AP CSP Day 5 - Environmental Impact

Course Information

• Course: AP Computer Science Principles
• Unit: Big Idea 3 - Impact of Computing (IOC)
• Lesson: Day 5 (50 minutes)
• Learning Objective: IOC-1.E - Understand the environmental impact of computing

Learning Objectives

Primary Goals

Students will be able to:

1. Define what the environmental impact of computing is
2. Identify examples of environmental impact
3. Understand methods for reducing environmental impact
4. Analyze real-world scenarios involving the environmental impact of computing

AP Exam Alignment

• Big Idea 3: Impact of Computing (16-20% of AP Exam)
• Essential Knowledge: IOC-1.E.1, IOC-1.E.2, IOC-1.E.3
• Computational Thinking Practice: 3.A - Evaluate the impacts of computing innovations

Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

Opening Hook (10 minutes)

1.1 Welcome & Lesson Preview (5 minutes)

Teacher Activities:

• Recap previous day's content on privacy and security
• Introduce today's topic on the environmental impact of computing

Student Activities:

• Think about: "What are some examples of the environmental impact of computing in daily life?"

1.2 Environmental Impact Examples Challenge (5 minutes)

Activity: "Identify the Impact"
Instructions:

• Groups of 4-6 students
• Identify environmental impacts of computing in given scenarios
• Discuss the importance of reducing these impacts

Purpose: Activate thinking about the environmental impact of computing

Core Content Instruction (20 minutes)

2.1 What is the Environmental Impact of Computing? (10 minutes)

Definition (IOC-1.E.1):

The environmental impact of computing involves understanding how technology affects the environment, including energy consumption and e-waste.

Key Concepts:

• Energy consumption: Data centers, device usage
• E-waste: Disposal of outdated electronics
• Sustainability: Reducing environmental harm

Case Study: Energy consumption in data centers

• Scenario: Optimizing data center operations

2.2 Common Environmental Impacts (5 minutes)

Examples:

• Energy consumption: Powering servers and devices
• E-waste: Discarding old electronics improperly
• Sustainability: Using renewable energy sources

Discussion Questions:

1. What makes reducing environmental impact challenging?
2. Can you think of an example where computing impacts the environment?
3. Why is sustainability important in computing?

2.3 Advanced Environmental Impact Concepts (5 minutes)

Why is it important?:

• Responsibility: Minimizing harm to the environment
• Innovation: Developing sustainable technologies

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we promote sustainability in computing?
2. Why is responsibility important when considering environmental impact?

Hands-On Activity (15 minutes)

3.1 Group Project: Explore Sustainable Computing Practices (15 minutes)

Activity: "Research a Practice"
Instructions:

• Groups of 3-4 students
• Research a sustainable computing practice
• Present findings to the class

Materials:

• **Research worksheet
• **Environmental impact checklist

Learning Goals:

• **Understand environmental impact
• **Identify examples
• **Apply sustainable practices
• **Present ideas effectively

Assessment:

• **Group participation
• **Research quality
• **Application correctness
• **Presentation clarity

Closure & Preview (5 minutes)

4.1 Key Concepts Review (2 minutes)

Today's Learning Highlights:

1. ✅ Defining what the environmental impact of computing is
2. ✅ Identifying examples
3. ✅ Understanding methods for reducing impact
4. ✅ Analyzing real-world scenarios

AP Exam Connection:

• These concepts will appear in AP exam multiple choice questions
• Understanding environmental impact is crucial for the Explore Performance Task

4.2 Next Class Preview (3 minutes)

Day 6 Topic: "Global Collaboration"

• Learning Objective: IOC-1.F - Understand global collaboration in computing
• Activity: Exploring collaborative projects
• Homework: Think about a recent technology you used. What was its environmental impact?

Supplementary Materials

Activity Card: Calculate Your Device's Carbon Footprint

Instructions: Students will estimate the environmental impact of their daily device usage and explore ways to reduce it.

Knowledge Card: Renewable Energy Sources in Computing

Content: Information on solar-powered data centers and other sustainable computing initiatives.