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What I have discovered – Teaching about Energy

May 22, 2013

by: Ken Crawford

As I mentioned in my last blog, I had the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of introducing a new teaching tool called the PowerWheel. As a career social studies teacher and administrator, it has been a great experience to learn about a whole new area of academics…the teaching of energy and everything that goes along with it.

As we started to market the PowerWheel, one of the first things that we did was to bring together a group of teachers that represented all teaching levels…from the elementary to the post-secondary. Many of these teachers were not science teachers…or had limited science backgrounds. After giving them the chance to use the PowerWheel, we asked them, “How can we make the PowerWheel the most effective teaching tool it can be?”

Their answers were an eye-opener for us. It came down to variations on a single theme: Before we can use the PowerWheel effectively, we need to understand energy ourselves…then we can teach our students. It turns out that one of the greatest fears or limitations that some of the teachers had was the lack of their own knowledge. If given a chance to choose between a social studies lesson and a science lesson…they would choose the former…just because of comfort level.

From that moment on, we knew that we had an additional priority…help teach the teachers, and then effective learning about energy could take place. The PowerWheel is a great tool to help do this…easy to understand, and easy to use.

Here are three thoughts about teaching energy education in your classroom:

1. Realize that you don’t need to know everything about energy in order to teach about it.

There are some basic concepts that are easy to learn…and depending upon the grade level and ability of your students, that will be enough to get a great discussion started.

Our suggestions:

Learn some simple energy definitions: Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy, Mechanical Energy, Electrical Energy, Radiant Energy, Chemical Energy.
Learn the concept of the conversion of energy. There are examples of energy conversion all around us once you know the concept. A tool like the PowerWheel is great for this because you can demonstrate a variety of different conversions of energy that your students can see.
Find the experts in your local, school and educational community. For example, we provide free in-service to those teachers that purchase a PowerWheel. Most local public utility districts have access to learning resources. In some instances, they may actually have an education service that they can provide to your school or classroom at no cost. Find out who provides energy services in your community and contact them.

2. When you do teach about energy, make the kids do the work.

Teaching about energy shouldn’t be all lecture or teacher directed. Energy education is made for discussion and questions and exploration. Use questioning and thinking strategies that help students learn to observe, comprehend and analyze what they are seeing. We recommend that you go back and take a look at Bloom’s Taxonomy. Re-discover the different levels of critical thinking…and the vocabulary that you can use in helping students move up to higher levels of thinking…give them the basics (knowledge/comprehension) , but then help guide them to the higher levels of critical thinking (synthesis and evaluation). Ask the question “Why?” a lot.

3. Make it relevant.

If there ever was a topic that lends itself to something important in our world today, it’s energy and its use. Develop your “energy awareness”. There are energy issues around us all the time. Becoming aware of issues of sustainability, energy renewal, hydro-electric power, how energy is delivered etc., makes it a topic of ongoing relevance. And most important, Have Fun!

Ken Crawford first began teaching in 1975. He has been a teacher, coach and administrator at the junior high, high school and post-secondary levels. He continues to teach at the community college and university levels including supervision of student teachers interested in entering the profession. He also serves as the Director of Marketing and Learning Resources for RB Manufacturing-the producer of the PowerWheel

Leave a Comment » | Experiments, Elementary Level, Middle School Level, High School Level, Physics, Energy | Tagged: Law of Conservation of Energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, energy, PowerWheel, hydropower | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

The Old Dog and the New Tricks

May 15, 2013

by: Ken Crawford

An amazing thing happened to me about 18 months ago…I learned something new! Now, I know that might not seem like a major thing…but for a person who has been a social studies teacher and administrator for 30 + years…I sometimes think that I have seen it all…nothing much new out there…but a single phone call changed all of that.

I received a call from a friend asking if I would be willing to meet with a gentleman who had invented a new teaching “tool”. He wanted to know if it would help teachers to be more effective in their classrooms. More effective teaching is something that I am always interested in…so I agreed to meet.

