Connecting Middle School Content to the Grid Jill

Connecting Middle School Content to the Grid Jill K. Lawrence Gresham Middle School, Knoxville Abstract: How could I teach content in a way that is meaningful, relevant, engaging, prepares students for state assessments, establishes a connection between and within the 6 th, 7 th, and 8 th grade science curriculum, and provides a way for students to understand the rapidly changing world around them and their futures within that world? The RET program at CURENT has provided an opportunity to develop a plan to address these instructional challenges. My program focus this summer has been in three parts: Part 1 – Constructing a model of the Power Grid and the Engineering Design Process – 7 th and 8 th grade Part 2 – Frame work for content connections to power grid throughout 7 th and 8 th grade curriculum for future lesson development. Part 3 – Development of Magnets and Electricity Unit – 8 th grade Part 1: Constructing a model of the Power Grid and The Engineering Design Process Questions to investigate: 1. What is the power grid? 2. Why should engineers study historical data regarding the power grid? 3. What are the issues facing the power grid? 4. What is a Smart grid? 5. What is the engineering design process? 6. Explain how you used the engineering design process throughout this learning experience. Grid Materials Figure 1: Engineering Design Process • Small cardboard box • Magnetic wire • Sand paper • LED lights (I used red and orange) • Paper clips (street lamps) • Bendy straws (street lamps) • 2 x 1. 5 volt batteries Figure 2: Sample of individual house with 2 LED lights and 2 LED street lamps. Part 2: Content connections (To be developed during 2014 -2015 academic year) 7 th Grade 8 th Grade • Renewable and Non-renewable resources and the power grid (Earth Science) • Solar challenge (Physical Science – motion) • Compare power grid to levels of organization, parts of the cell, and organ systems • Diversity of resources, behaviors and adaptations to changes in power grid (Biodiversity and adaptations) • Electric cars, law of conservation of matter and energy, environmental improvements at Bull Run (chemical reactions) • Atomic structure and conductors (properties of matter) • Magnetism and electricity (forces in nature) • Compare Earth’s magnetic field with electromagnets, solenoids, magnets. (forces in nature) Part 3: Magnets and Electricity Students are expected to have a working foundational knowledge about the relationship between magnetism and electricity as part of their middle school experience. Students will explore the properties of magnets, electromagnets, and solenoids through a variety of hands on activities. They will compare and contrast all three as well as investigate the roll they play in the power grid, in everyday household items, and technology. Mag-Lev Device Materials Figure 3: Magnetic Levitation Device (Mag -Lev) hovering over the magnet • 2’ x 2’ board • 3 -12 V 1 Amp adaptor • Insulated wire • Magnetic wire ~ 50 turns • Sand paper • Banana plugs (2) • Adaptaplug tip “K” • 4” x 4” square magnet Simple Motors Materials • Materials • 9 volt battery • ~ 7 in. speaker wire • 1 ceramic magnet • ~10 washers • 2 L brackets (4 in) • Magnetic wire ~ 8 loops • Sand paper Figure 4: Simple motor attached to a wood block Acknowledgements: This work was supported primarily by the Engineering Research Center Program of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy under NSF Award Number EEC-1041877 and the CURENT Industry Partnership Program.