Arizona STEM

Acceleration Project

Energy Efficiency

Powering Progress:

Unleashing Efficiency in Energy Transfer Solutions

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An 8th Grade STEM Lesson

Kenn Patrick E. Bulaso

(April 27, 2024)

Notes for Teachers

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• Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom for one or more hours.
• Students may work in small groups of 3-5.
• An emphasis on the target product (a levitating train)
• Creative solutions should be encouraged.
• Facilitate student activity in building their designs and demonstrating the required skills.

List of Materials:

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• Solar panel kits
• Motors
• Illustration boards
• Straw
• Plastic Bottles
• Glue
• Battery holder
• Paper Clips
• 4 in 1 Solar Power and Electric Motor STEM kits, Science Experiment Projects (Amazon)

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Arizona Science Standards

Science Standards:

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8.P4U2.5. Develop a solution to increase efficiency when transferring energy from one source to another

Science and Engineering Practices

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• ask questions and define problems
• develop and use models
• plan and carry out investigations
• analyze and interpret data
• use mathematical and computational thinking
• construct explanations and design solutions
• engage in argument from evidence
• obtain, evaluate and communicate information

Arizona ELA Standards

8.RI.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

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8.RI.5 Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.

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8.W.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self‐generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

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8.W.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Objective(s):

Students will be able to…

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1. Students will be able to recognize and describe how energy moves from one place to another and how it changes form during the process.
2. Students will analyze various factors affecting energy transfer efficiency, such as friction, heat loss, and design constraints, to understand how to optimize energy use.
3. Students will develop and test solutions to improve energy transfer efficiency in real-world scenarios, applying their understanding of energy principles to create innovative and effective solutions.

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Agenda (4 sessions)

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Day 1

• Review on Energy Transfer
• Socratic Dialogue

Day 2

• What is solar energy?
• How is energy conserved and transferred?

Day 3

• Engineering, designing, and building

Day 4

• Testing and assessing

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Day 1

1. Provide students with real-life scenarios to examine.
2. Ask students to identify the type of energy at work in each scenario.
3. Challenge students to identify at least two to three different energy transformations in each scenario.
4. Review energy transformation.

Small Group

1. In small groups of 3-4, instruct students to analyze the following photos.
2. Ask the students, how energy use or transformation is inefficient in each scenario?
3. Is this problem fixable?
4. What are your suggestions in order to increase efficiency during energy transfer or transformation?

Example 1

Example 2

The Search for Efficiency

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The main reason that engineers are searching for new ways to design wind turbines is to improve their efficiency. In any energy system where energy is being converted from one form to another, not all of the energy is converted to a form that can do work. Some is usually transformed into non-usable forms of energy.

The Challenge

Engineers and Scientists continually seek methods to create technologies that convert energy with optimal efficiency. They aim to produce greater output while minimizing energy input. This principle applies to wind turbines, which harness the kinetic energy of the wind.

Task/Challenge

• Students will develop a solar-powered fan or a windmill.
• Proficient kids may take it further by designing their own design such as a solar-powered house, solar-powered vehicle, and etc.
• In order to compare efficiency, students will collect data regarding the use of solar panels vs battery vs Wind Energy to power their windmills.

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Reading Activity

Solar Electricity Handbook: A Simple, Practical Guide to Solar Energy - Designing and Installing Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems

Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future" by Godfrey Boyle

Day 1-2 (Planning)

• On day 1 and 2, the teacher will set class expectations and goals for the activity.
• Students will gather information about how solar panel works and how solar energy is converted into light, mechanical, or sound energy.
• The groups will create a plan and timetable for this project.
• The groups will plan and sketch what their final project will be.

Day 3- 4

• Project making
• They will be provided with guidance. A kit that can be purchased from Amazon is also an alternative to this project especially to students who need support and accommodation.
• Testing their output
• Enrichment- Students can be creative with their solar panels and come up with creative designs.

How do we assess our work?

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• Students will test if their solar-powered windmill works. They will be given time to reassess their work and rebuild their final output.
• Students will compare their outputs against another group and observe best practices that they can incorporate into their product.
• Solar windmill is free-standing and powered by solar energy.
• Students will be able to explain how solar panel captures solar energy and convert it into mechanical energy, wind, and sound energy.

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APPLY

In a group of 4-5, students will be able to apply their knowledge about solar energy by designing an experiment that shows how solar energy is converted into other types of energy other than windmill.

Constraints:

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• Time constraints
• One kit per group of 4-5 students
• STEM kits and parts are quite expensive
• Students have to be responsible for their own kits

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Assessment

• A written/oral test.
• Check if they can explain how solar-powered windmill works, its advantages over traditional windmill.
• Evaluate the student's ability to identify and solve problems encountered during the project.
• Assess the level of innovation and creativity demonstrated in the project. Look for unique solutions, features, or improvements.

ELA Assessment

Students will conduct research on how different countries address energy efficiency challenges, and then write a reaction paper about their finding.

Differentiation

• Provide step-by-step instructions for the Solar-powered windmill projects.
• Allow struggling students to work in smaller groups or pairs.
• Use visual aids and simplified explanations.
• Provide ready to buy STEM kits.

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Extension/Enrichment

Students will be able to apply their knowledge about solar energy by designing an experiment that shows how solar energy is converted into other types of energy other than windmill.

Remediation