Connecting Middle
School Content to the Power Grid
Jill K. Lawrence
Gresham Middle School
CURENT RET Mid-Term Presentation
July 1, 2014
Knoxville, Tennessee
Challenges
• Little to no flow of content progression between grade level
curriculum K-8

Ex. Biomes part of 6th grade, adaptations for survival in biomes
part of 8th grade content. Not addressed in 7th grade curriculum.
• Little to no flow of content within 7th grade curriculum

Rocks, minerals, plate tectonics, use of resources, simple
machines, Newton’s Laws, speed, waves, cell biology, organ
systems, reproduction, transport, heredity.
• Inquiry, technology, engineering practices embedded in
content throughout the year
• Three tasks-at times in conflict



Prepare for state assessments (achievement and growth, part of
evaluation)
Prepare for high school, career and/or college ready
Engaging, rigorous, and relevant problem based learning
opportunities
• Department specifies order of content and instructional time
per topic/unit
2
Program Focus – addressing the challenges
• Inquiry, technology, engineering start of year instruction 7th and 8th
grade – Inquiry skills and the power grid. Engineering design and
the power grid. Technology and the power grid (SMART grid).
• Integrate power grid into units of study throughout the year.
• Maintain a 3-ring binder


Organized by standards/units of study
Cumulative for 7th and 8th grade studies
• Culmination of summer RET at CURENT



Inquiry, technology, engineering power grid introductory unit fully
designed
Framework for power grid integration into 7th and 8th grade curriculum
outlined – lessons to be developed throughout the year
Fully developed magnet and electricity unit with hands on experiences –
8th grade
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INQUIRY, TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING –
INTRODUCTION/FIRST 2-3 WEEKS
OF ACADEMIC YEAR
SETTING THE TONE AND
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
7TH AND 8TH GRADE
4
Curriculum Requirements – 7th and 8th grade
• Inquiry



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SPI 0707.Inq.1 Design a simple experimental procedure with an
identified control and appropriate variables.
SPI 0707.Inq.2 Select tools and procedures needed to conduct a
moderately complex experiment.
SPI 0707.Inq.3 Interpret and translate data in a table, graph, or
diagram.
SPI0707.Inq.4 Draw a conclusion that establishes a cause and
effect relationship supported by evidence.
SPI 0707.Inq.5 Identify a faulty interpretation of data that is due to
bias or experimental error.
• Technology and Engineering



SPI 0707.T/E.1 Identify the tools and procedures needed to test the
design features of a prototype.
SPI 0707.T/E.2 Evaluate a protocol to determine if the engineering
design process was successfully applied.
SPI 0707.T/E.3 Distinguish between the intended benefits and the
unintended consequences of a new technology.
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Guiding Questions
Questions to investigate
(pre and post assessment)
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.
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Day 1 questions to get students thinking,
writing, and talking.
What do you expect to happen when you flip the light
switch? Turn on the hot water? Plug in your cell
phone, TV, lamp, etc?
What is it that makes it possible for the things in your
house and in the school to work? Magic?
Where does it come from?
How is it made?
How does it get to all the houses, businesses,
industry?
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Progression of Learning
Day 1: Constructing house for power grid
-group work, collaboration, decision making,
planning
Day 2:
Part 1: Observations and predictions
CURENT circuit board demonstrations
-review/connect 6th grade content circuits
Part 2: Wire houses (2 lights), 2 street lamps
-test with two 1.5V batteries in series
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Day 3: Individual power plant vs community power plant
Wind Turbine challenge – day 1of 2
Day 4: Wind Turbine Challenge –Day 2 of 2
Compare classroom model with power
grid
Reading: Generating, moving and fuels that make
electricity
(NEED pgs 38-40 Energy Info Book)
Relate week’s lessons/activities to engineering
design
process.
Students write a summary of their understanding
regarding what is engineering and what is the
engineering design process?
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Simple graphic to be used for comparison
with classroom model of grid
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Week 2 – Analyze data, graphing, drawing
conclusion, future of the grid
Day 1-3: NEED lesson: Energy Analysis
Activity 1:
Think about how your use of electricity has changed
as you have gotten older.
Do you have a cell phone? What age did you get the
phone? Does it have a data plan? What do you do on
your cell phone?
Do you have your own tv? Cable? DVR? What age?
How much time spent watching?
Video game consul? How many? What age? What
type? How much time do you spend playing video
games?
Personal computer, kindle, iPod, tablet, etc? What
age were you?
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Where did it all begin? How has it
changed/evolved?
History of power, pg 44, NEED Intermediate
Energy Infobook
Students will read short article and create a
time line summarizing the events from the
article.
Teacher will present some additional
information regarding the development of the
power grid to be added to the timeline.
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• Activity 2: Energy Production and
Consumption.


Graph historical data to determine trends and
answer questions.
Energy consumption by sector (pgs 46-50,
NEED Intermediate Energy Infobook)
 Groups assigned sector to read information
document provided by teacher.
 Create poster/presentation to share with class
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Activity 2: data and graphing questions
• How has per capita
consumption of energy
changed in the last 60
years?
• How has the percentage
of energy we import from
other countries changed
in the last 60 years?
• How has the mix of
energy sources changed
in the last 60 years for
production, consumption,
fossil fuels, uranium
(nuclear) energy, and
renewable energy
sources?
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Thinking about the future
• Day 4: As demand for more electricity
increases, what does this mean for the power
grid?

