1. Hydroelectric Power Task #3: Hydroelectric power This task represents the work done by H2O to drive a “wheel” that is attached to a generator. Since energy is the potential to do work, don’t you think that Niagara Falls could potentially be harnessed to provide many homes with electricity? Task #3: Hydro-power Students will fill up container with 2 cups of water. Students will then jog a certain distance and return to the water source. Record the time it took the student to jog that distance on your tally sheet. Students will fill up another container with 2 more cups of water. Students will then jog a certain distance and return to the classroom. Record that time on your tally sheet. What is the total time? Divide the distance over the jogging time. This is your speed for this task! Students will then be issued their energy credits for this task—4 tickets. Collect your next task card and your next bonus card.

2. Solar Energy Task #2: Solar Energy In many places of the world, solar ovens are replacing wood as a cooking fuel. Solar panels on homes in many countries are becoming more popular as gas and electricity costs rise. Many businesses are also adapting solar panels as a way to meet their manufacturing power demands. Many homes are heated with radiant heat from south facing walls or floors that act as heat sinks for the room or home. Please research this type of heating (solar) on your own! Tell us 2-3 new facts you learned! Task #2: Solar power Weigh a piece of paper on the triple beam balance. Record this on your tally sheet. Take the paper outside and burn it with the magnifying glass. Be careful to do this on the ground. Weigh the burnt paper on the triple beam balance again. Record this on your tally sheet. What is the difference in mass? Record this on your tally sheet. When this task is complete, collect your 3 energy credits! Collect your next task/bonus card.

3. Biogas Generation Task #5: Biogas Fuel If you are so inclined, many farmers could potentially produce their own methane gas from animal excrement. This is turn would be used to as a combustible fuel to burn, create steam for a turbine that would then use a generator to create electricity. Smelly, but effective, if you know what you are doing! Please research biogases and biofuels on your own. Tell us 2-3 new facts you learned! Task #5: Biofuel You are going to make a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the proportions listed below, one tablespoon baking soda and ¼ cup vinegar. Place only the baking soda in the flask first. Finish the set up and quickly place the vinegar in the flask as you put the stopper back into place (no gas should escape). Place both in an Erlenmeyer flask with a one-hole rubber stopper. Place a glass tube in the rubber stopper hold and put some flex tubing on the glass tube. Place the flex tube into the plastic baggie. Make sure you weigh the baggie without the gas in it and then after the gas is created. Collect the gas in the baggie. What happened? Record your observations. What is the difference in mass of the mass before and after gas creation? Collect 5 energy credits for this task from your teacher. Collect your next task card and your next bonus card.

4. Wind Power Task #4: Wind power Wind power has been used as a way to generate electricity in parts of California and the Southwestern states in the US. The wind turns large cross sectional area blades that run a motor that generates electricity. What areas are the best for this type of power generation? Tell us 2-3 new facts you learned about this energy source! Task #4: Wind power! Assemble a pinwheel with the supplies given at this station— straw, construction paper or oak tag, tape and a brad. This is an instant challenge and any design you want to try is fine. Go try it out! What happened? What was good about your design? What could you have improved upon with your design? Record your answers on your tally sheet. See your teacher to receive your energy credits. Collect your next task card and your next penalty card.

5. Wood Fuel Task #1: Wood fuel This task represents the effort some people need to exert in order to heat their homes. In countries like Africa, wood is still a primary fuel source. Since wood is getting to be a scarcer commodity, people are having to travel farther and spend more of their family resources to get it! What if the wood sources in Africa dried up? What could the people do? Research this issue! Tell us 2-3 new facts you learned! Task #1: Wood fuel Weigh a wooden stir stick on a Triple Beam Balance. Record the mass on your tally sheet. Take the stir stick outside and burn it! Save the ashes and weigh the stir stick! Record the mass of just the ashes on the tally sheet. What is the difference in mass? Record it on the tally sheet. Show this calculation to your teacher and receive three energy credits and your next bonus card.

6. Fossil Fuels Task #6: Fuel Oil This task represents the fuel that already exists for us to use. It is getting more expensive, but is still the most readily available fuel source. On the flip side, there is a concern from environmentalists that pristine wilderness areas will be compromised for their fuel oil and gas reserves that have been found buried deep in the Earth (think Alaska). Is this a renewable fuel source? No or Yes and why? Please research fossil fuels on your own. Tell us 2-3 new facts you learned! Task #6: Fossil fuels Light an alcohol lamp with oil. With tongs, pick up a peanut and hold it over the flame. Let it burn until you can light the peanut on fire. Extinguish it completely. Record how long it took to catch fire. Collect your 1 energy credit from doing this task. Collect your next task card and your next bonus card.