This article shows the effect of positive radio stories on people's perceptions of electric vehicles in Norway and the United States.
It shows how media messaging changes popular opinions about electric vehicles.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The article describes an easy-to-follow experiment and includes data to support the findings.
This can be a significant component of a media literacy, advertising, or literacy lesson.
Additional Prerequisites
The article links to the two stories mentioned in the experiment.
Students should understand what standardized mean difference is to properly analyze the data.
Differentiation
Teachers can preview essential vocabulary terms, such as EV and emissions, to help students' comprehension.
ELL students can be given the article beforehand to read.
After reading the article, students can create a podcast story about an aspect of sustainability, such as eating less meat, EVs, solar power, buying recycled items, or composting. Then students can run an experiment to see if their podcast story influenced people's attitudes or beliefs.
Other resources related to these topics include this video analyzing the impact of various types of cars on the climate and this video about the history of electric cars.
Scientist Notes
To transit from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles is one of the efficient ways to reduce global warming. Selecting 912 random samples was effective to study this risk perception of transitioning. An Independent sample t-test would have also been a good technique to experiment with this type of data. However, this resource is recommended.
Standards
English Language Arts
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
11-12.RI.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading: Science & Technical Subjects (6-12)
11-12.RST.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
Science
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS.ESS3.1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
