Objectives and Teaching Strategies
The main goal of my Curricular Unit is to use the concepts of voltage, current, resistance, and power as instructional tools to educate students concerning their "carbon footprint" and the cost, other than monetary, for their consumption of electricity generated from the burning of fossil fuels. My students will be challenged to offer solutions to problems, as in my central question, "Solar VS Fossil Fuel Generated Electricity: Can Physics Determine Which is Best For You and Your School?" and will need to consider all environmental and health costs involved in any project requiring electricity. They will continue to explore the concept that, although fossil fuel generated electricity may be cheaper in some instances, is that cost the true cost, especially considering the data concerning pollutants from fossil fuel burning. I would like my students to walk away with the "big picture," that we truly are a global environment and just because you release some particulate matter into the atmosphere in the United States doesn't guarantee that it will not impede or affect the growth of an organism half way around the world or ten years down the road.
I would also like my students to understand the concept that energy, especially the development of renewable energy (solar) along with energy consumption and usage reduction will be at the forefront of social, political, and industrial growth for decades to come. Not to mention the ever increasing employment opportunities associated with renewable energy sources. Students, especially Physics students, must understand the basic concepts of energy production, use, and monitoring so as to be better informed citizens in making the right decisions for improving and protecting today's environment for future generations. Energy consumption is a global problem which will need a global solution. A solution which must transcend borders, cultures, languages, political, and social ideologies and be equitable for all as we truly have become a global family.
My unit is broken down into three sub-units with my overarching teaching strategies for my curricular unit based on the GRR (Gradual Release of Responsibility) model of instruction developed by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey. 9 Essentially this model of instruction begins with me carrying the bulk of the cognitive load and slowly shifting that load to the students through a structured model so that in the end students are completely responsible for their own, individual learning. All of my lectures and labs will be designed using this model and at the end of the unit students will be able to offer solutions to complex problems based on their understanding and successful meeting of unit objectives, then applying this knowledge and skill set to new situations.
Sub-units will be modularized with pre and post assessments to ensure that students are successfully meeting objectives. Formative assessments such as: exit slips, warm up journals, graphic organizers, self and peer review of text, etc. will be extensively used to monitor student progress and adjust curricula as needed to ensure student success. Each unit will contain lectures which introduce students to the needed Physics concepts and theories along with "hands-on" lab investigations to strengthen and reinforce students understanding of core concepts.
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