Calculating Your Carbon Footprint Math Lesson
Lesson Plan
1 hour 40 minutesGrades6, 7, 8Mathematics
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Written by Dan Castrigano
About this lesson
In this lesson, students calculate their own carbon footprint using Peter Kalmus’s methodology in his book Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution.
Inquire: Students watch a short video on the climate crisis. Students engage in a brief discussion on the prompt “Do my individual actions matter?”
Investigate: Students calculate their own carbon footprints.
Inspire: Students engage in a discussion, reflecting on this activity and the importance of individual actions.
Preview the lesson plan
Better on a bigger screen? Open it in its own tab.View Lesson Plan
Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Positives
- This lesson features many math skills: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by rational numbers; estimation; conversion between metric and imperial units; and logic and reasoning skills.
- Students manipulate data in a spreadsheet and create a pie chart using many different data points.
- Students engage with many different units, including CO2e, CCF, kWh, and therms.
- This lesson provides students with the opportunity to measure their own impact on the Earth. Students can reflect on their own impact and brainstorm ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Additional Prerequisites
- You must be sensitive to your students if you choose to run this lesson. Be mindful of socioeconomic status in your classroom.
- Students will most likely ask their families for certain data points, like electricity or fossil gas usage. Be sensitive to your students' families. Some families may not want to share this information with their child's teacher.
- In most situations, it would be useful for students to have the option to share final numbers with the class. You do not have to make it mandatory.
- This lesson was adapted from "Leaving Fossil Fuel" Chapter 9 from Peter Kalmus's book Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution.
Differentiation
- This lesson can be used as an extension, extra credit opportunity, or one option in a menu of choices.
- If everyone feels comfortable, students can collaborate as they figure out their respective carbon footprints.
- Students should use the glossary at the end of the Teacher Slideshow to help them understand new terms and concepts.
- Students can use the 2nd and 3rd tabs in their spreadsheets to see finished examples. This is author Dan Castrigano's carbon footprint data from 2019-2020.
From the scientist review
This lesson shows basic techniques to calculate individual carbon footprint. There are no contradictions in the data source or methods for calculating carbon footprint as indicated in this lesson. All the examples shown are valid estimations. This lesson has passed our science review and is suitable for classroom.
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
About the teacher writer
Dan Castrigano
Academic Teacher at Burlington YouthBuild
Dan Castrigano taught STEM and humanities at elementary, middle, and high schools for 11 years. From 2021-2023, he served as the Chief Content Officer at SubjectToClimate. Dan advocates for climate education and organizes for climate, social, and racial justice.
