Green Transportation: Electric Cars vs. Bicycles
Provided by: Project Look Sharp|Published on: April 27, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6-AP
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Science, Economics, English Language Arts
Authors: Project Look Sharp, Joanne Church, Sox Sperry
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 →
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 →
Synopsis
- In this media literacy activity, students analyze two articles about electric vehicles, their economic costs, and their environmental benefits.
- This resource includes a lesson plan and a student handout.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The lesson plan offers discussion questions for several academic subjects.
- The media literacy questions help students to think critically about the information they encounter.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers must create a free account to access the materials.
- Teachers should research the sources ahead of time to understand the viewpoints and biases.
- This handout will help students determine if the sources are reliable.
- The second article discusses economic implications of electric vehicles in terms of pounds, rather than dollars.
Differentiation
- Students can respond to the questions individually or in small groups before they discuss the answers as a class.
- The reading for this activity is dense, so a structured reading process may help some students.
- Students can research how local electric charging stations source their electricity.
- Other resources on this topic include this TED-Ed video on the best fuel for cars, this Hot Mess video on the best cars for the environment, and this video on creating car-free cycling cities.
This is a good resource about transitioning to a cleaner and greener transportation system. There is no contradiction in the reports provided by the Union of Concerned Scientists to cut emissions from gas and subscribe to electric cars which are pollution-free, environmentally friendly, and affordable. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