What I had a chance to see was a teaching tool called the PowerWheel. A micro hydro generator, it had the capability of using water from a sink to create enough electricity to light up a string of LED lights, charge up a cell phone or even power up a notepad.

Roy Bentley, the inventor/designer, asked me if I thought it might be something that teachers could use to help them teach students about energy. I remember telling him, “I’m a social studies teacher…we need to ask some science teachers”. I put together a focus group of teachers that represented grade levels from 3^rd grade through college. Some taught science all day long, others were expected to include science as part of their overall curriculum. We gathered them together in a room and just let them “play” with the PowerWheel. We had a great time, received some great feedback and saw what fantastic teaching ideas can be generated by a group of enthusiastic educators! I think I learned more about science in one day than I had in the past 20 years….it was amazing!

And for me, it was an eye opener. Science hadn’t been my strength in school, but here was a tool that was easy to use, easy to understand and even had me thinking about how I could use it in a classroom. The old dog was learning new tricks!

The PowerWheel has really taken off. It has been featured in a number of websites (including here at Educational Innovations) as well as been the hit of a number of conventions and gatherings of science teachers. Over the next few months, I look forward to sharing some great lessons on energy, and provide some great examples of how the PowerWheel is being used by other educators throughout the country. Stay tuned!

Leave a Comment » | College Level, Elementary Level, Energy, Experiments, High School Level, Middle School Level, Physics | Tagged: Green energy, hydropower, micro hydro generator, PowerWheel, renewable energy | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

Magdeburg Vacuum Plates

April 1, 2013

by: Jon Smith

Teaching the basic concepts of air pressure has always been one of my favorite units in Physical Science. There are so many great demonstrations, some with long colorful histories. One classic standby is the use of the famed Magdeburg Hemispheres. The Magdeburg Hemisphere demonstration was invented in 1656 by Otto von Guericke, then mayor of Magdeburg, Germany.

Having just invented the world’s first vacuum pump, Von Guericke set to work creating a device to demonstrate its valuable contribution to science. That device was the Magdeburg Hemispheres. Von Guericke’s original spheres were much larger than those commonly available today and made of thick metal. He used them to dramatically demonstrate the pressure of the atmosphere by evacuating them and using two teams of 15 horses to attempt and pull them apart. Of course the horses failed to separate them.

Most spheres commonly sold today are made of cheap black plastic and meant to be evacuated with a typical classroom vacuum pump. They do a reasonable job of demonstrating the basic concept, but, in my own experience, do not hold up well to normal classroom use. Over the span of my 20 year career I have probably had to replace these hemispheres at least five times.

When Educational Innovations began selling their Magdeburg Vacuum Plates, I thought that I would give them a try. I was incredibly impressed!

While the plates lack the traditional hemispheric shape, what is gained from the shape change is significant.

By changing the area exposed to atmospheric pressure to a two dimensional circular surface, my 9^th graders had no problem calculating the exact amount of pressure holding the plates together. In addition, because the plates are two dimensional it allowed the designer to provide three different sized grooves and “O”-rings to actually change this area. When the area is decreased, the force that holds the plates together is also decreased. Not only can my students do the calculations to determine the new areas and corresponding forces, but they can “feel” them as well. Using the largest groove and “O”-ring creates an area that requires roughly 170 lbs of force to separate. Using the smallest “O”-ring, it only takes little over 60 lbs.

The product also comes with a very nice manual with a suggestion that I had never thought of. Once I have my students calculate the force required for a given area, I have one student stand on a bathroom scale holding the upper handle of the evacuated plates while another student sits on the floor in front of the first student and pulls downward on the lower handle. The students then watch the scale and note the maximum weight it records before the plates separate. This weight, subtracted from the student’s weight, roughly approximates their calculated force.

I particularly like the fact that the vacuum plates come with their own hand pump. While I own both a classic large laboratory electrical vacuum pump and a smaller “squeeze-type” pump, I love the fact that the included pump has an obvious mechanism that students can see. The creation of the vacuum between the plates becomes something transparent and understandable rather than a magic “black box.” This same pumping system is used in Educational Innovations’ mini-bell jars, and I love those, too.

