Jamie Wagner

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Students will examine a 2022 policy from California that bans gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Students will first group together by role to brainstorm and begin weighing the marginal costs and marginal benefits of the policy specific to their role. Then students will disperse into new groups with a representative from each role. Students will hear how this policy can affect different groups of people and examine potential opportunity costs. Ultimately groups will vote for or against this policy and provide suggestions as to how the policy could be improved.

Assessment for this lesson includes expanding the discussion on the California policy with more complex groups or a template for teachers to create an assessment for their own local energy policy.

Target Audience: 9-12