In cases where your home does not have the appliance in question, simply skip that section. Be sure to record all of your data in a logical fashion.

REFRIGERATOR
ASK
1. When was the last time the coils on your refrigerator were cleaned to remove dust from the coils and vents?

LOOK
1. Are the foods in the refrigerator capped or covered?
2. At what temperature is your refrigerator set?
3. At what temperature is your freezer set?
4. If you do not have a frost free refrigerator, what is the approximate thickness of frost build up in your freezer?
5. Close the refrigerator door on a crisp dollar bill. Is it held tightly in place or does it slip out easily?
6. Is your freezer full, less than half full, or more than half full?
7. Is the refrigerator placed away from heat sources such as range, oven, heat registers, and direct sunlight?

WASHING MACHINE/DRYER
ASK
1. What percentage of your washing is done using cold water? Is hot water ever used?
2. How often are your clothes dried outdoors?
3. When was the last time the lint was cleaned from the motor, drum, and pipes of the dryer?

LOOK
1. Check the drier for lint. Is the lint filter clean?
2. On what water temperature setting is your washer currently set?

WATER HEATER
ASK
1. When was the last time a bucket of water was drained out of your water heater to flush out accumulated sediment?

LOOK
1. Is there any insulation on the hot and cold water pipes going in and out of the water heater.
2. Is there an insulating blanket on your water heater?
3. At what temperature is your water heater set?

DISHWASHER
ASK
1. Do you use the drying cycle on your dishwasher?
2. Do you wash only full loads in the dishwasher?
3. Do you wash dishes by hand? If so, how often?
4. Is there a certain time of day at which you typically use the dishwasher? If so, what time?

LOOK
1. How many different settings does your dishwasher have? On which setting is your dishwasher currently set?

FURNACE/AIR CONDITIONER
ASK
1. How often is the furnace air filter cleaned or replaced?
2. At what temperature is your air conditioner typically set during summer months?
3. At what temperature is your furnace typically set during winter months?
4. Do you adjust the thermostat at different settings for daytime than for nights?
5. Is your furnace checked annually by a professional?

LOOK
1. Locate the air conditioner compressor unit or window air conditioner outside your home. Is the unit located in a shady area? Are any structures or bushes touching the sides of the unit?
2. Do you have a programmable thermostat?

Energy Efficiency Survey

Water/Hot Water Heater
How many of your family members usually take showers instead of baths?
When preparing a warm bath, do your family members close the drain before starting the faucet?
Are clothes washed and rinsed in cold water?
Are there any leaky faucets in your home?
How many people in your home turn off the water while brushing their teeth? How many do not?
Are there aerators on any of your faucets? If so, how many?

Heating/Cooling
Do you turn off the air conditioner if you're leaving the home for more than one hour?
Are any of your registers blocked with furniture? If so, how many?
At what temperature does your family typically set the air conditioner?
At what temperature does your family typically set the furnace during winter months?
Does your family readjust the temperature settings on your air conditioner and furnace during sleeping hours?

Air Infiltration/Insulation
Are bathroom and kitchen vents frequently left turned on even when moisture and odors are not a problem?
Are your storm windows closed when the furnace or air conditioning are in use?
Are your storm doors always kept closed when the furnace or air conditioning are in use?

Lighting\Use of Other Appliances
Are lights always turned off when not in use?
Is the television frequently left turned on even when no one is watching?
Does your family use small appliances for tasks that could be easily done "by hand"? If so, name the appliances.
Does your family ever let dishes "air dry" in the dishwasher?
Does you family ever hang clothes on the clothesline rather than using the dryer? If so, how often?
When putting away groceries, do members of your household open and close the refrigerator door frequently or are all items placed in the refrigerator quickly and at the same time?

Ask 2-3 different people in your household to answer the two questions posed below. (You may include yourself)
1. Name 3 good energy use behaviors in which you typically engage in your home.

2. Name 3 energy use behaviors you typically engage in which are not good energy use practices?

Guide to Energy Efficient Practices (EEP)

AIR INFILTRATION

Close doors and registers to unused rooms.
Make certain doors and windows are caulked and weather stripped. About 15% of air leakage is through windows and doors. Caulking on the outside is mainly for keeping rain out of the walls and doesn't significantly slow air leakage; caulk on the inside.
Are there storm doors and storm windows?
Are their air leaks in and around the fireplace? Consider installing tight fitting glass doors to control air flow. If you are not planning on using the fireplace, think about putting in a flue plug.
You can lose heat through your electrical outlets and switches. Most leakage occurs on outside walls, but even in inside walls, pressure differences may draw air from the room through the outlet and up the partition to the attic space. Consider installing foam gaskets around electrical outlets and switches.
Weather-strip attic access doors.
Seal around the chimney using a high temperature sealant.
Insulate the attic to R-40.
Replace broken glass and loose putty on window glazing.
Seal around all ceiling fixtures, heat registers, medicine cabinets, bath tub, kitchen cabinets, drain and water pipes.
Install plastic over inside of windows during winter months.
Caulk along baseboard with a clear sealant.
Replace your old entry door with an insulated door.
Install tight fitting glass doors over fireplace.
Insulate the band joists in the basement foundation walls.
If you have a crawl space, place a layer of plastic on the dirt floor, close any vents, and insulate the walls.
Caulk around all exterior penetrations such as gas, electrical, telephone, cable, dryer vents, water faucets, etc.
Install a storm door where you have none.
Use bath and kitchen vents sparingly when moisture and odors are not a problem.
Lock your windows so they will seal tighter.
Try to use doors that are protected from the wind.
Be sure thermostat is located away from heat sources and cold drafts.
Close drapes at night and on cloudy days.
Insulate or remove window air conditioners when not in use.
Close fireplace damper tightly when not in use.

