Community statistics · Maths CAS idea
Energy use in school: measure, change, measure
ServiceProject-ready
With the site manager, look at energy meter readings, run a switch-off campaign and measure the change.
Where the maths comes in
Rates, unit conversion, baselines and comparison with weather or term-time effects.
Which CAS strand it fits
- Service: Unpaid, voluntary work with others that also has a learning benefit for you.
Your CAS coordinator decides how an experience counts at your school. Strand summaries are provisional (our words, being checked).
How to run it
- Agree access to meter readings with the site manager.
- Establish a baseline.
- Run a campaign with an eco group.
- Measure again and report savings in energy, money and carbon.
This can grow into a CAS project if your CAS coordinator agrees: see planning a maths CAS project.
How to evidence it
- Readings and baseline
- Campaign materials
- Final report
Date everything and keep it in your school's CAS portfolio as you go. More on what counts as evidence.
Reflection prompts
Questions to think about, not answers to copy. Write your reflections in your own words, in whatever form your school accepts.
- What else could explain the change you saw?
- How did you convince people to change habits?
- How does this connect to climate change?
Learning outcomes this often gives a chance to show
- Global significance. How does the local need you worked on connect to a wider issue? What did you learn about that issue that you did not know before?
- Collaboration. What did someone else bring that you could not have done alone? Describe a disagreement or a mix-up in the team. How was it resolved?
- Initiative and planning. What did you plan, and what did you have to change once you started? Who did you need to ask for permission or help, and how did you go about it?
Whether you meet an outcome depends on what you actually do and reflect on, not on the idea. Outcome labels are our short summaries, being checked.
Safety and ethics
- Never touch electrical equipment or meters yourself; the site manager supplies the readings.
Agree every plan with your CAS coordinator first. Safety and ethics for maths CAS.
Need the statistics? The statistics guide (written for the IA) explains tests and charts step by step. Keep CAS and your IA separate.