921-Hawkins,+Jennifer

****Alternative Energy: Fuel of the Future****
 * Final Project**

__Overview and Goals__ In this unit, students will research alternative transportation fuels in an effort to find a fuel that might be more ecumenically and environmentally beneficial than our current fuel. The objectives of this unit are to get students to think critically about our fuel usage and its impact on the environment. Prior to this unit of investigation, students had learned about various sources of energy such as Kinetic, Potential, Thermal and Electrical and traced the transfer of energy from a source and through a system. Most students have written reports, but few have an understanding of what makes a source credible. Ideally, the student will be able to use their prior knowledge about sources of energy and build upon that by constructing new knowledge in their own self directed research. There will be some opportunities for student choice in regards to the format of their presentation as well as the two different fuels that they choose to write about for their final assessment. Students will be paired in heterogenous groups for a majority of this unit in order to give the students the experience of working in a cooperative environment as well as allowing the students to build upon each others varying strengths.

__Prior Knowledge__ Before starting this lesson it is assumed that students have learned about some forms of energy (Kinetic, Potential, Thermal and/or Electric, etc). They have a grasp of the scientific concept of energy. They are also expected to be able to trace various forms of energy to its source and be able to understand where that energy goes/transfers. Many students have completed research in previous courses but experience with this unit shows us that students are not yet familiar with how to determine if the source is fact based or the writer may be trying to persuade the reader. This project will build on their current research skills and current content knowledge and allow them to think more critically about what they have learned and apply this information to a real world setting.

__Technology__ The technology that will be incorporated into this unit will utilizing a blog as a daily agenda, as well as a warmup to introduce the students to the days lesson. Students will also be encouraged to post on our class wikipage and their presentations will be posted their for students to review. Lastly, students will have the option of creating a powerpoint or a podcast as a tool to make their presentation to the class.

__Differentiation__ The project, although guided by teacher instruction, is mostly student centered. Students will learn as much as they are willing to commit to the project. Students will be heterogeneously grouped. The final presentation leave way for some creative decision making on the students part. The wikispace will be utilized as a go to resource for students who are struggling or also need some further enrichment.

__Content Standard__ CT State Standard Content Knowledge 9.3.1 Various sources of energy are used by humans and all have advantages and disadvantages

__Literacy Standards__ CT State Standards for Science Literacy D INQ.2 Read, Interpret and examine the credibility and validity of scientific claims in different sources of information D INQ.10 Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.

__Scope and Sequence__ Lesson 1 - Introduction to the project (1 class period - 90 minutes) Lesson 2 - Introduction to Research (1 class period - 90 minutes) Lesson 3 - Research and Development Day I (1 class period - 90 minutes) Lesson 4 - Research and Development Day II (1 class period - 90 minutes) Lesson 5 - Presentations (1 class period - 90 minutes) Lesson 6 - Assessment Day (partial class period - 60 minutes)

__Materials__ Student Guide Website Reliability Rubric Research Graphic Organizer Assessment Rubric - Presentation Assessment Rubric

__Objectives__ Students will be able to…
 * Lesson 1 - Introduction to the Project**
 * Explain what is meant by the term alternative energy
 * Categorize various fuels as renewable or nonrenewable

__Materials__
 * Student Laptops
 * Blog Post: Alternative Energy
 * Student Guide

__Opening/Warmup__ Have students read blog entry regarding Alternative Energy. Students should individually comment on blog post

__Activity 1 - What is Alternative Energy?__
 * Students to work in collaborative research groups assigned by teacher
 * Students will answer prompt as a group "What is alternative energy?" and "Identify at least 3 realistic forms of alternative energy"
 * Have groups report back and generate a list of forms of alternative energy on the board.

__Activity 2 - Renewable vs. Nonrenewable?__
 * Ask students : "What is meant by the term __renewable?__"
 * Have students differentiate which of the energy that is listed is renewable and which is nonrenewable

__Activity 3 - Introduction to the Project__
 * Pass out project guide/rubric
 * Read the guide as a class, explain that the project will be worth two assessment grades. One part for the presentation and one part for the written assessment.
 * Assign alternative fuel to each group
 * Have students decide on group roles: Team Leader, Recorder, Time Keeper/Task Master
 * Pass out graphic organizer
 * Direct students to wikipage
 * Have the students select article about their fuel
 * Students to complete graphic organizer
 * As students are filling out graphic organizer, walk around the room and monitor for questions or if they are on task.

__Closing__
 * Have students visit website and take survey
 * Advise students that they will be working more on researching next class. We will begin to learn a little about the validity of scientific claims.

