introduction the emerging requirements and large scale adoption of the common core state standards...
TRANSCRIPT
IntroductionThe emerging requirements and large scale adoption of the Common Core State Standards Initiative guide educators toward curricula and teaching strategies that will give students a deep understanding of the subject and the skills they need to apply their knowledge. An important set of applications are embodied in the fascinating technologies of power generation, transmission, and distribution. The mathematics and science of these technologies are within reach of secondary school students, and can easily be woven into curricula.
MethodsThe Summer 2012 CURENT RET effort has been to
develop first steps towards enabling teachers to use power generation and transmission applications in the context of Algebra 1, Algebra 2, PreCalculus and Physics instruction. The efforts include:
- Learning basics of wind renewable energy source
- Developing four application problems, cross referenced with State Performance Indicators (SPIs)
- Definition of two renewable energy math and or science labs
- Acquiring basic knowledge of MATLAB, using MATLAB to generate exponential data (RC circuit voltage and capacitance) which can be imported into TI84 calculators as models for math studies of exponential functions.
- Purchase lab and classroom materials which may be used to enhance math and physics learning.
Conclusions
The mathematics and science of power generation and electronics provide excellent applications in secondary education classrooms. These may be woven together across a course and curriculum to challenge young minds to study a fascinating set of technologies which are very important to their futures.
Next Steps: Deeper and wider- Continue learning technologies of power
generation, transmission, and distribution, especially those associated with renewable energy.
- Distribute application problems to other math and science teachers (September 2012 TMTA conference, TBD Knox County inservice)
- Continue developing math and science curriculum materials for secondary education
- Explore partnership co-training and internship opportunities with local power generation and distribution companies
Joe Foy, West High School, , Knoxville TNCenter for Ultra-wide-area Resilient Electrical Energy Transmission Networks (CURENT), Summer
2012 RET
ReferencesFigure 5 taken from KUB Five Year Plan Presentation,
dated April 15, 2010
Common Core State Standards: Publisher: NationalGovernors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington D.C., Copyright Date: 20
RecognitionThe effort, attention to detail, and genuine passion for
RET learning by Dr. Chien-fei Chen, Co-Director of Education and Diversity Program for the CURENT Research Center merits particular notice and was instrumental in the success of this RET effort.
For further informationPlease contact Joe Foy [email protected]
Bringing power technologies into high school classrooms, first steps
Results
A set of four Power application worksheets will be provided to attendees at the Tennessee Math Teachers Association (TMTA) annual conference in September.
A wind lab was defined and developed, it will be used in math and physics courses during school year 2012 - 2013
Figure 1. (Program #1): Matlab plot of Butler wind data, October 2011. Composed from measurements taken every 10 minutes.
Using Matlab to explore wind data, and to create R-C current, voltage, time output file
Application Problems
How big a battery is needed to store 10 hours of 900 MWatts of Power?How much coal is needed per year to generate 900 MWatts of power?How much U-235 is needed per year to generate 900 MWatts of power?Why does TVA transmit at 161,000 Volts to KUB, when KUB supplies at 13,200 Volts?
Acknowledgments: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy under Grant No. 1041877. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do
not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Figures 2. (Program #2) Matlab code and plot (left,), exported to “.csv” file (below), imported to TI84 calculators for use in math classes (bottom)
TI84 Graphing Calculator, math class
Matlab, Instructor
Figure 3 Transformer at Ebeneezer Road substation, a large metal ratio.
Figure 4 (left) 161 kV tower, Kingston Pike and North Peters Road. Pole with subtransmission voltage on lower left of photo.
Figures 5 (below) Knoxville Utility Board Peak demand data, TVA and KUB diagram