Students spend several days reading, viewing, and listening to various texts that present different ways that people around the world are working to make their or others' homes more sustainable. They also consider possible privacy concerns that some may have regarding different innovations designed to make homes "smarter" and more efficient.

Learners will understand that there is a lot of interest in sustainable or "green" construction as well as retrofitting existing homes to be greener.
Learners will understand that there may also be possible downsides to the innovations associated with smart/"green" homes.

What does a "green" building look like?
Who can afford to have an efficient home?
What are the pros and cons of having an efficient, smart home?

Environmental issues matter to different people and cultures to varying degrees.

You are on the advisory board of a Homeowners Association in your neighborhood. Some homeowners want the HOA to pass rules requiring homeowners to install things like "smart" thermostats and timers on their sprinkler systems to conserve water. Others are against these measures and believe that these decisions should be left up to each individual homeowner. They answer questions about each video and are also asked to give their opinion after viewing both.

Students view two short news segments- one is a tour of a brand new home outfitted with the latest technology to make the home more efficient/conserve more resources, and the other is an interview with an advocate for consumer privacy who argues that all of these "smart" home technologies are an invasion of privacy.

Students debate the pros and cons of "smart" home products that are currently available in order to make homes greener/more efficient.

Students write and deliver a speech to a local HOA about how they should require (or not require) member-homeowners to install devices to make their homes more efficient.