Name of Project: / Energy Needs / Duration: / 6 Days
Subject/Course: / Science / Teacher(s): / Grade Level: / 6th Grade
Other Subject Areas to Be Included: / Math
Project Idea
Summary of the issue, challenge, investigation, scenario, or problem: / Students will work in teams to develop a presentation that describes their plan for managing the energy resources in their community. They will research and discover the current power usage by their community and predict future demands using math skills such as proportionality. The teams will also make recommendations to make sure their community members are able to meet future consumption demands (such as through conservation, recycling, etc.). Students will investigate advantages and disadvantages of various energy resources. They will consider coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and solar resources.
Driving Question / How are we going to be able to meet the projected energy needs for our community?
Content Standards to be taught and assessed: / Science:
(7) Matter and energy. The student knows that some of Earth's energy resources are available on a nearly perpetual basis, while others can be renewed over a relatively short period of time. Some energy resources, once depleted, are essentially nonrenewable.
The student is expected to:
(A) research and debate the advantages and disadvantages of using coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and solar resources; and
(B) design a logical plan to manage energy resources in the home, school, or community.
Math:
(3)Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student solves problems involving direct proportional relationships. The student is expected to:
(A)use ratios to describe proportional situations;
(B)represent ratios and percents with concrete models, fractions, and decimals; and
(C)use ratios to make predictions in proportional situations.
21st Century Skills to be taught and assessed: / Collaboration and Productivity:
· Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams
· Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal
· Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member
· Utilize time and manage workload efficiently
· Prioritize, plan and manage work to achieve the intended result / Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:
· Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs
· Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view
· Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways
· Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions
Communication (Oral Presentation):
· Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts
· Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate and persuade)
· Utilize multiple media and technologies, and know how to judge their effectiveness a priori as well as assess their impact / Other:
Major Products & Performances / Group: / Students will present a multimedia presentation of their proposal. This presentation could be to the class, school or to a panel of community members (possibly some for the town’s municipal government offices) / Presentation Audience:
X / Class
X / School
X / Community
X / Experts
Web
Other:
Project Overview
Entry Event to
launch inquiry,
engage students: / Letter from North Texas Energy Management Services president asking for a public relations presentation about how to manage future energy needs.
Assessments / Formative Assessments
(During Project) / Quizzes/Tests / Practice Presentations / X
Journal/Learning Log / X / Notes / X
Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes / X / Checklists
Rough Drafts / Concept Maps
Online Tests/Exams / Other: Student Conferencing / X
Summative Assessments
(End of Project) / Written Product(s), with rubric / Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with
rubric / X
Oral Presentation, with rubric / X / Peer Evaluation
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test / Self-Evaluation
Essay Test / Other:
Resources Needed / On-site people, facilities: / Possible computer lab access
Equipment: / Devices with access to internet
Materials: / Presentation supplies
Community resources: / Local expert who is responsible for energy resource management (optional)
Reflection Methods / (Individual, Group, and/or Whole Class) / Journal/Learning Log / X / Focus Group
Whole-Class Discussion / X / Fishbowl Discussion
Survey / Other:
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