Connecting Middle School Content to the Grid Jill K. Lawrence Gresham Middle School, Knoxville Abstract: How could I teach content in a way that is meaningful, relevant, engaging, prepares students for state assessments, establishes a connection between and within the 6 th, 7 th, and 8 th grade science curriculum, and provides a way for students to understand the rapidly changing world around them and their futures within that world? The RET program at CURENT has provided an opportunity to develop a plan to address these instructional challenges. My program focus this summer has been in three parts: Part 1 – Constructing a model of the Power Grid and the Engineering Design Process – 7 th and 8 th grade Part 2 – Frame work for content connections to power grid throughout 7 th and 8 th grade curriculum for future lesson development. Part 3 – Development of Magnets and Electricity Unit – 8 th grade Part 1: Constructing a model of the Power Grid and The Engineering Design Process Figure 2: Sample of individual house with 2 LED lights and 2 LED street lamps. Part 3: Magnets and Electricity Questions to investigate: 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. Students will explore the properties of magnets, electromagnets, and solenoids through a variety of hands on activities. They will compare and contrast all three as well as investigate the roll they play in the power grid, in everyday household items, and technology. Students are expected to have a working foundational knowledge about the relationship between magnetism and electricity as part of their middle school experience. Part 2: Content connections ( To be developed during academic year) Acknowledgements: This work was supported primarily by the Engineering Research Center Program of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy under NSF Award Number EEC and the CURENT Industry Partnership Program. 7 th Grade Renewable and Non-renewable resources and the power grid (Earth Science) Solar car challenge (Physical Science – motion) Compare power grid to levels of organization, parts of the cell, and organ systems 8 th Grade Diversity of resources, behaviors and adaptations to changes in power grid (Biodiversity and adaptations) Electric cars, law of conservation of matter and energy, environmental improvements at Bull Run (chemical reactions) Atomic structure and conductors (properties of matter) Magnetism and electricity (forces in nature) Compare Earth’s magnetic field with electromagnets, solenoids, magnets. (forces in nature) Mag-Lev Device Materials 2’ x 2’ board 3-12V 1Amp adaptor Insulated wire Magnetic wire ~ 50 turns Sand paper Banana plugs (2) Adaptaplug tip “K” 4” x 4” square magnet Simple Motors Materials Materials 9 volt battery ~ 7 in. speaker wire 1 ceramic magnet ~10 washers 2 L brackets (4 in) Magnetic wire ~ 8 loops Sand paper Grid Materials Small cardboard box Magnetic wire Sand paper LED lights (I used red and orange) Paper clips (street lamps) Bendy straws (street lamps) 2 x 1.5 volt batteries Figure 1: Engineering Design Process Figure 3: Magnetic Levitation Device (Mag-Lev) hovering over the magnet Figure 4: Simple motor attached to a wood block