This wealthy, self-contained movie requires little or no further analysis on the a part of the teacher or the class however can be utilized as the basis for unbiased scholar analysis. The movie divides neatly into two practically equal and unbiased segments that may be proven on successive days or at completely different factors in a unit. Each segments provide glorious dialogue alternatives. The classroom expertise of scholars taking programs on environmental science or choices that embrace a unit on air high quality or environmental considerations can be enriched by viewing Who Killed the Electric Car? Programs that encourage curiosity in engineering and sensible math functions would additionally profit. The moral and civic questions that the movie explores provide a pure connection for lecturers working in the space of civics, authorities, ethics, and enterprise ethics. In lots of of those programs, the movie could possibly be handled as a case examine. The moral questions raised are practically limitless and a big number of higher-level-thinking actions might be developed from the movie. Included on this packet are dialogue prompts, class actions, and analysis recommendations.
FILM SUMMARY
Included, the Basic Motors electrical car is featured. As this phase concludes, the success of the business’s authorized technique is symbolized by a celebrity-studded funeral for the electrical automobile. This phase is stuffed with a factual Assessment that examines conflicting claims about emissions, practicality, prices of varied fuels, and shopper demand. Who Killed the Electric Car? Staying true to this style, the movie opens with mandatory background info, describes the crime dedicated, answering all of the what, the place, and when questions, after which in the type of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gathers the suspects for shut scrutiny, coming to a conclusion on the guilt or innocence of every. The second half of Who Killed the Electric Car? is Sherlock Holmes at his finest. The seven suspects recognized in the first half of the movie are scrutinized. One after the other, shoppers, batteries, oil corporations, auto producers, the U. S. authorities, the California Air Sources Board, and the latest villain, the hydrogen automobile, go below the naked bulb in the inspector’s interrogation room in an try and reply the Question Assignment requested in the movie’s title: Who Killed the Electric Car? At the finish of every phase, the featured suspect is judged as responsible or harmless.
Opening with a little bit of automotive historical past that establishes the electrical automobile as a aggressive various to the inside combustion engine. An easy rationalization of why gasoline beats out electrical energy as the gas of alternative and the way the inside combustion engine wins dominance concludes the broad overview. The movie then strikes to the current previous with the introduction of the California Air Sources Board and their 1990 choice to require that ten % of all automobiles offered in California by every automobile producer be zero-emission automobiles by the yr 2003. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s response of automotive corporations is revealed; the manufacturing and advertising of zero-emission automobiles is detailed, a interval throughout which the authorized and political groups of the similar producers work to defeat the legislation that gave start to fashionable electrical automobiles. Whereas a number of producers are The movie ends on a optimistic be aware, recognizing a grassroots motion that envisions cleaner air and vitality independence. In a John Kennedy-style attraction, the movie claims that those that resolve our vitality conundrum shall be those who “change the world. ”
SELECTED SCENES FOR CLASSROOM REVIEW
Two million new automobiles are offered in a Tv commercial for G. M.’s California every year. electrical automobile. Low-cost oil helps the combustion Introduce Dr. Alan Lloyd of C. A. R. B. engine over the electrical automobile. Air high quality in California: Producer’s lawsuit to “Black cloud of loss of life. ” overturn emissions requirements. Every gallon of gasoline burned yields President Bush endorsing hydrogen 19 kilos of carbon dioxide. know-how in the State of the Union. David Freeman. Hydrogen Hummer and the hydrogen freeway. 7:40 23:20 Creating demand for electrical automobiles. C. A. R. B. listening to on the emissions requirements. C. A. R. B. and California are C. A. R. B. vote to kill the requirements. zero-emission coverage. Value to run an electrical automobile equals Producers begin to gather gasoline when fuel is 60 cents per gallon. Californians In opposition to Utility “Save the electrical automobile” marketing campaign, Firm Abuse together with the mock funeral. G. M. claims to have constructed electrical automobiles the Final EV1 collected. in accordance with demand.
