How can we use data to encourage fewer gas powered cars at morning dropoff?

We "played cars" to simulate the difference in energy use between driving to school, carpooling, and riding the bus one way.

We collected data to examine the actual ways that students arrive to SMS in the mornings.

We planned this whole project based on an authentic question that the students themselves wanted to answer.

We learned all about data representation and interpretation in our third grade math lessons.

We predicted what might happen when we gathered emissions in a tailpipe bag from different vehicles, and then we went out to the parking lot to do it ourselves!

Finally, we analyzed our data to illustrate how kids get to school AND how that corresponds to energy use.

Students wrote scripts to record a Public Service Announcement (PSA). We made revisions as a whole class then Ms Clancy typed them in giant font for easy reading.

Students answered an open-ended reflection question on the last day of our project work.

Finally, we presented our findings in a recorded PSA to transportation stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, and administration.