APPLIANCES
Refrigerator

Clean coils and vacuum dust from refrigerator vents at least once a month.
Cut down the number of times you open the refrigerator door. Decide what you need before you open the refrigerator. Take out everything you need for a meal, all at once, and quickly.
If your refrigerator or freezer will not be used for a long time, clean it, unplug it, and leave the door open.
Liquids in the refrigerator should be capped or covered or they will add humidity and make the refrigerator work harder.
Defrost the freezer when there's more than 1/4 inch frost built up.
Set your refrigerator between 38 and 40 degrees F and the freezer at 32 deg F. Keep freezer filled, but not packed. It is uneconomical to operate an empty or half-filled freezer.
Check your refrigerator seal by closing the door on a $1 bill. If it is held tightly in place, the seal's OK; if not, the door should be adjusted or the seal replaced.
The larger the capacity of the refrigerator, the more it costs to keep the food cold.
Don't buy a larger freezer than your family needs.
Avoid placing warm dishes in your refrigerator or freezer. If possible, wait until they are cooled to room temperature.
Liquids in refrigerators should be capped/covered or will add humidity and make refrigerator work harder.
Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator overnight.
Place the refrigerator away from heat sources such as range, oven, heat registers, and direct sunlight.

Washing Machine/Dryer

Use a cold water laundry detergent and always rinse in cold water.
One quarter of your hot water is typically used for washing clothes. Wash clothes in warm or cold water and always rinse in cold; washing in hot water doesn't get clothes any cleaner.
Select a dryer with a moisture sensor that will shut off when the clothes are dry.
Dry clothes outside whenever possible.
Doing only full loads of wash saves hot water and electricity.
Check the drier for lint . A clogged filter keeps air from circulating, and that means the dryer has to run longer to dry a load. Lint filters should be cleaned after every load and the lint vacuumed from the motor, drum and pipes at least once a year.
Warming up the clothes dryer takes energy. Save energy by drying loads one right after another, without giving the dryer a chance to cool off.
Over-drying will wrinkle and damage fabrics and wastes energy.

Water Heater

Drain a bucket of water out of your water heater at least once a year or more often if you have hard water to flush out sediment that can accumulate.
Insulate the first 10 feet of hot and cold water pipes out of the water heater.
Cut hot water bills by insulating pipes to and from the hot water heater.
Insulate water heater and hot water pipes.
Adjust your hot water heater temperature. It should be set at 130 deg F or lower. At these temperatures you avoid bad scalds and save energy.
Install a passive or active solar water heating system.

Dishwasher

Scrape the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher so you can use the shortest cycle possible to clean the dishes.
Don't use the rinse and hold cycle on the dishwasher.
Run only full loads.
When there are just a few dishes to wash, do them by hand, not in the dishwasher. However, one dishwasher load uses less hot water than three washings by hand.
Open the door and allow the dishes to dry naturally instead of using the drying cycle.
In the summer, use the dishwasher early in the morning or late in the evening when it's cooler outside.

Furnace/Air Conditioner

Replace or clean the furnace air filter at least 3-4 times/ year.
Set air conditioning temperatures as high as possible. Raising the temperature setting by 6 deg F, for example from 67 to 73 deg F, during warm weather could save 12%-40% of the cooling costs.
Shade the outside air conditioner compressor unit, but do not block the air circulation.
Have your furnace checked annually by a professional. A tune-up can lower fuel costs as much as 10%.
Half or more of the money you spend on energy for your home goes into heating. That makes the furnace the most important appliance in the house. Replace your old thermostat with a new "set-back" or programmable thermostat. You'll shave up to 5% off your heating expenses for every degree you reduce your home over a 24-hour period. So turn down your thermostat (but not below 57 deg F). With air conditioning, it's just the opposite. You save by turning your thermostat up. Don't go below 75 deg F. Do occupants adjust thermostat at night and when not at home?
In cold weather, cover windows by pulling the drapes at night. In hot weather, open windows to let in cool night air.