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
These prompts can be utilized for full-class dialogue, small group conversations, or tailored to be used as writing assignments of various size and element. What compromises associated to automobiles and transportation are you keen to make to protect and enhance air high quality? Brainstorm prospects after which focus on every one, specializing in the common shopper. What one assertion in the movie do you disagree with? Why? What one assertion in the movie troubles you the most? Why? In your personal phrases, clarify why the automobile producers collected and destroyed the electrical automobiles. Did the authorities serve the folks in the case of electrical automobiles? Why? Does authorities have the proper to inform corporations what to fabricate? Why? How necessary a problem is our nation’s dependence on oil?
Clarify. Do you agree that those that resolve the vitality Question Assignment will change the world? Clarify. Ought to the world oil provide be divided evenly in accordance with inhabitants, given to these capable of pay the highest worth, or reserved for creating nations? Clarify your opinion. Is it acceptable for a nation to make use of oil as a weapon? Why/why not? Would you characterize every of the following as an excellent citizen or a nasty citizen? Why?
The oil corporations
The car corporations
U. S. shoppers
Scientists researching hydrogen gas
The residents making an attempt to save lots of the electrical automobile. Is vitality a nationwide safety subject?
Why/how?
Clarify. How is the use of hydrogen as a gas associated to the reemergence of nuclear energy? Does drilling for extra oil in the pristine wilderness make sense? Why/why not? Given the info offered in the movie, do you imagine electrical automobiles are an inexpensive various to combustion engines? Why/why not?Given the info offered in the movie, do you imagine it is possible for you to to purchase a hydrogen-powered automobile in the subsequent 10 years? 20 years? Ever? Why/why not?
MOCK COURT
Select protection and prosecution groups for every of the seven defendants recognized in the movie. Have the groups put together for a mock trial utilizing the info in the movie and if desired, further analysis. Stage a trial with a jury that has not seen the movie. Roles: Decide: Acts as presiding officer sustaining order, resolving conflicts, and charging the jury. Prosecution workforce Presents proof in opposition to the named defendant utilizing witnesses, charts, graphs, and bodily proof. The workforce would additionally cross-examine protection witnesses. The prosecution’s job is to show past an inexpensive doubt the guilt of the defendant.
Protection workforce: Presents proof that rebuts the prosecution’s view and will recommend various perpetrators. The protection might use witnesses, charts, graphs, and bodily proof. The workforce would additionally cross-examine prosecution witnesses. The protection’s job is to create an inexpensive doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. This exercise can be utilized as a substitute Assessment of scholar information whereas additionally constructing important considering and oral presentation abilities.
COMMON GOOD
Open the exercise by studying the paragraph beneath. Enable for a couple of minutes of a common touch upon the idea of the “frequent good” and the declare by then G. M. president Charles E. Wilson: What’s good for the nation is sweet for Basic Motors and vice versa. The preamble to the United States Structure opens with the phrases: “We the Individuals of the United States, with a purpose to type a extra excellent Union, set up Justice, insure home Tranquility, present for the frequent protection, promote the common Welfare, and safe the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and set up this Structure for the United States of America. ” These phrases indicate a standard curiosity that’s shared by residents and authorities, an idea also known as the “frequent good. ” In 1953, the then president of Basic Motors, Charles E.vWilson was nominated by President Dwight Eisenhower to function his Secretary of Protection. Throughout Wilson’s affirmation hearings, senators had been involved that he would have problem making a choice that might harm Basic Motors, a serious protection contractor, even when the choice was in the finest curiosity of the United States. When requested this Question Assignment, Wilson assured senators that he may make such a choice however that he couldn’t think about such a scenario, “as a result of for years I assumed what was good for the nation was good for Basic Motors and vice versa. ”
Scholar instruction
Who Killed the Electric Car? implies that the “frequent good” will not be being served by the choice to desert electrical automobiles and embrace hydrogen know-how. Write your personal definition of the “frequent good. ” Make teams of three to five and share these definitions. Attempt to agree on a bunch definition. Consider Basic Motors’ choice to kill the electrical automobile program in gentle of your group’s definition. Be able to report your findings to the class. Do Mr. Wilson’s ideas from 1953 mirror the Basic Motors Company that’s introduced in the movie? If the Senate known as the present president of G.M. to clarify the loss of life of the electrical automobile, think about what he would possibly say that may be quoted greater than 50 years later.
