Developmental Math Carbon Emissions Project – MAT097
Energy consumption releases many dangerous gasses into Earth’s atmosphere. One of these gasses, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), is very dangerous and is considered one of the main causes of global warming.
The Bunker Hill Community College Department of Mathematics recognizes the importance of this issue and would like to drive students to consider their own carbon footprint as well as that of the entire BHCC community.
To this end, we have designed a project that promotes environmental awareness while integrating mathematical content. Students in MAT097 will create, use, and interpret linear models to help count and predict carbon emissions and provide recommendations for reducing our carbon footprint.
Content
- Math
- Data collection
- Linear equations
- Graphing
- Interpretation of slope, intercepts, etc.
- Student Services
- Environmental Awareness
- Understanding individual and community carbon footprint
- Predicting outcomes based on data/models
- Recommendations for reduced emissions
- BHCC Community
- Survey collection
- Promote environmental awareness
- Reduce carbon footprint
- Student Services
Activities
- Use of technology
- Documentation and gathering of information
- Visual and graphical representation of data
- Understanding mathematical concept of linear equations
- Predicting possible future outcomes based on data and linear model
- E-portfolio
Duration
- 10 – 12 weeks
- Phase 1 (3 weeks - to be completed by the end of week 6)
- Make groups
- Collect data on student enrollment and BHCC energy consumption
- Collect transportation survey for Office of Sustainability (5surveys per student)
- Phase 2 (4 – 5 weeks – not to be started until linear equations are covered in class)
- Make enrollment and emissions linear models
- Calculate emissions per student
- Analyze and predict based on models
- Phase 3 (3 weeks) – Results
- Follow up questions
- Targets, recommendations, and reflection
- Final report
Assessment
- Phase 1 – 5 Points
- Phase 2 – 5 Points
- Phase 3 – 5 Points
