Windmill of Your Mind — Distributed Energy Goes to School
Figure 1. School First for Wind Power.Copyright Department of Trade and Industry, New and Renewable Energy Programme, UK http://www.dti.gov.uk/NewReview/nr41/html/school_wind.html
Students research the feasibility of installing a wind-turbine distributed energy (DE) system for their school. They write a proposal (actually, an executive summary of a proposal) to the school principal based on their findings and recommendations. While this activity is geared towards fifth-grade and older students, and Internet research capabilities are required, some portions of this activity may be appropriate for younger students.
Engineers often conduct or contribute research to prepare feasibility reports for large projects. Feasibility studies are a forthright presentations of all issues—benefits, costs, effectiveness, alternatives, environmental impact, marketplace, competition, available technology, resources, public opinion, risk, and any other pertinent factors—of a complex design or project. Such research informs the person/organization funding the project or a company manger approving the project about the key issues and advantages of doing a project or doing it a certain way. Usually engineers are responsible for communicating reasons and advantages of their designs in light of budget or time constraints.
Photo caption: Figure 1. School First for Wind Power. "The first wind turbine installed at a school site in mainland Britain was at Cassop Primary School in County Durham. The Atlantic Orient Corporation 15/50-type wind turbine produces an average of 270kWh/day, which is about twice the school's electricity requirement. The surplus energy is exported to the grid via an import/export meter. The children at the school designed an interactive display panel with information from the turbine."
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Use a full range of strategies to comprehend technical writing.
- Write stories, letters and reports with greater detail and supporting material.
- Choose vocabulary and figures of speech that communicate clearly.