Includes teacher background, facilitation guidance, discussion prompts, and a full answer key for the Olympic Flame Energy & Emissions CER lesson.
The Olympic Flame: Energy and Emissions CER
Summary
In this lesson, students investigate the energy use and CO2 emissions of four Olympic flame designs, including traditional propane combustion, Paris 2024’s electric effect, Tokyo’s hydrogen flame, and a hypothetical biofuel blend for Milano-Cortina 2026. Using guided calculations and real engineering assumptions, students compare systems and construct a CER argument defending a design choice. Includes a teacher guide with facilitation notes and answer key, plus a student handout. Fits high school Earth and Environmental Science, APES Unit 6, or any energy unit covering emissions, electrification, and fuel trade-offs.
Activities
Handout
Students calculate energy use and CO₂ emissions for different Olympic flame designs and construct a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning argument using real data.
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