Essential Question 2: How do we use the wind for electricity? Wind Turbines Duration: 3 days at 45 minutes each Standards: GLE 0207.Inq.3, GLE 0207.T/E.2, GLE 0207.7.3 Overview: Students will explore wind energy as a renewable resource and how we can turn it into electricity through wind turbines. 2nd Grade Essential Question 1: Why do we want to use renewable resources for energy? Essential Question 2: How do we use the wind for electricity? Materials: Book: “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” Youtube video: Energy 101:Wind Turbines Multimeter 2 wind turbine stands 20 hubs 60 dowels Paper plates Fabric Tissue paper Aluminum foil Tape/glue http://theselfsufficientliving.com/free-diy-or-homemade-wind-turbine-plans-and-designs/

PROCEDURE: Students begin by learning about renewable and non-renewable sources of energy. We discuss the difference and why engineers are looking for renewable resources. http://peakoil.com/alternative-energy/home-renewable-energy-non-renewable-resources-depletion-effects-non-renewable-resources-depletion-effects Students will be shown the wind turbine and how it works. They will then plan their own turbine blades and begin creating their own. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/how-to/g118/make-your-own-miniature-wind-turbine/ Once the blades are created, the students will attach the hub to the base of the turbine and test their blades. The students will measure the voltage output with a multimeter and get the voltage to 0.4 volts. http://www.instructables.com/id/Wind-Turbine-Model-Construction-That-Generates-Rea/

Essential Question 2: How do we cook with the sun? Solar Ovens Duration: 3 days at 45 minutes each Standards: GLE 0307.T/E.2, GLE 0307.T/E.5, GLE 0307.10.2 Overview: Students will have a scenario to build a solar oven to cook a S’more. The teacher and students will discuss renewable versus non-renewable resources and the importance of solar energy. We use solar panels on houses now to help with the electricity to certain houses. The teacher will give the students the challenge of building a solar oven to be able to cook a S’more. The student teams will create a solar oven with the materials given and a budget to “build” the oven. As the students finish, they will cook their S’mores and watch how the temperature rises with the temperature probe. They will also see how their chocolate and marshmallow have melted. 3rd Grade Essential Question 1: Why do we want to use renewable resources for energy? Essential Question 2: How do we cook with the sun? Materials: Boxes (pizza boxes or shoe boxes) Temperature probe Black construction paper Newspaper Fabric Clear plastic wrap Aluminum foil Scissors Tape Rulers Heat lamps if not able to use the sun for project and have to work only in the classroom http://climatekids.nasa.gov/smores/

PROCEDURE: Students begin by learning about renewable and non-renewable sources of energy. We discuss the difference and why engineers are looking for renewable resources. http://peakoil.com/alternative-energy/home-renewable-energy-non-renewable-resources-depletion-effects-non-renewable-resources-depletion-effects Students then learn about how solar ovens work (insulators/conductors). The teacher will show solar ovens. The student teams will begin planning, gathering and create their solar oven. http://www.thejoysofboys.com/the-school-project-that-could-save-your-life/ When the students solar ovens are complete, they will cook S’mores, watching the chocolate melt and using a temperature probe to measure the heat inside the oven. http://www.vernier.com/products/sensors/temperature-sensors/go-temp/

Essential Question 1: How does the power grid work? Power Grid with Squishy Circuits 4th Grade Duration: 3 days at 45 minutes each Standards: GLE 0407.T/E.2, GLE 0407.12.3 Overview: Students will learn about the power grid and how it is used to produce electricity to their house. They will learn the different components of the grid and then manipulate the grid with TCIPG. Once the students learn how the grid works, they will build a power grid with their partner with squishy circuits, batteries and LED lights. Essential Question 2: How do we get the electricity to our house/school? Essential Question 1: How does the power grid work? Materials: Computer TCIPG Web page Brainpop video: Electric Circuits Youtube: Energy 101: Electricity Generation Circuit grid stand Conductor dough Insulator dough AA batteries AA battery holders LED jumbo lights 9-Volt batteries

PROCEDURE: Students learn about the different kinds of circuits ( simple, series and parallel). 2. Students begin by learning about the power grid and working with the TCIPG web page and manipulate the grid so see how energy runs. Students plan and create a power grid with battery packs, LED lights and squishy conductive dough. They will test, revise and test again that the LED lights all turn on.