Finally, I am most impressed with the strength and durability of these plates. My set has been dropped, kicked, and beaten in every way imaginable by 9^th graders over the past 5 years, and they still work like they did the day I took them out of the box. I used to guard my Magdeburg Hemispheres protectively. Now I pass these plates around the room and just let my students “have at them.” It’s nice to have the kind of durability that turns a quick “one-off” demo into a truly “hands-on” experience. Thank you EI!

Leave a Comment » | Earth Science, Experiments, High School Level, Middle School Level, Physics | Tagged: air pressure, Hands-on activity, Magdeburg vacuum plate, science, vacuum chamber | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

Missile-aneous Scientific Principles

March 4, 2013

by: Tami O’Connor

One of the things I enjoy most about my job at Educational Innovations is conducting teacher workshops. It’s not quite the same as being in the classroom in front of twenty-plus students, but it’s fun nonetheless. My favorite presentation is titled, 3-2-1 Blastoff! In it, we deal with energy, forces, and motion. I use the Mighty Missile Launcher to demonstrate these topics.

It is exactly that… a missile launcher. The good news is this missile launcher can be used safely in a classroom with children from kindergarten to college level. Participants need safety glasses or goggles.

The launcher is primarily constructed of a film canister, a straw, and a balloon. The balloon has a sponge-like material inside that functions to re-inflate the balloon quickly. The balloon is attached to the film canister so little air is able to escape. The film canister pivots, allowing you to aim it at differing angles. The four missiles are simply straws, sealed on one end, with foam fins that stabilize them as they fly through the air.

I first demonstrate how the missile is launched. The missile is loaded onto the launcher by sliding it onto the straw that is slightly less narrow than the missile. Since the balloon is connected to the film canister, air can flow easily between the two. Depressing the balloon forces air into the film canister and out through the attached straw. When a missile is loaded onto the straw, the forced air propels it into the air. The harder and more quickly the balloon is squeezed, the faster the air flows into the missile.

Next, I make groups of three or four individuals, and I challenge my teachers to consistently land three out of four missiles inside a target area 1 meter away. Seems like a cinch, right? Not so fast… As with every good science activity, there are several variables that must be controlled. The first is the force at which the missile is launched. The harder and faster the balloon is squeezed, the faster the air is compressed and the farther the missile travels. The second is the angle at which the film canister points. The greater the angle, the higher and shorter (in horizontal distance) the missile travels.

So, the question is, how can we control these variables? In my workshop, I provide rulers and protractors. The participants quickly learn that controlling the force is not an easy task. Most people try to use their hands to launch the missiles, but it is difficult to apply the same force for each launch. That’s where the ruler comes into play. By finding an object that can be dropped onto the balloon at a constant height, participants are better able to control the amount of force applied to the balloon.

The protractor is used to control the angle that the turret is pointing. The angle must be smaller if the force is less and the angle must increase if the force increases. Participants also realize that after most launches the launcher moves. Using some masking tape to secure the launcher to the table can control this problem.

The missile launcher most easily teaches Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Newton’s first law states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force. An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. This law is often called, “the law of inertia”.

The missile will remain on the launcher until acted on by a force. The force that propels it is the unbalanced force of the air inside the missile pushing against the inside of the balloon. In deep space, where there is no air and little gravity, the missile, once launched, will continue on forever, unless it runs into another force (which could be an object traveling in another direction). Here on earth, the friction from the air molecules slows the missile, and gravity pulls it downward.

According to Newton’s second law, acceleration is produced when a force acts on a mass. The greater the mass (of the object being accelerated) the greater the amount of force needed (to accelerate the object). This principle is also expressed using the equation F=ma

Newton’s second law, F=ma can be illustrated by the force with which you depress the balloon. Since the mass of the missile is constant, the greater the force at which you launch it, the greater the acceleration. The greater the acceleration, the farther the distance the missile travels. An interesting way to take this one step further is to add some mass to each missile. By keeping the force constant, students can see that more massive objects have less acceleration while using the same force.

