Running On Empty
Sharee Watterson 
Introduction
Standards 
Objectives
Activities
Assessment 
Resources
 

Introduction:

 Students will research causes of rising gasoline prices. 
They will also collect weekly/monthly data on fluctuating gasoline prices from cities throughout the state of California
using internet website http://www.epals.com. and local
gas prices through newspapers, television, and personal
access to local gas stations.  Students will then analyze data using Excel and write comparative essays supporting their results.Through Powerpoint, students will present reports  to class. 

Subject:
Language Arts/Math/Science(Across the curriculum project)
Topic:Why Are Gas Prices So High?
Grade Level: 11-12 
Student Lesson URL:http://www.energy.ca.gov/fuels/gasoline
 
 

     Standards Addressed
 

  • 1.1  Demonstrate control of grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction and usage.
  • 1.2  Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of conventions of  punctuation and grammar.
  • 2.4  Deliver multimedia presentation. Combine text, images and sound by incorporating information from a wide range of media, including films, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMs, online information, television, videos, and electronic media generated images.
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  Instructional Objectives
 

  • 1. After teacher instruction on how to use the internet as a research tool,  student learner  will display proficiency by accessing assigned web sites and finding three more web sites to further support collected data. 
  • 2. Given thesis topic, student learner will write a comparative essay to include thesis statement, at least three supporting paragraphs and summary paragraph.
  • 3. After teacher instruction on  Excel graphic capability, student learner will use collected data to make Excel graphs supporting thesis statement.
  • 4. After teacher instruction on how to use Power point, student learner will display proficiency by giving a Power point presentation.
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 Student Activities

After researching causes of high gasoline prices in California via the internet,http://www.energy.ca.gov/fuels/gasoline, and comparing rise and fall of gasoline prices throughout California, http://www.epals.com, students will write comparative essays and share results with class using Power point presentation with Excel graphs to support data.

Introductory Activity:
What kind of learner are you? Students will answer survey located
at http://www.ldteens.org/Multiple_Intelligence_Chec.html. Student
answers will be used  to make class comparison graph as a part 
of teacher instruction on how to use Excel to graph data.

Enabling Activity:

Students submit project proposal complete with chosen city
to contact through http://www.epals.com. Students will also
submit calendar of proposed contact dates to check on gas prices.
This project will last for one semester culminating in Power Point
presentations of collected data.

  • Students will be shown how to input collected data into Excel spreadsheet.
  • Review of format to be used for comparative essay with instruction on using graphic organizers to list major points in essay. 
  • Review of common mistakes in essay writing including inconsistent use of verb tense, run on sentences, incomplete thoughts  and correct usage of transitions.
  • Instruction on how to use the internet as a research tool.
  • Instruction on how to input report into Powerpoint slides for class presentation.  Students must use at least six slides.
    • Culminating Activity:
    • Comparative essay- students submit papers double-spaced, 12 
    • point, to include thesis statement, introduction including comparison
    • data on city researched and city student lives in,at least three supporting paragraphs comparing such factors as population, socio-economics,geographic location, local industry, commerce and wholesale access to gasoline, and conclusion.
    • A  posttest on common mistakes in essay writing..
    • Peer evaluation checklist for presentations.
    • Self evaluation checklist
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      Assessment:

    • Pe-test and Post-test
    • Project proposal rubric
    • Powerpoint slide show rubric
    • Excel graphing rubric
    • Presentation evaluation rubric
    • Essay writing rubric
    • Self-evaluation rubric
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    Web Resources & Supplementary Materials

      Introductory Activity:

      Enabling Activity:   Culminating Activity:
      .
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    PowerPoint Link

    Ganesha High School 
    1151 Fairplex Ave.
    Pomona, CA  91768
    Sharee Watterson
    sharee.watterson@pomona.k12.ca.us
    Last Revised: 6/20/01