LERATO COOKS UP A
PLAN
Megan Greene and Kristen Burnside
ETES 2320, Exercise 6
February 25, 2014
Background Information
• Green Engineering: the field of engineering concerned with
designing technologies that have minimal impact on the
environment
• Engineering Design Process: the steps that engineers use to design
something to solve a problem
• Technology: any thing, system, or process that people create and
use to solve a problem
• Resources: the materials used to create technology; can be local or
imported, abundant or sparse
• Tikologo: word for the environment
Story
• Main Characters:
• Lerato: the narrator of the story; she takes care of her sibling but dreams of going
to the university
• Tsoane: Lerato’s older friend that has returned from the university where she
studies green engineering
• Lerato’s younger siblings: help Lerato through the engineering design process
• Grandmother: wants Lerato to go to the university and study engineering
• Context
• Takes place in an African city called Nata
• Village contains houses called “Rondavels”, made of rocks, soil, branches, and
grass
• Technology and electricity is only found in the big cities
Summary
• Lerato and her siblings typically have to collect firewood to cook
their food
• Tsoane, a family friend, returns from the university and tells them
about her studies in green engineering
• Lerato becomes interested in her discussion of solar energy and
wants to try using a solar oven to cook food
• Lerato thinks about the impacts on the environment and the
resources that she uses
• With her siblings, she goes through the engineering design process
to create and test a solar oven
• Lerato decides that she wants to go to the university, study
engineering, and come back to help Nata
Activity: Design a Solar Oven
1.
Build Your Solar Oven:
•
Cut a flap in the top of the shoebox and line it with foil.
•
Cover the hole in the lid with clear plastic.
•
Seal all holes in the box and place the bowl in the middle.
2. Ask and Imagine Materials:
•
Test different insulators. ex) foil, leaves, newspaper, etc.
•
Think about the impact on the environment.
•
Choose one of the materials and test it; record the temperature inside.
3. Plan and Create Your Design:
•
Based on your tests, choose a material or combination of materials to use.
•
Draw a plan for your oven.
•
Prepare the S’more.
4. Improve Your Solar Oven Based on Your Results
Critique
• Story
• Names may be confusing and distracting for young children
• Good definitions for green engineering and the engineering design process
• Some of the discussions about engineering seemed forced
• Would be appropriate for fourth or fifth grade students
• Activity
• Kids may need assistance with cutting the box
• Assembly was fairly easy
• May take time to see results
• Would work best on a hot, summer day
• Follow up with discussion about green materials
• People may steal your oven!