Newton’s third law states that for every action force there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

As the air shoots out of the base of the missile a force is applied to the film canister and to the air behind the missile. As a result, an opposite force is applied to the missile. Since the missile has less mass than the launcher, the missile is propelled into the air.

This activity is a favorite of teachers and students alike. It looks easier than it is, and, by the end of the activity, participants gain skills working in teams and experience with force and motion.

1 Comment | Elementary Level, Energy, Experiments, High School Level, Middle School Level, Physics | Tagged: energy, force, inertia, missiles, motion, Newton's Frist Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

Film Canister Capacitors

March 1, 2013

by: Norm Barstow

This is a guide on how to make a Leyden Jar that makes awesome sparks with materials you may even find in your house. It’s inexpensive, basically harmless and fun.

Here is the list of materials you will need:

An empty film canister with lid. These are available at Educational Innovations.
Multistrand insulated wire; eg. type HPN Heater Cord
Single conductor/solid un-insulated wire, about 1.5 mm in diameter (16 gauge copper wire).
Some aluminum or copper foil. (NOTE: Any conductive foil will work. Copper foil is thicker and easier to work with than aluminum foil, but aluminum foil works. Heavy duty aluminum foil works best.
A bolt (10/24) with a round head that is shorter than the film canister’s height. Two nuts that fit the screw. Washer is optional.
Scotch tape.

Now that you have all the parts, get to work. See the diagrams below to guide you.

1. Drill a hole or poke a hole in the lid of the film canister. The hole should be just wide enough to let the bolt fit snugly inside it.

2. Next, cut a rectangle of foil large enough to wrap around the outside of the film canister and about 2/3 of the height of the canister.

3. Tape the foil to the canister, being sure to leave an open section for the loop of wire that will go around the canister over the foil. (You should just need to tape the edges of the foil to the outside of the canister.) DO NOT USE Rubber cement. It is highly flammable and explosive and could be set off by sparking inside.

4. Cut another piece of foil (same size) and fasten it to the inside of the canister. If you are using heavy duty foil, you shouldn’t have to use tape. The tension of the foil being rolled up should be enough to keep it plastered to the inside of the canister. If you use normal foil, you’ll have to tape the edges. It is very important that the foil touches the container all the way around the inside of the canister.

5. Cut the multistrand wire: It should be about 1″ (2 cm) long and have .25″ or (.75 cm) of insulation stripped off the outside of both ends.

6. Next, using the bolt and nut, secure the multistrand wire to the top of the lid. Form one end of the multi strand wire in a hook shape to fit the bolt.

7. Fan/spread out the conductors on the other end of the multistrand wire.

8. Secure the solid wire to the underside of the lid, making a loop at the end so that it won’t tear the foil. Then bend the wire so that it will touch the inside of the canister.

9. Place the lid on the canister, ensuring that the wire loop touches the foil on the inside. Adjust if necessary.

10. Last, wrap a piece of the solid wire around the outside the canister, twist tight and then continue in slight curve up toward the bolt. Shape the end near the bolt into a small circle. MAKE SURE that the top of the wire is at a MAXIMUM of ¼” away from the bolt.

11. After the copper wire is in position, cover the wire with scotch tape or electrical tape so you don’t shock yourself while handling it.

What you’ve built is a very simple capacitor. To use it, simply wave the canister over the surface of CRT TV screen or monitor, or anything that makes static electricity (the multistrand wire ‘receives’ the static electricity and therefore must be closest to the static source.)

Then gently push down the end of the outside solid wire so it reaches a little closer to the bolt head, without touching and ZAP! There’s your spark.

SAFETY

Most of the time, the jar will discharge itself with no extra help. Please note that the finished jar holds high voltage, low current electricity, which is normally harmless. However, don’t take any chances! If you’re not sure if it’s charged or not and you think it’s not safe. Simply press on the outside of the wire against the bolt to completely discharge it. Keep your finger away from the bolt head area as much as possible while it is charged. You don’t want an ‘accident’ (you’ll just get a static shock. No one likes getting a static shock.