Managing a power grid simulation
 http://tcipg.mste.illinois.edu/applet/The+Power+Grid#
 Either whole class, individual student, small groups
depending on technology available

Smart Grid Introductory Video
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/power-grid.html

Toward a Smart Electric Grid Interview/article
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/toward-smartelectric-grid.html
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Day 5 – wrap up and reflect
Reflect on your experience for the past 2 weeks
and respond to the following questions:
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.
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7th grade- power grid connections (lessons to be
developed as the school year progresses)
• Earth Science: 7 (Fall semester)

Use of renewable and non-renewable resources
to generate power
• Physical Science: 11 (Fall Semester)

Solar cars (speed, distance, time)
• Life Science 1: Cell Structure and Organ
Systems

Analogy: compare power grid to organ systems,
levels of organization
• Life Science 3: Photosynthesis and
Respiration

Comparison of solar panels to chloroplast
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8th grade unit power grid connections
• Life Science 5: Biodiversity and Change


Diversity of sources for power generation and transmission
Human behaviors/adaptations to various situations
 Grid collapses, resources depleted, cost increase, environment
• PS 9.1: Chemical Reactions


Conservation of matter, conservation of energy
Batteries and the power grid – electric cars
• PS 9.2: Properties of Matter

Atomic structure, conductors
• PS 12.1: Magnetism and electricity
• PS 12.2: Earth’s magnetic field and gravity

Compare earth’s magnetic field with magnetic field of
magnets, electromagnets
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Electricity and Magnetism Curriculum
Requirements – 8th grade
Forces in Nature SPI
SPI 0807.12.1
Recognize that
electricity can
be produced
using a magnet
and wire coil.
SPI 0807.12.2
Describe the
basic principles
of an
electromagnet.
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PS 12.1 Magnetism and Electricity Overview
•
•
•
•
Lesson 1 – Properties of Magnets
Lesson 2 – Electromagnets and solenoids
Lesson 3 – Electric Induction
Lesson 4 – Generating power and the power grid
(review from start of school year

Individual Research –introduce research project,
options and have students select topic
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PS12.1 Lesson 1 – Properties of Magnets
• Activities

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Use magnets to move car from Point A to
Point B
Use magnets to separate magnetic
materials from non-magnetic materials
Magnetize a nail. How many paper clips
can you pick up?
Map magnetic poles using compasses
View magnetic field lines using iron filing
boxes
Design a simple experimental procedure to
identify magnetic poles of unmarked
magnets.
Are all magnets created equally? Design
a simple test to determine if all magnets
have the same strength.
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PS 12.1 Lesson 2 – Electromagnets and
solenoids
• What is a solenoid? What do
solenoids have in common with
magnets? How can you change
the strength of a solenoid?

Degree of deflection investigation
• What is an electromagnet?
Compare and contrast solenoids
and electromagnets. Bar
magnets and electromagnets.
How can you change the strength
of an electromagnet?


Magnetize a nail. How many
paper clips can you pick up?
Compare with nail magnetized
using a bar magnet.
Degree of deflection challenge.
Design an electromagnet that is
stronger than a bar magnet.
22
PS 12.1 Lesson 2 – Electromagnets and
solenoids
• Simple motor and toy motor

Analyze systems. Get both motors working.
Explain the science behind what is going on.
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PS 12.1 Lesson 3 – Electric Induction
• Generators


Test different amounts of
coil to light a bulb
Explain how the magnet
is causing the bulb to
light without a battery.
• Analyze variety of items
and diagrams and
explain how they work in
terms of electricity,
magnets,
electromagnetism, and/or
solenoids.
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PS 12.1 Magnetism and Electricity
• Lesson 4 – Magnetism, electricity and the
power grid
Individual Research –introduce research
project, options and have students select
topic
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Possible topics for student research
1. smart grids-explain what a smart grid is and how it works.
Make a case for integrating smart grid technology into our
current power grid system and homes.
2. micro grids: Microgrids are being explored as solutions for the
strain on our current power grid. What are microgrids and
how will understanding electromagnets and magnetism help
in the development of a microgrid? Where and why are
microgrids already being used?
3. electric cars: How does understanding about magnets,
electromagnets, and induction of magnetism and electricity
apply to the development of electric car technology? What
are the issues that the electric grid will face as more and more
electric cars come off the production line and become come
onine in terms of using the grid?
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References and Acknowledgements
•
•
•
National Energy Education Development Project (need.org)
Public Broadcasting Service smart grid videos
Power and Energy in the Home, TCIPG Education, University of Illinois
•
Thank you to Dr. Mehmet Aydeniz for letting me know about the RET
program with CURENT
Thank you to Dr. Chien-Fe Chen for the opportunity to participate in the
RET experience at CURENT and for her guidance throughout the
experience.
Thank you to Mr. Erin Wills for the soldering lessons, circuit lessons, helping
bring the mag-lev device and the generator to reality, helping with
determining the necessary supplies, and for the wealth of knowledge on a
daily basis.
Thank you to Mr. Nick Sirek for the model of the simple motor.
Thank you to Mrs. Jessica Minton for her collaboration, carpentry skills, and
insights throughout this experience.
Thank you to Tim for helping in the machine shop with the mag-lev device.
Thank you to Bob Martin for the supplies to build the simple motors.
Thank you to all the RET’s for your collaboration and support during this
experience.
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