In the Driver’s Seat

Let’s talk about transportation! How often do you drive or get a ride in a car, truck or bus? Transportation is a part of our everyday lives. We use cars, trucks, buses and airplanes to get us where we need to go. Most forms of transportation today are powered by gasoline. Gasoline is a refined product of crude oil, or petroleum. Most of the petroleum consumed in the United States is used for transportation. How often does your family use transportation that relies on petroleum? Use Project Learning Tree’s “In the Driver’s Seat” to explore these questions, learn how petroleum is refined and explore fuel conservation and energy efficiency.

Enrichment activities:
Students can conduct a survey to determine the average vehicle occupancy in your community. Choose an observation point and record the number of people in 100 cars. Discuss how vehicle occupancy affects fuel use and ways that your community could increase vehicle occupancy.

Students can explore alternative energy sources for transportation, such as biofuels, electric hybrids and solar powered vehicles.

Book List

Grades PreK-2
Cast, C.V. and S. Wilkinson. 1993. Where Does Oil Come From? Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.
Earthworks Group. 1990. 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth. Andrews.
Harlow, R. 2001. The Environment. Houghton Mifflin Company.
McMeel Publishing.
Maynard, C. 2003. I Wonder Why Planes Have Wings and Other Questions About Transportation. Roaring Brook Press.
Mitgusch, A. et al. 1981. From Oil to Gas. Lerner.
Murray, J. 2006. Oil to Gas. ABDO Publishing Company.
Rockwell, A.F. and P. Meisel. 2009. What’s So Bad About Gasoline?: Fossils Fuels and What They Do. Collins.
Vogel, C.G. 2003. Human Impact. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Zemlicka, S. and S. Knudsen. 2003. From Oil to Gas. Lerner Publishing Group.

Grades 3-5
Ball, J. 2003. Conservation and Natural Resources. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Berry, J.W. 2001. Every Kid's Guide to Saving the Earth. Warehousing & Fulfillment Specialists, LLC.
Blackbirch Graphics.1997. Alternate Energy Sources. Twenty-first Century Books.
Collard, S.B. 2000. Acting for Nature: What Young People around the World Have Done to Protect the Environment. Heyday Books.
Cunningham, K. 2008. Gasoline. Cherry Lake Publishing.
Earthworks Group. 1990. 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth. Andrews.
Elkington, J., D. Hill, J. Hailes, and J. Mekower.1990. Going Green: A Kid's Handbook to Saving the Planet. Viking Children's Books.
McMeel Publishing.
Gibson, D. 2001. Fossil Fuels. Black Rabbit Books.
Graham, I.S. 1999. Fossil Fuels, Vol. 1. Raintree Publishers.
Harris, E.S. 2009. Save the Earth Science Experiments. Lark Books NC.
Holmes, A. 1993. I Can Save the Earth: A Kid's Handbook for Keeping Earth Healthy and Green. Silver Burdett Press.
Petersen, C. 2004. Alternative Energy. Children’s Press (CT).
Raum, E. 2008. Fossil Fuels and Biofuels. Heinemann Library.
Rice, D. and P. Daniels. 1990. Energy from Fossil Fuels. Steck-Vaughn.
Rickard, G. 1993. Oil. CENGAGE Learning.
Sherman, J. 2004. Energy at Work: Fossil Fuel Power. Capstone Press Inc.
Wheeler, J. 1991. Earth Moves: Get There With Energy to Spare. ABDO.

Grades 6-8
Clare, P. 2009. Living Green: Saving Our Earth. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Cross, W.L. 1983. Petroleum. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Hawkes, N. 1985. Oil. Scholastic Library Publishing.
McKay, K., J. Bonnin, and D. de Rothschild. 2008. True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet. Natl Geographic Soc Childrens Boks.
Miller, K.M. 2002. What if We Run Out of Fossil Fuels? Children’s Press.
Orme, H. 2008. Living Green. Bearport Publishing Company, Inc.
Pampe, W.R. 1984. Petroleum: How it is Found and Used. Enslow Publishers, Incorporated.
Passero, B. 2006. Energy Alternatives. Cengage Gale.
Povey, K.D. 2006. Biofuels. Cengage Gale.
Rock, M. 1992. The Automobile and the Environment. Chelsea House.
Twist, C. 1990. Facts on Fossil Fuels. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Wines, J. and S. Horne. 2008. You Can Save the Planet: 50 Ways You Can Make a Difference. Scholastic, Inc.

Grades 9-12
Miller, K.M. 2002. What if We Run Out of Fossil Fuels? Children’s Press.
Muschal, F. 2008. Biofuels. Chery Lake Publishing.
Pampe, W.R. 1984. Petroleum: How it is Found and Used. Enslow Publishers, Incorporated.
Polesetsky, M. and C.P. Cozic. 1991. Energy Alternatives. Cengage Gale.
Povey, K.D. 2007. Energy Alternatives. Cengage Gale.
Riley, T. 2007. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Living. Alpha Books.
Sivertsen, L. and T. Sivertsen. 2008. Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life. Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group.
Smith, A.M. 2008. 50 Plus One Tips for Going Green. Gale Cengage Learning.
Snedden, R. 2001. Energy from Fossil Fuels. Heinemann.
Stille, D.R. 2005. Natural Resources: Using and Protecting Earth’s Supplies. Capstone Press, Inc.