If you’re having trouble charging the jar (CRT TV or monitor), follow the directions for building a Static Electricity Generator.

Static Electricty Generator with PVC Pipe

Materials:
A PVC pipe, ¾“ wide and about 3-4′ long.
Fur, wool, or cotton fabric.

To operate:

Take the fabric and rub it along the pipe all the way up, and then all the way down.
Have someone else hold the jar; pressing the multistrand pickup wires to the pipe, and then discharge the jar after a few seconds of rubbing.

Check out another great Blog on Leyden Jars.

Leave a Comment » | Experiments, High School Level, Middle School Level, Physics, Static Electricity | Tagged: capacitor, DIY, film canister activities, Generators, leyden jar | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

Look, Mom, No Wheels!

February 25, 2013

by: Norm Barstow

The first practical design of the hovercraft was completed in the late 1950′s by British engineer, Sir Christopher Cockerell. Since then, the continued development of this invention has been ongoing, and currently, the hovercraft is being used commercially, by the military, and for personal use. Teachers have been constructing versions of the hovercraft using balloons, film canisters and flat materials in classrooms for years.

The principle behind the hovercraft’s levitation is that when the air is released from the balloon, it hits the ground and rushes outward in all directions. The air flowing from the balloon through the holes forms a layer of air between the hovercraft and the table. This reduces the friction (the resistance that occurs when two object rub against each other) that would have existed if the hovercraft rested directly on the table. With less friction, your hovercraft scoots across the table.

Furthermore, extra air molecules are packed underneath the structure, which in turn increases the pressure under the hovercraft. This increased pressure below the craft produces an overall upward pressure force on the craft therefore it supports its weight. Since air molecules are always leaking out from beneath the craft, you’ll need a source of air molecules to replace them, which is provided by the balloon.

Materials:

Large balloon (12”-16”)
One plastic film canister
Hovercraft base: choose from one of the following:

·      Large plastic plate (not the inflexible type)
·      Foam meat tray from grocery store (6.5” X 8.5”)
·      Old CD
·      Stiff cardboard

Poster putty such as Blue Tak, or Poster Tak
Smooth surface
Hole instrument: Ball point pen tip or hot nail or drill.

Construction of the hovercraft:

1. Find the center of your base and make a hole (3/32” or about the size of the hole in a spool of thread.) Caution. If you use the plastic plate, it is best to use a hot nail because a ballpoint pen tip will not make a round hole. Use vise grips to hold the nail and heat it over a flame.

2. Make a similarly sized hole in the bottom of the film canister. You can use a ball point pen here or a hot nail.

3. Stretch the balloon and fit the opening over the open end of the film canister. Be sure to fit the balloon far enough onto the film canister so the neck of the balloon keeps the inflated balloon upright and does not flop over.

4. Make a ring of the Poster Tak around the hole in the base. Be sure not to cover the hole. The ring should be the diameter of the film canister base.

5. Inflate the balloon by blowing through the hole in the bottom of the film canister. When it is fully inflated, have a partner pinch the neck of the balloon or twist it so it doesn’t deflate.

6. Carefully set the balloon/film canister assembly on the ring of poster putty and press down to seal.

7. Place the Hovercraft on a smooth surface and let the air flow.

8. Give it a little tap to get it going.

Here is a step by step video to help you get going:

HINTS and SUGGESTIONS:

Place a piece of tape over the base of the hovercraft until you’re ready to launch.
Experiment with inflating the balloon, twisting it to seal in the air, and then trying to fit the balloon neck over the film canister opening.
Experiment with different hole sizes, bases, balloon sizes.

Leave a Comment » | Elementary Level, Experiments, Middle School Level, Physics | Tagged: air pressure, DIY, film canister activities, film canisters, friction, homeschool activity, hovercraft, sir christopher cockerell | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

We Water Molecules Stick Together!

January 14, 2013

by: Tami O’Connor

I am a believer that observing discrepant events burns concepts into students’ memories far longer than simply reading the facts of the lesson from a text book. A few years ago I was designing a unit on surface tension. Because so many awesome hands-on activities deal with this topic, my greatest problem was picking and choosing! In this blog, I will describe one of my students’ favorites. It teaches about surface tension and capillary action.

