Susan S. Van Biersel
This unit will be divided into six-eight lessons, to be taught over a three-five week period of time, depending on anticipated additions to the lessons. (NHA students are on a rotating eight-day schedule and do not have Science class every day).
Lesson One: Putting the “Energy Thing” into Perspective /Exploring Model Engines
Main objectives:
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1. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of recent U.S. energy policy, and how it will relate to our discussions of fossil fuels in general.
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2. Students will be able to discuss the similarities and differences between the four- stroke and two-stroke engines, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Materials:
Overhead projector, computers with internet access
Procedures:
This lesson will serve as an introduction to the unit, and “set the stage” for the direction of the discussions and activities of the next several weeks.
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1. Begin with 10-15 minute lecture/discussion on the energy policy of the U.S. over the last twenty years, and how it relates to current events today (e.g. the war in Iraq, price of gasoline). See “Historical Perspective” for a guide.
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2. Introduce the idea that we are going to begin the unit by looking at two very common engines, the four-stroke and the two-stroke, and gain a basic understanding of how they utilize fuel.
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3. Follow with a brief discussion of the components of the four-stroke cycle: intake, compression, power, and exhaust.
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4. Access the web site http://www.keveney.com/otto.html together as a class, and watch the engines in motion. If this is not possible due to technical limitations, have handouts ready from web site to distribute and discuss.
Assessment:
Students will be given a homework worksheet with matching and fill-in the blank questions regarding the class discussion.
Lesson Two: Further Investigation of Internal Combustion Engines
Main objectives:
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1. Students will be able to locate and identify the major moving parts of an internal combustion engine, and discuss the functions thereof.
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2. Students will be able to discuss how fuel is used in an internal combustion engine.
Materials:
Four-stroke engine block, examples of a two-stroke engine (chainsaw, weedwacker, model airplane), computers with internet access and/or research materials on fuel efficiency.
Procedures:
The execution of this lesson will largely depend on space and equipment availability.
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1. If possible, arrange for an area to set up an actual engine block of a car or truck (four stroke engine), and have several examples of two stroke engines available (e.g. chainsaw, model airplane, weedwacker).
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2. Divide students into groups; assign each group to a piece of equipment.
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3. Have students locate and identify working parts of individual motors, and trace path of fuel.
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4. Back in the classroom, have student groups do research on different models and makes of car engines and the associated fuel efficiency. Assign each group a four, six, and eight cylinder vehicle to research.
If the above procedure is not feasible, try to investigate a trip to a local vocational school or machine shop where the students might have similar opportunities to view actual engines.
Assessment:
Students will complete a matching exercise with a schematic of a four-stroke engine, and its major parts. For homework, students will document the results of their fuel efficiency research, and write a short essay discussing their findings.
Lesson Three: Fossil Fuel Formation and Current Locations
Main objectives:
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1. Students will be able to compare/contrast three different fossil fuels: coal, natural gas, and oil.
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2. Students will be able to identify and discuss the major geographic locations of fossil fuel deposits.
Materials:
Questionnaire, overhead projector, world map, colored pencils
Procedures:
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1. Begin the lesson with a k-w-l exercise or use the questionnaire included in Appendix A (Figure 1) to gain understanding of student knowledge of/interest in fossil fuels.
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2. Collect and discuss questionnaire. Use questions to create a vocabulary list; from this create a word wall.
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3. Follow with a 15-20 minute lecture/discussion on the formation of fossil fuels, and current locations thereof in the world today. Emphasize
nonrenewable
nature of the fuels. Distribute a fact sheet with information on location of fossil fuels.
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4. Break class into three groups: coal group, oil group, and natural gas group. Distribute a world map, and have students locate geographical locations of their assigned fuel and color-code. Use Figure 2 (from Appendix A) to record findings.
Assessment:
The color-coded world map and completed Figure 2 will be the group assessment.
