Lessons
Unit Report on Alternative Energy Fuel for Transportation
Divide Students up into groups according to the fuels they are working on for this project. Students need to understand that the majority of this project is going to be focused on them learning about their particular fuel so they can convey the information effectively to the other students in the class.
The students should always have guiding questions to use when they are doing research. Depending upon the assignment, I will allow the group to draft their questions and submit them so that I know they have a clear idea as to what it is they are looking for. In this assignment, I am including questions for your students to use to get continuity to the end-unit project. You must realize that the students are going to give you exactly what you ask for, so you need to be sure you include everything you want when assigning these types of research tasks and be sure to factor all elements into the grade. The following is the actual sheet I am going to use with my students.
Your task is to develop a PowerPoint presentation to inform the public about your transportation fuel. This PowerPoint must not only be informative, it must be visually appealing and flow well so your viewer's interest is kept throughout. It should include pictures of vehicles that use the fuel, diagram listing the advantages and disadvantages of the fuel, and an environmental analysis of the fuel. You must insure that the PowerPoint presentation is constructed in such a way that everyone can understand the information conveyed, but at the same time it should be very informative so that the viewer feels as though they have a better understanding after the presentation.
The viewer should be able to answer the following questions from your PowerPoint presentation:
- What is the chemical composition of the fuel?
- Is the fuel renewable or nonrenewable?
- How is the fuel made?
- Is the fuel available in the local area?
- How does the fuel power a vehicle?
- What types of vehicles can use the fuel?
- What are the costs associated with the fuel?
- What are the economic advantages and disadvantages of the fuel?
- What are the environmental advantages and disadvantages of the fuel?
- What are the challenges to widespread use of the fuel?
Every person in your group will be required to take part in the presentation. Be sure to have the presentation practiced so that you are not simply reading the PowerPoint slides throughout the presentation. You must look at the people you are presenting the information to. The presentation must be 2-3 minutes in length per person in your group to get full credit.
Props and handouts are a great way to add interest to your presentation and will ensure that time minimum is attained. If you need some materials from the teacher, be sure to let the teacher know at least a few days in advance. Requests for materials the day of a presentation will not be granted.
Have fun with this assignment and use your creativity when making the PowerPoint presentation. Become an advocate for your fuel! Be sure you know your content; other students are encouraged to ask you questions and you should be able to give an intelligent answer to those questions if they are relevant to your topic.
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