The Olympic Flame: Energy and Emissions CER – Student

Summary

Student Guide: Olympic Flame Energy and Emissions CER Activity

In this activity, students calculate and compare energy use and carbon dioxide emissions for different Olympic flame designs, including traditional combustion, electric, hydrogen-powered, and biofuel-based systems. Students use quantitative evidence to evaluate how energy source choices influence environmental impact.

The student guide introduces key concepts such as power, energy, and emissions and provides structured opportunities for students to show their work, interpret results, and reflect on assumptions. Real Olympic examples help connect calculations to real-world engineering and design decisions.

The activity concludes with a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) task in which students defend a design choice using both quantitative data and contextual considerations. This guide supports scientific reasoning, systems thinking, and evidence-based communication within energy and emissions units.

This student activity is part of the Olympic Flame Energy & Emissions CER lesson, which includes a teacher guide with facilitation notes and an answer key.