1. Costs of owning a car
   1. Objective: Students will create a spreadsheet where the overall costs of owning a car are broken down.
   • to the class, introduce the topic of ownership costs of a car.
   • In small groups, brainstorm all the costs that are involved in driving your own car. Verify the lists to be sure that all the costs have been included.
   • Find and enter the correct amount for each of the costs on a spreadsheet. Calculate the total costs.
   • Compare each group's results in the class.

2. How can you reduce the costs of operating your own car?

   1. Objective: Students will learn about cost cutting measures that they can easily apply to their own car.
   • Divide the class into teams.
   • Challenge the teams to come up with the most "money saving" tips. It is important that they back up their tips with facts. An example of a cost saving measure is having the correct tire pressure.
   • Compare each team's results with the class.

3. Car size versus car costs
   1. Objective: Students will gain an understanding of car costs related to car size.
   • Divide the class into teams.
   • Each team will evaluate the annual costs for operating "their car".
   • Be sure that each team has the same, complete list of car costs. (This list, including gas, maintenance, etc, can be the one used from Activity 1 or do it now as a preliminary activity .)
   • The teacher can assign different models of cars to each team, students can choose their car from a "hat", or students choose their own. It is important to include hybrids, compact cars, SUV's, and jeep like vehicles to get an overall picture of car costs.
   • Once finished, each team will create a poster-size chart showing their results.
   • Compare each team's results with the whole class to see the relationship between car size and car costs..

4. The Kyoto Treaty
   1. Objective: Students will learn about greenhouse gases and their roles - both how they contribute to the problem and what they can do to to lower greenhouse gases emissions.
   • Class discussion: What is the Kyoto Treaty all about?
   • Have students (individually or in groups) work on finding the answers to these questions:
     • What are the causes of greenhouse gases?
     • List ways in which an individual ("you and I") contribute to the greenhouse gases?
     • Create a spreadsheet with the facts - how much CO₂ do cars emit?
     • What impact does an increase in greenhouse gases have for "you and I"?
     • What effect would there be on greenhouse gases if we had no cars in the city for a day?
     • What are some real actions that "you and I" could take to lower the greenhouse gases?
     • Considering that as of 2007, Canada has increased its greenhouse gases by 27% as opposed to lowering it by the required 6%, create an action plan that the government should put into place for all Canadians to follow.
     • Make a list of commendable actions to decrease greenhouse gases that are being implemented in other parts of the world.
   • As a class, or in small groups, have students review their results.
      
5. The One-Tonne Challenge
   1. Objective: Students will learn about The One-Tonne Challenge and their own responsibilities.
   • Introduce the concept to the class and how each individual is responsible for doing his/her own share.
   • Divide the class into teams. Each team must come up with a concrete list of ways of how they can reduce their own emissions of greenhouse gases.
   • Teams will record their list on a poster to be posted around the class.
   • Have each team go around the class to review each other's work.
   • Challenge students for the coming week to actively reduce their own greenhouse gases emissions.

   • Their actions can be recorded on a chart for review at the end of the week.
      

6. Communauto versus owning your own car
   1. Objective: Students will determine the break-even point of owning their own car versus being a member of Communauto.
   • Introduce the concept of Communauto to the class, and calculate the annual car costs under their plan.
   • Students will calculate the costs of owning and driving a similar car - on an annual basis.
     • This activity can include a step where students use Google Maps, for example, to estimate how many kilometers they travel in a year, based on an average week.
   • Have the students compare both costs.
   • Students will now calculate the break-even point of owning a car versus a car from Communauto.
      
7. Fuel consumption exercises

Top of page