HIDDEN AGENDA
Trainer introduction As a category, brainstorm about the time period “hidden agenda. ” Whenever you get all the concepts on the board, make teams of three to five. In teams, have the class focus on the concepts on the board after which write a definition of “hidden agenda” that the group can agree on. As a category, share these definitions and create one working definition for the entire class. Have college students return to their teams and focus on what “hidden agenda(s)” the following might have had. To make a declare, the group should have at the very least one piece of strong proof from the movie. Every group ought to resolve which three of their claims are the strongest and put together to current them to the class.
Current and focus on:
Car corporations: Hidden agenda: ______________________________
Proof: Oil corporations: Hidden agenda: ___________________________
Proof: Filmmakers: Hidden agenda: _________________________________
Proof: Car corporations: Hidden agenda: ________________________
Proof: Federal authorities: Hidden agenda: ___________________________
Proof: Followers of the electrical automobile: Hidden agenda: ___________________________
Proof: C. A. R. B. : Hidden agenda: ________________________
Proof: eight WHAT IS THE ROLE OF BUSINESS? What’s the position of enterprise in a democratic/capitalist society?
The complicated interplay between enterprise, authorities, and shoppers are introduced as a case examine in Who Killed the Electric Car?. After viewing the movie, make clear your personal perspective towards the position of enterprise, earlier than any dialogue, by utilizing the prompts that observe. Prioritize the complete listing from 1, most necessary, to 10, least necessary, after which write only a sentence or two that explains every rating. Utilizing your outcomes, make teams that embrace people with completely different attitudes. Whilst you focus on the film, analyze how completely different views of enterprise affect opinions about the movie. ______ The position of enterprise is to make a revenue. _____ The position of enterprise is to make an excellent product. ______ The position of enterprise is to serve the shopper. ______ The position of enterprise is to Help the authorities. ______ The position of enterprise is to teach the authorities. ______ The position of enterprise is to teach shoppers. ______ The position of enterprise is to enhance life. ______ The position of enterprise is to guard the setting. ______ The position of enterprise is to supply shoppers with alternative. ______ The position of enterprise is to invent options to society’s issues.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT? What’s the position of presidency in a democratic/capitalist society?
The complicated interplay between enterprise, authorities, and residents is introduced as a case examine in Who Killed the Electric Car?. After viewing the movie, make clear your personal perspective towards the position of presidency, earlier than any dialogue, by utilizing the prompts that observe. Prioritize the complete listing from 1, most necessary, to 10, least necessary, after which write only a sentence or two that explains every rating. Utilizing your outcomes, make teams that embrace people with completely different attitudes. Whilst you focus on the film, analyze how completely different views of presidency affect opinions about the movie. ______ The position of presidency is to defend the nation. ______ The position of presidency is to create a simply society. ______ The position of presidency is to guard the shopper. ______ The position of presidency is to guard the enterprise. ______ The position of presidency is to manage enterprise. ______ The position of presidency is to teach shoppers. ______ The position of presidency is to enhance life for all residents. ______ The position of presidency is to guard the setting. ______ The position of presidency is to supply shoppers with alternative. ______ The position of presidency is to invent options to society’s issues.
MAKING THE CASE
In the second half of Who Killed the Electric Car? , every of the suspects on this thriller is held as much as scrutiny. Appearing as an unbiased detective, develop an inventory of the proof provided for guilt and the proof that signifies innocence. In teams or as a category, use these proof lists as the foundation for a debate that results in a vote on every suspect. The suspect___________________________________________________.
BRIAN DANIELS
Teaches historical past and ethics at Hudson Excessive College, Hudson, Massachusetts. He’s the college facilitator for the democratic college initiative at Hudson Excessive and an lively member of the college’s First Modification Faculties workforce. He has been instructing for thirty years and holds bachelor’s levels in historical past and psychology from Boston School and a grasp’s diploma in important and artistic considering from the College of Massachusetts at Boston. He’ll turn out to be the Curriculum Director for English and Social Research grades 6-12 in the Hudson college district in the summer season of 2006. He has been printed a number of instances in the Boston Globe and has an article slated for publication in October of 2006 in the Nationwide Social Research.
