http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/wpi_rolling_blackouts.xmlactivitytext/xmlK-12 Outreach Office, blackoutconsumptionelectricityenergyenvironmentgenerating electricityhospitalpower needpower plantpower sourcepredictionrolling blackoutusagebrownoutblackoutrolliing blackoutturbine

Through this activity, students come to understand the environmental design considerations required when generating electricity. The electric power that we use every day at home and work is usually generated by a variety of power plants. Power plants are engineered to utilize the conversion of one form of energy to another. The main components of a power plant are an input source of energy that is used to turn large turbines, and a method to convert the turbine rotation into electricity. The input sources of energy include fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil), wind, water, nuclear materials and refuse. This activity focuses on how much energy can be converted to electricity from many of these input sources. It also considers the impact of the by-products associated with using these natural resources, and looks at electricity requirements. To do this, students research and evaluate the electricity needs of their community, the available local resources for generating electricity, and the impact of using those resources.

Creating power plants, harnessing input energy, and distributing energy to power the devices in our world is important to us everyday and requires many types of engineers to accomplish it. Mechanical, structural, chemical and electrical engineers design power plants to supply energy. The input energy necessary for power plants is worked on by mining, petroleum, ocean and environmental engineers. These engineers from different fields combine their specialty knowledge and expertise to find solutions to our energy challenges. Make an assessment of systems to meet needs.Understand the role of society in the development and use of technology.Use the design process to brainstorm, research, develop a model and communicate the results.0280TeachEngineering.orghttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/reference_sheet_1.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/reference_sheet_1.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/preparation_worksheet.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/preparation_worksheet.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/worksheet_1.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/worksheet_1.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/worksheet_2.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/worksheet_2.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/leader_resource_page.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/leader_resource_page.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/how_a_power_plant_works.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rolling_blackouts/how_a_power_plant_works.pdfhttp://www.eia.doe.gov http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htmS101F91AMassachusettsScience1.1 Identify materials used to accomplish a design task based on a specific property, i.e., weight, strength, hardness, and flexibility.35S100D107MassachusettsScience1.2 Identify and explain the appropriate materials and tools (e.g., hammer, screwdriver, pliers, tape measure, screws, nails, and other mechanical fasteners) to construct a given prototype safely.35United StatesCopyright 2012 - K-12 Outreach Office, Worcester Polytechnic Institutehttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2011-10-3111Teacher