Materials (per student):

2 – plastic cups (I prefer Solo brand)
Electrical tape
18 inches of white yarn
Food coloring
Water

Procedure:

Cut 2 pieces of electrical tape (1 inch each). Using the tape, affix the end of the yarn to the inside bottom of one of the cups. With the other end of the yarn, repeat with the second cup. Put as much yarn as will fit into one of the cups, and add water until the cup is about half full. Holding the cups close together, pour the water from one cup to the other allowing the yarn to flow with the water. When the yarn is thoroughly saturated you are ready to begin.

Hold the cup with the water directly over the empty cup and pull the yarn taunt. Slowly pour the water from the top cup into the bottom. You should notice that the water flows from the lip of the cup and follows the yarn into the lower cup. Reverse the position of the cups so the full cup is now above the empty one. Offset the top cup so it is about one inch to one side of the lower cup. With the yarn stretched tight between the two cups and the yarn from the top cup stretching over the lip on the side of the cup closest to the bottom cup, pour the water so it flows along the yarn and into the lower cup. If done correctly, you will notice that, even though the top cup is not directly above the bottom cup, the water does not fall straight down but rather flows diagonally along the yarn.

You will find that you can offset the cups by several inches, and, as long as the yarn is tight and along the side of the top cup that is on the same side of the lower cup, the water will continue to follow the yarn into the lower cup.

Why does this happen?

Molecules of water form a cohesive force with one another. This force holds the molecules of the water together, so, when the weight of the water pulls it downward because of gravity, it in turn holds onto the water around it. Since the fibers of the yarn are saturated with water, the water leaving the cup follows the yarn downward into the lower cup.

Try This: After students have successfully poured water from one cup to another at an angle greater than 10 degrees, have them attach dry yarn between two new cups the same way they did before, but this time, keeping the middle section of yarn dry when water is added to one of the cups. Have the students try to pour the water at a 10 degree angle again with the new cups and dry yarn. I suggest keeping a lot of paper towels on hand!

Why does this happen?

Since the yarn does not have any water on it, the water’s weight due to gravity acts on it without the cohesive force of the additional water in the yarn; therefore it falls straight down rather than diagonally across the yarn.

Next Activity:

Find books, boxes, or other objects that will raise the height of one of the cups above the desk. Using the cups with the wet yarn, place the cup containing water on top of the raised surface. Move the empty cup at an angle lower than the top cup. Move the cups away from each other so the yarn is pulled taunt. Leave the cups for about 20 minutes and observe the level of the water in the two cups when you return.

Why does this happen?

Capillary action is ability of a liquid to flow in opposition to external forces like weight due to gravity. It is defined as the movement of water within the spaces of a porous material due to the forces of adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension. Because of capillary action, paper towels absorb spills, trees and plants are able to carry water and nutrients from their roots up through the plant tissue, and forensic scientists can use chromatography to help solve crimes.

More:

Some students have difficulty believing that the water from the raised cup is, in opposition to gravity, actually traveling up the yarn to the lip of the cup and then downward along the diagonal of the yarn into the lower cup. That’s where the food coloring comes in… close to the surface of the water, but being careful not to get it in the water, place a drop of food coloring on the yarn inside the top cup. As the water travels up from the cup and along the yarn it will carry the food coloring along with it. The food coloring will travel down the yarn showing the speed at which the water is moving. As the color leaves the lip of the cup, use a second color on the yarn just as you did the first color. Repeat each time the previous color leaves the cup until you have a rainbow of colors traveling down the yarn!

1 Comment | Elementary Level, Experiments, Middle School Level, Physics | Tagged: capillary action, discrepant event, surface tension, water experiments | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

What I have discovered – Teaching about Energy

The Old Dog and the New Tricks

Magdeburg Vacuum Plates

Missile-aneous Scientific Principles

The missile launcher most easily teaches Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Film Canister Capacitors

Static Electricty Generator with PVC Pipe