__Formative Assessment__ Students response to blog post Graphic Organizer/Article research Surveymonkey Survey


 * Lesson 2 - Introduction to Research**

__Objectives__ Students will be able to:
 * evaluate a source and determine if it is reliable
 * identify one new reliable source related to their fuel, and post it to the wiki

__Materials__
 * Student laptops
 * Reliability rubric

__Opening/Warmup__ Have students visit the blog and read article about the NorthWest Tree Octopus. Students to comment on the blog

__Activity 1 Introduction to Source Reliablity__
 * Review blog post comments
 * Discuss with the students: "Is there such a thing as a tree octopus"
 * Whole class discussion
 * 1) How can you identify if the source is a reliable source? (Generate list on the board)
 * 2) What are things that might alert you that the source is not reliable? (Generate list on the board)
 * Go back to Northwest Tree Octopus Webpage. http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/. Why is this not a reliable source?

__Activity 2 Reliable or Unreliable__
 * Have students find a reliable source related to their alternative fuel
 * Students will complete the reliability checklist; Walk around and monitor for comprehension and understanding.
 * If students complete this task early, they can go on to find more articles to support their research.

__Activity 3 Reliability Survey__
 * Have students read article and take survey monkey quiz posted on wiki

__Closing__
 * Show students the results of survey
 * Advise that they will be researching more tomorrow.

__Formative Assessment__ Reliable Research Worksheet Survey Monkey Survey

**Lesson 3 - Research and Development Day 1**
__Objectives__ Students will
 * understand how to make a podcast or powerpoint presentation
 * evaluate and obtain at least 3 reliable sources of information for their research

__Materials__
 * Student laptops
 * Research Graphic Organizer

__Opening/Warmup__
 * Have students visit blog and post comments

__Activity 1 - Presentation Guidelines and Overview__
 * Discuss with students the expectations of their presentation.
 * Pass out presentation rubric.
 * Advise students that they have a choice between creating a powerpoint presentation or creating a podcast/flyer for students to listen to in class. If students chose to create the podcast, they must create a flyer/brochure digitally to accompany the recording. Flyer must include some graphics and highlights from the presentation.
 * Advise students that their presentation or their podcast will be posted to the wiki. Remind them to be professional and accurate, as other students will be relying on their data.
 * Show them how they can create a podcast.
 * Most of them are familiar with powerpoint already, but ask if anyone has any specific questions regarding.

__Activity 2 - Continue Research__
 * Students should continue their research.
 * If students state research is complete, view their sources with them
 * Students should have at least three reliable sources
 * Encourage students to get more to create a bigger picture

__Activity 3 - Compiling Research (only if students have completed research)__
 * Have student begin to put together powerpoint, or write a script for their podcast.

__Closing__ Advise students of due dates of presentations and that if they do not have their research complete they should complete for homework.

__Formative Assessment__ Research Graphic Organizer


 * Lesson 4 - Research and Development Day 2**

__Objectives__ Students will…
 * organize their research
 * prepare a presentation for the class
 * practice the prevention if necessary

__Materials__
 * Student laptops
 * Research Materials
 * Presentation Rubric

__Opening__ Have students visit blog and review article on alternative energy and presentation.

__Activity 1 - Compile/Organize Research__ __Activity 2 - Prepare Presentation__ __Activity 3 - Practice Presentation__
 * If students have not already completed this step, please have them complete
 * Students should prepare their presentation for a majority of the class period.
 * Students should practice their presentation before presenting

__Closing__ Before class is over, ask students if they are complete in their presentation. If they need more time, they must complete for homework or sign up for intervention period.

Students will present their projects to the class. There will be a few minutes in the beginning of class in which students will be allowed to work with their group and practice or organize materials for presentation. While a group is presenting, students who are not presenting will be filling in the graphic organizer, taking notes for their written assessment.
 * Lesson 5 - Presentations**

Students will be allowed to use their graphic organizer from the previous class. Students will be given the following prompt:
 * Lesson 6 - Written Assessment**

//The state of Connecticut is developing a plan to reduce emissions from vehicle -- including, personal vehicle, school buses, public buses, sanitation trucks, police and emergency vehicles, and the state's fleet of automobiles. The state would like feedback on which fuel will be most environmentally friendly as well as economically feasible. Write an essay comparing and contrasting two of the alternative fuels we have learned about. (You may use your assigned fuel as one of the two.)//

Have students watch/listen to the following. Generate a class discussion on what they have learned from the project.
 * Extension - For Expanded Learning**

@http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131155496 @http://video.pbs.org/video/980048834/