Lesson Four: Fossil Fuel Discovery, Attainment, Processing and Usage
Main objectives:
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1. Students will be able to discuss the different methods of discovery and attainment (e.g. mining, drilling) of the fossil fuels
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2. Students will be able to discuss processing methods of fossil fuels
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3. Students will be able to discuss present-day usage of fossil fuels
Materials:
World map, textbook, overhead projector
Procedures:
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1. Begin with review of previous lesson, highlighting the physical location of the fossil fuels worldwide.
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2. Follow with 30-40 minute lecture on discovery/recovery, processing and usage of each fuel.
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3. Again split class into two groups: the coal group and the oil/natural gas group. Have students pretend that they are either a coal mining company or a petroleum & natural gas recovery company. Using notes from class, and any additional resources (textbook, previous maps and handouts), have the groups use Figure 3 (Appendix A) to prepare questions to be presented to the class. Have the groups present findings to the class, in the form of a professional presentation (as if marketing to a consumer)
Assessment:
The group presentation will be the assessment tool. Groups will be rated on research methods, organization, content, format and delivery of their presentation.
Lesson Five: Investigating the Impact of Fossil Fuel Usage on the Environment and Finding Possible Solutions for the Reduction Thereof
Main objectives:
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1. Students will be able to identify short- and long-term impacts of fossil fuel usage on the environment (especially air pollution, acid rain and global warming).
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2. Students will be able to identify possible solutions for reduction of negative impacts by fossil fuels on the environment, and relate these options to their day-to-day lives.
Materials:
Overhead projector, conservation checklist
Procedures:
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1. Begin with a lecture/discussion of the gases produced by burning fossil fuels [CO2, CH4, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons, (CFCs)]. Define and explain acid rain and global warming. Discuss why the above gases are called “greenhouse gases”.
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2. Define energy conservation. Discuss how conserving energy can reduce global warming.
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3. Break students into three groups. Have each group identify ways in which they can conserve energy at home, at school, and in the community, and record. Students must be prepared to explain why a certain action conserves energy.
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4. Have groups share ideas and discuss in a “round robin” format.
Assessment:
Each group will submit their results, which will be assessed. As a homework assignment, each student will choose three of the conservation efforts discussed either in their group or during the class discussion, and complete a checklist as to how they will apply these efforts at home and in their neighborhood/community.
Lesson Six: Exploring Renewable Alternative Energy Sources: Solar Energy
Main objectives:
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1. Students will be able to identify and discuss viable alternative energy sources for the near future.
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2. Students will be able to discuss the different aspects of solar energy
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3. Students will construct a solar energy project
Materials:
Aluminum foil, poster board, unpainted wire coat hanger, cellophane or masking tape, two cardboard boxes, two nuts, two bolts.
Procedures:
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1. Begin with a 10-15 minute lecture/discussion on the renewable alternative energy systems: solar and nuclear power, hydroelectric power, biomass energy, wind energy and fuel cells.
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2. Explain that for this lesson we will focus on solar energy. Follow with a 15-minute lecture on solar energy: passive, active and photovoltaic.
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3. Introduce solar hot dog cooker project. (See Figure 4, Appendix A)
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4. Have students work in groups of 3-4 on the project.
Assessment:
Each group will conduct the experiment, and write a report in the scientific method format. Execution of the experiment and the report will be the assessment tools.
Lesson Seven: Exploring Renewable Alternative Energy Sources: Wind Energy
Main objectives:
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1. Students will be able to discuss the different aspects of wind energy
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2. Students will construct a wind energy project
Materials:
Pencil, pin, two soda straws, stapler, scissors, cone pattern, paper, tape, bottle with narrow neck, and stopwatch
Procedures:
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1. Begin by reviewing briefly the previous discussions on renewable alternative energy sources.
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2. Explain that for this lesson we will focus on wind energy. Follow with a 15-minute lecture on available wind energy technologies.
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3. Introduce wind speed project (See Figure 5, Appendix A).
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4. Have students work in groups of 3-4 on the project.
Assessment:
Each group will conduct the experiment, and write a report in the scientific method format. Execution of the experiment and the report will be the assessment tools.