Earth Science

50 Year Energy Plan - Unit Plan

Grades:

9-12

Unit:

Description:

Throughout this creative, hands-on Unit, students are challenged to scale up every Disciplinary Core Idea and Science & Engineering Practice they’ve learned - from simple electricity generation, to building their own stereo speakers and DIY electric...

Energy Content:

Batteries & Storage,

Circuitry,

Electrical Energy,

Electrical Grid (Transmission & Distribution),

Electricity and Magnetism,

Electricity Generation,

Electronics,

Electrons,

Light (Visible),

Solar Photovoltaic,

Sources of Energy,

Wind Energy

More Details Less Details

Learning Goal(s):

Explore causes and effects of climate change as related to energy production. Develop a working understanding of varying stakeholder perspectives on the causes and effects of climate change. Through hands-on exploration, build a working speaker that can connect to a cellphone. Use DIY speakers as a model to observe the process of producing electrical currents with a simple generator. Design, build and refine a wind turbine to efficiently convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. Design, build and refine a system that is the most effective at converting the sunlight into electrical energy. Students develop models to study the relationship between the Earth’s atmospheric composition and the Earth’s surface temperatures using simple diagrams. Students reflect on the impact of energy sources and power production on the environment. Students utilize their knowledge of how energy generation processes impacts the environment to inform how and why they develop a 50-year Energy Plan for their local community.

Pedagogy & Practice:

Social-Emotional Learning,

Project-Based Learning,

Place-Based Learning,

Phenomena-Driven Instruction,

Hands-on Materials,

Group Work/Collaboration,

Engineering Design

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:

1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems,

2: Developing and Using Models,

3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,

4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data,

5: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking,

6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions,

7: Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Author:

Bradford Hill

Relevant NGSS PE:

HS-ESS2-4,

HS-ESS3-1,

HS-ESS3-2,

HS-ETS1-1,

HS-ETS1-3,

HS-ETS1-4,

HS-PS2-5,

HS-PS3-3,

HS-PS3-5,

HS-PS4-3

Other Subjects Covered:

Computer Science,

ELA: Speaking & Listening,

ELA: Writing,

Math: Graphing & Representation,

Math: Measurement,

Social Sciences: Analysis,

Social Sciences: Civics,

Social Sciences: Geography,

Social Sciences: Multicultural Studies

Estimated Activity Length:

0 sec

Solar Battery Charging

Grades:

7-12

Unit:

Solar Battery Charging

Description:

Students will become familiar with circuits, cells, batteries, and photovoltaic cells, then plan, build, test, modify, and re-test a small solar battery charger designed to maintain batteries from a particular device.

Energy Content:

Batteries & Storage,

Circuitry,

Electrical Energy,

Electricity Generation,

Solar Photovoltaic

More Details Less Details

Learning Goal(s):

Students will build series, parallel, and parallel series circuits from a schematic diagram. Students will master the basic concept of battery charging. Students will be able to plan and build solar battery chargers for a given battery system. Intermediate students will calculate time to charge a depleted battery to its full capacity given specifications of a solar module. Students will be able to explain how a solar cell works with diagrams and words. Students will use a digital multi-meter to measure voltage, current, resistance, and diode polarity.

Pedagogy & Practice:

Hands-on Materials,

Group Work/Collaboration,

Engineering Design

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:

2: Developing and Using Models,

3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,

5: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking,

6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions,

8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Author:

Luke Robbins