ENERGY AND PLACE: AN 11TH GRADE PROJECT
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
a. How does energy production and consumption impact place?
b. How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
a. How does energy production and consumption impact place?
b. How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
SCIENTIFIC PAPER
Download our Scientific Paper below:
makingcrudebiodieselfromvegetableandcoconutoil.pdf | |
File Size: | 920 kb |
File Type: |
INFOGRAPHIC: "OCEAN POWER"
ENERGY AND PLACE PROJECT REFLECTION
I had many large takeaways regarding the nature of scientific processes throughout the duration of the Capstone lab experience. My biggest takeaways both in the lab and outside of the lab had to do with collaboration and group work. When I decided that I would like to work with the biodiesel curriculum, I was interested to hear about another group that was going to conduct additional experiments with coconut oil as well as regular vegetable oil for the experiment. Thus, our group was established, and each of us took the necessary steps to get materials before the lab day. During the lab, each group member was assigned a role so that we could be as efficient as possible. I can see how this same strategy would be relevant in the world of professional science. Since most scientists are working with a set budget and time-frame in mind, I can imagine that collaboration is key in the lab environment in order to work as efficiently as possible. This efficiency helped us greatly in our own lab and research. By comprising our results and running our experiment efficiently, we were then ready to construct a solid research paper concerning biodiesel. During the research writing portion of our lab, collaboration was a little bit more difficult to define. Since both of my partners were in morning classes, they were able to ask any clarifying questions in regards to writing our lab report and what we should be doing to revise our draft. I was then able to make these changes during my afternoon class, and follow up with the teacher about any remaining questions I may have had. Outside of school, our group worked collaboratively over a Google Document. On the document, we were able to edit/add information in real time, which helped us come to a revised final draft. This showed me how scientists can use each other as well as online resources to work toward a more professional final product, and exemplifies how the use of technology is becoming more and more important in the ever-evolving world of science.
Learning about biodiesel in the context of a lab procedure and research essay write-up also had many informative aspects. By choosing to write our research paper on biodiesel, our group began to look at the world of transportation and fuel emissions for the first time through a new lens. Both of these fields are immense and often times largely debated, so I cannot say I even began to slightly formulate a perspective when it comes to diesel emissions and the search for alternatives. This being said, however, I gained some very key information that showed me a lot about what the impact of diesel is currently contributing to the world pollution problem. I learned a lot about carbon dioxide emissions, as well as NOx emissions. Although I was aware of the impact of NOx emissions, I was not aware that these were a large contributor to the smog problems in large cities. Gaining this knowledge changed my perspective, because I have often seen these effects first hand in cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles, and have seen how they can have negative affects on citizens in these areas. Now I am more interested in the prospects of biodiesel and biodiesel variants, because I strongly feel that they could have a huge impact on reducing these emissions in some cases up to 75%. Looking into the future, this project has given me a foundation to get involved in local and national projects, and will give me a greater awareness for my own transportation and fuel consumption in years to come.
Learning about biodiesel in the context of a lab procedure and research essay write-up also had many informative aspects. By choosing to write our research paper on biodiesel, our group began to look at the world of transportation and fuel emissions for the first time through a new lens. Both of these fields are immense and often times largely debated, so I cannot say I even began to slightly formulate a perspective when it comes to diesel emissions and the search for alternatives. This being said, however, I gained some very key information that showed me a lot about what the impact of diesel is currently contributing to the world pollution problem. I learned a lot about carbon dioxide emissions, as well as NOx emissions. Although I was aware of the impact of NOx emissions, I was not aware that these were a large contributor to the smog problems in large cities. Gaining this knowledge changed my perspective, because I have often seen these effects first hand in cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles, and have seen how they can have negative affects on citizens in these areas. Now I am more interested in the prospects of biodiesel and biodiesel variants, because I strongly feel that they could have a huge impact on reducing these emissions in some cases up to 75%. Looking into the future, this project has given me a foundation to get involved in local and national projects, and will give me a greater awareness for my own transportation and fuel consumption in years to come.
HUMANITIES: ENERGY AND PLACE PROJECT
To read about the environmental work we did in our 11th Grade Humanities classes, click here.