Summary Model how fossil fuels release carbon dioxide. Build circuits to demonstrate renewable energy: wind turbines and solar panels. Relate to the carbon cycle and understand where fossil fuels enter the cycle. Science content Physics: Energy forms, Conservation of Energy (1, 3, 4, 5) Physics: Electricity, Electromagnetism (7) Earth/Space: Rock cycle, Earth Materials, Natural resources (5) Earth/Space: Sustainable practices, Interconnectedness (2, 5, 7) Activities in this lesson Candle chemistry (and fossil fuel combustion) CO2 acidifies water Wind turbine Solar panel Wind spinner free experimentation Procedure Suggested activity order: Light a candle. It exhibits the same chemistry as burning fossil fuels (wax is made from oil). Use molecular models to show how burning fossil fuels makes carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas - it soaks up heat leaving Earth (infra red) and re-emits it back in all directions. About half of that energy goes out into space, and about half of it returns to Earth and heats it up. The amount of CO2 in the air determines how acidic our oceans are. Model ocean acidification and how it is reversible. Making energy without burning fossil fuels: Build a model wind turbine. Build solar panels into a circuit. These renewable sources of energy need to replace fossil fuels to lower CO2 in the air and our oceans again, and reverse global warming. Other activity options: Optionally make a device that turns in the wind, to learn about the key design parts of a wind turbine (a part that spins and blades to catch the wind). Best if this is done before the wind turbine, so students design their own blade shapes rather than trying to replicate the wind turbine blades. For an extended lesson with free play, use batteries as a source of electricity, along with wires, lights and motors: Do the electric circuits and motor free play activities. Discussion on sources of renewable electrical energy: Wind turbines account for about 4% of BC’s electricity generation capacity. Most of BC's electricity comes from water: hydroelectric power accounts for 87% of electricity in BC. Non-renewable: BC also still burns natural gas to make electricity. The hot combustion products drive a turbine to generate electricity. Look at a live interactive map of Earth’s winds to discuss good places for wind power: https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-… Hydroelectric power video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC8Lbyeyh-E Notes Lesson 6 of 6 of a series on the Carbon Cycle. Good image of the whole carbon cycle at https://www.britannica.com/science/carbon-cycle (drawing in photo is simplified version of this) Grades taught Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 4 Gr 5 Gr 6 Gr 7
