Author: Ms. Barbara Glover andDr. Sue Kezios

Instructors:Ms. Beth Brampton, New Hanover County Schools

Dr. Dennis Kubasko, UNC Wilmington

Karen Shafer – Director, Science and Mathematics Education Centerhttp://www.uncw.edu/smec/

SITE: 3-5 Science is a five-day institute that focuses on the two-three major science themes that run through the NC Science Standard Course of Study for Grades 3-5. 

InstructorsMs. Beth BramptonGregory School of Mathematics, Science, and

Technology, New Hanover County Schools http://www.nhcs.k12.nc.us/gregory/

Dr. Dennis Kubasko, Jr.Watson School of Education, UNC

Wilmingtonhttp://people.uncw.edu/kubaskod/

AgendaIntroductionsSITE 3-5 InitiativePowerPoint PresentationInstructional Strategy – Learning CycleContent Background - ElectromagnetismActivity - Building a GalvonometerConclusion

Content ThemesThe institute content themes include: Rock Cycle (soil properties, composition/uses of rocks

& minerals, & landforms);Ecology (plant growth & adaptations, animal

behavior & adaptations, & interdependence of plants & animals)

Energy/Forces/Motion (light, heat, magnetism & electricity, forces & motion)

Weather & Climate (water & water cycle, clouds & climate, global climate change)

Energy, Forces and Motion (EFM) TopicsThe institute content topics include:

Investigating Force and Motion Investigating Work and Simple Machines Investigating Heat and Energy TransformationInvestigating Electricity – CircuitsInvestigating MagnetismInvestigating ElectromagnetismInvestigating Light

Organizing TopicsThe understanding of energy in early grades

is built upon experiences with light, heat, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the motion

of objects. Each type of energy is viewed as a separate

form. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/index.cfm

Organizing Topics (Cont.)In the early grades of science education it is

imperative to provide an experiential approach to energy, forces, and motion.http://www.physics4kids.com/index.html

It is important to develop accompanying vocabulary as it becomes relevant to the students through their experiences. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=about_home-ba

sics

A more in-depth theoretical understanding of energy, forces, and motion need not be undertaken until middle school. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/

Relevant Content in the National Standards Document Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS,

1993), a major source of the ideas in the NC SCOS provides valuable perspective on learning about energy, force and motion.Benchmarks is online at:

http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/bolintro.htm

Relevant Content in the National Standards Document National Science Education Standards

(NRC, 1996) This nation has established as a goal that all

students should achieve scientific literacy. The National Science Education Standards are designed to enable the nation to achieve that goal.

http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/

Relevant Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Relevant Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of StudyStandard Course of StudyGrade 3 - Competency Goal 3: The learner will

make observations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of the earth/moon/sun system.

Grade 4 - Competency Goal 3: The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of magnetism and electricity.

Grade 5 - Competency Goal 4: The learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate technologies to build an understanding of forces and motion in technological designs.

Instructional StrategyEngage – Make A Galvonometer Explore – Build a CircuitExplain – Vocabulary InterventionElaborate – How do Coal-Powered Power

Plants Work?Evaluate – Build a FlashlightMaking Connections – Future Energy

Sources without a Turbine

IntroductionFrom the electromagnet experiment we

know that electricity can generate a magnetic field. The reverse is also true. A magnetic field can be used to generate electricity. http://www.howstuffworks.com/electromagnet.

htmA coil moving in a magnetic field or

moving magnets around a coil will generate electric current in the coil.

In fact this is the principle that is used to generate the electricity for our homes, schools, and businesses.

Science BackgroundA magnet is surrounded by a magnetic

field. If the magnet moves, the magnetic field

also changes. Charges in a wire would move if the wire

was moved in an magnetic field. So if you move wire loops in a magnetic

field or move magnets around loops of wire, you cause an electric current to flow.

Such a devise is known as a generator. Electricity for our everyday use comes

from generators.

Science BackgroundUsually the generator consists of many coils

of wire that are free to spin inside stationary magnets. http://new.wvic.com/index.php?option=com_co

ntent&task=view&id=9&Itemid=46There needs to be an energy input to make

the coils spin. The device that transfers the motion is called

a turbine.

EngageObserve how a compass reacts to a

magnet and a wire connected to a battery.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass

Make the Galvanometer as described in Aims activity (see appendix: Make a Galvanometer AIMS Electrical Connections, p. 63).

Change the direction of the battery, i.e. change in direction of the current. It will change the deflection of the compass. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/electromag/java/faraday2/http://www.kean.edu/~gkolodiy/physics/lenz/

Explore How do you generate electricity? How is

magnetism involved? Build the circuits on as shown in Stop Faking it! Energy pp. 95-97 (see appendix).

This first circuit has no power source and the compass shows no magnetic field.

The second circuit adds a battery. Now there will be a magnetic field and

the compass needle will deflect. Why? (it is not making as strong a

magnetic field).

Explain What are the components needed to generate

the electricity? Coils and Magnetic Field.

What other form of energy do you need to generate electricity? Motion/ Mechanical

How is work done in the generator? We have explained work as the transfer of energy through motion. The work done is in moving the coils or magnet. The mechanical energy is transformed into current (moving charge).

Elaborate What are generators used for? How do

power plants work?Most of the electricity generated comes from a

turbine driven generator. A turbine is a device that spins the coils or magnet in a generator.

In the case of coal-powered plants, burning coal heats water into steam that is forced into a steam turbine that rotates a magnet inside stationary coils of copper wire.

Other similar ways that electricity is generated.Nuclear reactors use heat to make steam which

runs turbinesWind driven turbinesGeothermal

Evaluate At a hydroelectric power plant, water from

a dam is used to run a turbine. A turbine has a blade (like a propeller) which is

turned by the flow of water. What else is needed to generate the electricity?

http://people.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant1.htmDraw a diagram to indicate how you think this

might be accomplished.A resource for the discussion can be found at:

http://www.we-energies.com/educators/photos/building_electricity.pdf http://www.we-energies.com/educators/photos/electmade_photo.htm http://www.duke-energy.com/about-energy/generating-electricity/coal-f

ired-how.asp http://www.tva.gov/power/coalart.htm

EvaluateOther similar ways that electricity is

generated.Nuclear reactors use heat to make steam

which runs turbines http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4565219_nuclear-reactors-work.ht

ml http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/reactors.html

Wind driven turbines http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=wind_home-basics-k.c

fm http://www.energy.siemens.com/hq/en/energy-topics/videos/west-

wind.htm

Geothermal http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=geothermal_home-

basics http://geothermal.marin.org/video/vid_pt1.html

EvaluateStudents may also be interested in

building another flashlight. This one is a little bit more complicated

than the simple electric circuit flashlight, but it works by building a very simple generator. It is called a “forever flashlight”. http://www.arborsci.com/CoolStuff/cool7.htm

(see appendix: using a generator to build a flashlight).

SummaryHow might electricity be generated without the

use of a turbine?Solar power (molecular)Batteries (chemical)Fuel cells (chemical)Lightening (static electricity)

See appendix: Energy Fuel for Thought, Science and Children, May 2002, p.35

A Literature connection could be made by reading stories about surviving during hurricanes and ice storms as generators are used to supply power during power outages.

Author: Ms. Barbara Glover andDr. Sue Kezios

Instructors:Ms. Beth Brampton, New Hanover County Schools

Dr. Dennis Kubasko, UNC WilmingtonEmail: kubaskod@uncw.edu