Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!

Cost of Battery Storage Over Time: Algebra 2 and Physics

Provided by: MIT Climate Action Through Education

Lesson Plans Grades 9-12

Synopsis

In this lesson, students will graph the change in the cost of battery storage from 1991 to 2018 and determine the economic and climate implications of having cost-effective battery storage for clean energy.
Students will determine the best curve fit for the data, use the data to make predictions about the cost of battery storage in the future, and understand the economic implications of renewable energy.

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics

Authors: Gary Smith

Region: United States, Global

Languages: English

Positives

The opportunity for place-based connections in the extensions section will help students understand the relevance of the lesson to their local reality.
In completing the section about the risks of and solutions for climate change, students will see the importance of scaleable battery storage.

Prerequisites

Students should know how to use base-10 logs.
Students should understand how to determine the best graph for a dataset and how to use that graph to interpret the data.

Differentiation & Implementation

After reading the information on the Energy Saver website, students can complete an Energy Efficiency Audit.
Teachers can split students into groups, having each group listen to a different podcast episode in the background section and presenting a brief summary of the key details for the rest of the class.
In a similar lesson, Cost of Solar Over Time, students can explore the evolution of solar power technology.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format