Hydropower Efficiency, Grade 4: STEM Road Map for Elementary School

The STEM Road Map Curriculum Series offers a book that challenges fourth graders to create a minimally invasive, highly efficient dam through project- and problem-based learning. Students will explore the use of natural resources to provide energy needs, the workings of watermills, wind turbines, and generators, and the positive and negative consequences of hydropower. They will use the engineering design process to create a design for a dam, wind turbine, and water wheel, compare and contrast renewable power sources, evaluate power sources for efficiency, and identify and describe how several sources of renewable energy are used across the U.S. The book is anchored in the Next Generation Science Standards, the Common Core State Standards, and the Framework for 21st Century Learning and can be used as a whole unit or in part to meet the needs of districts, schools, and teachers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 22 April 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Hydropower Efficiency is a comprehensive volume in the STEM Road Map Curriculum Series designed to challenge fourth graders to create a minimally invasive, highly efficient dam. This interdisciplinary module uses project- and problem-based learning to help students explore the use of natural resources to provide energy needs, specifically hydropower. Through hands-on activities, students will learn about the workings of watermills, wind turbines, and generators to build an understanding of the effects of dams. They will also investigate alternative hydropower sources, such as wave and tidal power, and track the progress of electrification in the U.S. on a timeline.

To support this goal, students will employ the engineering design process (EDP) to create designs for a dam, wind turbine, and water wheel. They will compare and contrast renewable power sources, evaluate power sources for efficiency, identify positive and negative consequences of human modifications of the environment, and utilize mapping skills to determine where natural resources are being accessed for energy usage. Students will also effectively utilize shapes, materials, and measurements to create a model of a hydropower system.

The STEM Road Map Curriculum Series is a valuable resource for educators seeking to integrate real-world learning into their K–12 classrooms. By providing students with hands-on experiences and interdisciplinary learning opportunities, this series helps to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills, preparing them for success in the 21st century.

Weight: 616g
Dimension: 206 x 278 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032618074