Oven/Microwave

Lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees when baking with glass or ceramic dishes.
Most foods don't need a preheated oven. The general rule is this: any food requiring more than one full hour of cooking time may be placed in a cold oven.
Avoid peeking, the oven temperature lowers by 25 degrees each time you open the door.
Use microwave oven instead of range to warm food.
Whenever possible, use your microwave, toaster oven, or slow cooker instead of your electric range.
Turn the oven off a few minutes early and use retained heat to finish cooking.
Instead of heating water in an open pan, use a teakettle.
The oven is a very inefficient toaster. It costs three times as much to toast bread in the oven as in a pop-up toaster.
Don't use your electric stove to boil water; an electric kettle uses half the energy.
An electric frying pan uses less energy than a regular frying pan on an electric burner. But if you do not use the appliance often, the energy used to manufacture it is wasted.

Lighting

Fluorescent lights are more efficient than incandescent lights. A 40 watt fluorescent light bulb will produce the same amount of light as a 150 watt incandescent light bulb. It is not practical to replace every incandescent bulb with fluorescent bulbs. Choose those locations where lights are left on for relatively long periods of time (3 or more hours per day).
Turn off fluorescent lights if leaving the room for more than 10 minutes.
Turn off incandescent lights if leaving the room at all.
Turn off all unused lights.
Keep outdoor illumination to an absolute minimum.
Keep bulbs & fixtures clean. Accumulation of dust can lower lighting level.
Avoid inefficient "long-life" light bulbs. While they do last longer than regular incandescent bulbs, they use more energy.
Use low wattage light bulbs whenever possible.
Do not use compact fluorescents with dimmer switches.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs where possible. Although they cost more, fluorescents last 15-20 times longer than incandescents. A 60 watt fluorescent light bulb gives you as much light as a 180 watt incandescent bulb at 1/3 the cost.
Let the sunshine in! During winter days or days when the air conditioning needs will not be increased, open your draperies and leave your lights off.
Place floor lamps in a corner instead of along a wall; they'll reflect light off of two walls, giving you more usable light for your money.
Try 50 watt reflector floodlights in direction lamps.
Where possible use one higher wattage bulb instead of several lower wattage bulbs. A 100 watt bulb gives 20% more light than two 60 watt bulbs.
When redecorating, use lighter colors to reflect more light. Paint walls white or a light color. White reflects light and increases the total amount of light in a room.

Energy Waste

Take quick showers instead of baths whenever possible.
Use fans instead of an air conditioner.
Use cold water to operate food disposal.
Turn off the air conditioner if you're leaving the home for more than an hour.
Dress for indoor winter warmth so you avoid turning the heat up too high.
Dress coolly in summer so you avoid turning the air conditioner too low.
When preparing a warm bath, close the drain before starting the faucet. The first gallon or two will be the only cold ones.
Bathe with less water in the tub.
Use a combined spray tap-aerator on your kitchen sink faucet.
Insulate the floor over any unheated spaces like crawl spaces, basements and garages.
Use awnings to keep the sun out of south-facing windows in the summer, then take them down for solar heating in the winter.
Don't run water unnecessarily.
Insulate basement walls.
Keep water beds covered during the day. Insulate around waterbed mattress.
Use cold water when it will do as well.
Repair faucet leaks: A hot water faucet that drips one drop each second can waste as much as 2,100 gallons of hot water each year.
Keep drapes closed at night.
Turn off the water when brushing teeth.
Lower the thermostat to 68 deg F; 60 deg F at night during the heating season.
Install low-flow shower head and faucet aerators. With a low flow shower head, you can cut the amount of hot water you go through by 1/3 to 1/2.
Don't block registers with furniture.
Close registers and doors to unused rooms.
Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances.
Use bath and kitchen vents sparingly when moisture and odors are not a problem.
Wash only full loads of dishes or clothes.
Install a ceiling fan to create air movement in the summer, avoiding the use of air conditioners.
Check your EnergyGuide labels when shopping for appliances; the lower the kw/hour number shown, the more energy-efficient it will be.

Appendix B

Mathematics

SAMPLE LETTER HOME
Date:
Dear Parent/Guardian,

Your son/daughter is participating in an energy unit in math, science, social studies and language arts. Part of the unit entails studying local utility bills, learning how to explain variability over time. While we have sample data for an average family available, it would be more meaningful for students to work with data from their own homes. If possible, would you aid your son/daughter in locating on your utility bills, the information indicated below:

Month:
Electricity (KWH):
Gas Units (therms or mcf):

Please note if gas or electric:
Heating:
Water Heater:
Stove/range:
Clothes dryer:

Number of persons living in your home:

Thank you for your cooperation on this project.

Sincerely,
7th or 8th grade team

Appendix C

Language Arts

Sample Letter Home

Date:
To: Parent/Guardian of ### grade students
FROM: Name of teacher & class

We have just completed an exciting visual experience in our language arts class. We would like you to take the opportunity to view and enjoy this tape, written and produced totally by students. Please view the accompanying SHORT video with your student. After viewing, complete the following questionnaire, sign, and have your student return the tape and questionnaire to school. Thank you for your cooperation!

Video Questionnaire
1. What was the most important information about energy saving that you gained from this video?

2. Based on the information presented in the video, what could you do to help save energy in your home?

3. What did you like best about the video?

Additional Comments:

I have viewed the video with my student and gave input to the questionnaire.

Signature(s):
Date: