We built models of generators to show how mechanical energy can convert into electrical energy. Some of us even made working generators!
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We are about to learn about metamorphosis so this is just perfect! Mrs.Cotten found some tadpoles at her grandparents farm in Manor. They are huge! And all of them are in different phases so it's super cool! Check it out!
We've been learning so much about alternative energy sources. We know how fossil fuels are formed and that when we burn them, it releases Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. CO2 is a gas in our atmosphere that traps heat. If we have too many greenhouse gases, it traps too much heat and ice caps start to melt, sea levels rise, and temperatures rise. We want to encourage people to use alternatives like solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric dams, geothermal heating, and biofules in their cars instead of burning fossil fuels. We are running out of fossil fuels and they are causing pollution and global warming. We recently built generators and models of alternative energy. Below are pictures of some clay art that we made to represent the different forms of alternative energy and how they work. We are so smart!
We learned about composting and then made resources for teachers and our community so they can learn more about how to compost and why.
Check out out our website, all made by our fifth grade students! compostlegacy.weebly.com We also sent 6 representatives to the Thinkery to share their creations with Legacy of Giving and other schools. For a TEST GRADE, you are building a model of a generator at home. This project is due FRIDAY, MARCH 24th. You have two and a half weeks, not including spring break to make this generator. You do not need to work on it during Spring Break, unless you want to. You have a week and a half before Spring Break and a week after Spring Break to build the generator.
This is an individual project. Remember it's for a TEST GRADE. If you lost the rubric, go to the GRADES tab and you'll find the rubric for building a model generator. Remember, if you make it work, you get extra credit! Here are some helpful links for building your generator: How do generators work? start at :28 (also difference between motors and generators) How to make a simple generator THIS IS VERY HELPFUL! How to build a simple homemade electric generator, video THIS IS HELPFUL TOO! What is a magnet (since there is a spinning magnet in a generator) Magnetism explained What's inside a wind turbine_ (advanced) Wind Energy Facts Bicycle wheel, wind, and generator make electricity, video Want to know what real generators look like? Here are some images of large generators in coal plants, dams, and geothermal plants. Google Image Search, Coal Plant Electric Generator Google Image Search, Hydroelectric Dam Generator Google Image Search, Geothermal Power Plant Electric Generator Interactive Infographic, How Wind Turbines Work For more information on alternative energy, then go to the SCIENCE LINKS page and scroll down until you get to EARTH SCIENCE< and then Alternative energy Here is some background information about how generators work: Electricity= electrons moving in the same direction Magnet= electrons aligned, forming a magnetic field around the object A magnet has aligned electrons. When you spin a magnet with wire coiled around it, the electrons in the magnet can cause the electrons in the wire to move in the same direction, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy using magnetism. A generator is a type of electromagnet. You can make a nail a temporary magnet, if you coil wire around it and connect to a battery. The electrons that are moving in the same direction in the wire, cause the electrons in the nail to be aligned, magnetizing it. Similarly, a generator has a spinning magnet. The magnet spins, causing electrons in the wire to flow in the same direction, thus converting to electrical energy. We use generators to generate electricity with both fossil fuels and alternative energy. In all these forms, the generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. It’s either steam from boiled water, or it’s the source itself, like wind or water. Fossil Fuels COAL, OIL, NATURAL GAS We burn fossil fuels to heat and boil water which turns into steam. The steam turns the magnet in the generator, causing electrons to flow in the same direction in the wire that surrounds the magnet in the generator. Alternative Energy Sources that use generators: (When you make your project, you can attach your generator to one of these forms of energy.) WIND- Wind turns the magnet in generator which causes electrons to move in the same direction in the wire. HYDROELECTRIC- Falling water turns the magnet in generator. GEOTHERMAL- heat from the earth turns the magnet in generator NUCLEAR- (not renewable because it uses uranium) but it does use a generator and it is an alternative to burning fossil fuels. A chain reaction of splitting atoms releases heat which boils water. The steam spins the magnet in the generator. SOLAR ENERGY and BIOFUELS are the only alternative energy sources that don't use generators. When you design your wind turbine, you need to make sure to include the proper parts and be sure to label them:
Generator Magnet Wire Mechanical Energy Wind Energy Electrical Energy Also make sure you have a complete circuit and the turbine has a generator with a spinning magnet. Now for the creative part. Below are some fun and unique ideas for wind turbines. Think of how you could get your turbine higher. The higher in the air, the more wind. But still make sure it can connect and transfer energy to an electrical grid to be stored and transferred to houses and cities. Also, check out these websites for more info on generators, wind turbines and how they work, along with creative ideas. Wind Energy Energy 101: Wind Energy Wind Turbines How do Wind Turbines Work? (advanced) Texas- leading Wind Energy State How do wind turbines generate electricity Diagram, Wind turbine size comparison Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Farms Google Image Search, Wind Turbine 18 Wheeler Infographic, How Loud is a Wind Turbine? Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Person Google Image Search, Wind Turbine Cross Section Interactive Infographic, How Wind Turbines Work Infographic, Wind Energy in America Inside a Wind Turbine is a generator. Generators are used in many ways: How do generators work? start at :28 (also difference between motors and generators) How to make a simple generator THIS IS VERY HELPFUL! What is a magnet (since there is a spinning magnet in a generator) Magnetism explained What's inside a wind turbine_ (advanced) Wind Energy Facts Fun Ideas and creative wind turbines around the world: Unique Wind Turbines- check out some of these ideas before you think about your wind turbine Very Creative Wind Turbines Wind Energy Phone Chargers- creative way to use wind energy to charge your phone! Micro Wind Turbines- tiny wind turbines! This guy designed a floating city with wind turbines and solar panels- maybe something we will see in the future!? We wanted to discover which type of soil retains the most water, so we poured the same amount of water in each type of soil, using a coffee filter, graduated cylinder and measuring cup. We concluded that clay holds the most water because clay has the smallest particle size. If the particles are small, there is little pore space. Little pore space means little room for water to percolate through.
We are learning about soil! There are layers of soil that make up what's called the soil horizon. The first layer is HUMUS. It's all the dead stuff on top, the mulch. That includes dead leaves, dead insects, twigs and bark. The layer below humus is LOAM. It's the really dark, nutrient rich soil. It's a mixture of everything: a mixture of Loam, sand and clay. The next layer is SAND and CLAY. Bedrock is below that. Bedrock is apart of the earth's crust. It's the rock that all the soil sits on. Here are lyrics to a rap we wrote during tutoring yesterday: HUMUS is the mulch on the top. You might be out of breath, but don't stop! LOAM is a mixture of dead stuff and clay. The bits of SAND and CLAY sit on bedrock, hey! Here's the music video of that rap! Check it out! Way to go Alexandra, Amaris, Matteo, and Caroline! SOIL RAP |
AuthorEvery two weeks we have 2 student website managers and 2 student photojournalists who blog and report about what we are learning in class. Mrs. Cotten also helps out with the blogging, but most is completed by the students. Archives
August 2017
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