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Suggested Procedure (Pedagogy):
Opening
-
Energy Word Scramble: give students a list of 15-20 words or so
that all have to do with the theme of Energy (but don’t tell that
to the students). Ask students to group the words into categories
that make sense to them. Have them also identify a title for each
category. Discuss what the students came up with (there are no wrong
answers) and reveal the “secret theme”.
Development
-
Throughout
this introduction I would have students take notes on a “guided
inquiry” sheet. There would be room for them to write in specific
information as well as areas where they would ask and answer their
own questions.
-
Introduce
the concept of where we get our energy from. Focus on non-renewable
sources at this time. Hand out statistics of non-renewable energy
consumption in China. Have students identify what types of energy
resources are used the most/least etc. Look at increased use over
time. Compare China’s use with the use of other countries that have
similar populations, land area, economy, etc. (India, the U.S.,
Russia, etc.) Discuss pollution
concerns.
-
Hand out
health related statistics of China. Have students look for connections
between health issues and pollution issues (especially pulmonary
disease).
-
Introduce
concept of renewable energy sources. Discuss why renewable sources
might be more preferable than non-renewable. Focus on hydro-electric
power.
-
Introduce
the Yangtze river region to your students (overheads, maps, pictures,
power point presentation, etc.). Describe the physical and cultural
geography of the river – especially the Three Gorges area.
Closing
-
Propose
the idea of building a hydro-electric power plant on the Yangtze
river as one solution to China’s dependence on fossil fuels and
subsequent health concerns. Pose the question: What might be some
benefits and/or costs associated with the development of this dam?
Student Activity – Online:
If
you are presenting this to students who don’t already know about
the Three Gorges Dam, I would not have them do much internet exploring
on their own because I wouldn’t want them to “ruin” the ending for
everyone else.
Suggested Assessment:
There
are many possibilities for both formative
and summative assessments throughout
this unit. The summative assessment I use is a persuasive paper
and it is described in more detail in Lesson 4 of this unit. In
addition, to the summative assessment, at the conclusion of each
lesson I have listed a few possibilities formative assessments.
Lesson
1 Formative Assessment Ideas: Completion of word scramble, completion
of inquiry guide about energy and health statistics, notes from
Yangtze river information, prediction of impact of dam on the Yangtze.
RESOURCE BAR
Definitions
Consumption – the use of a good or service.
Dam
– a barrier built to control the flow of a watercourse.
Formative assessment – an assessment that reflects student
comprehension one aspect of a lesson or unit.
Hydro-electric power – electricity produced from the use
of water.
Non-renewable energy source – resources tht, once depleted, cannot
regenerage naturally to provide a new supply within a human life
span.
Pollution – damage caused to the environment through the use of some resources.
Pulmonary disease – diseases that effect the lungs.
Renewable energy source – resources that regenerate natuarally
to provide a new supply within a human life span.
Summative assessment – an assessment that evaluates student
comprehension of an entire unit.
Geography Standards
-Minnesota
Profile of Learning, People and Cultures Learning Area, Geography
and Culture standard
Web Links for Teachers and Students
For energy and health statistics on China:
www.umich.edu/~inet/chinadata/stat/ChinaStatistics
www.unstats.un.org
www.worldpop.org/prbdata
For pictures of the Yangtze River and Three Gorges Dam:
www.britishdams.org/about_dams/3gorges
www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50
www.nmt.edu/~mst/chinapix.html
www.probeinternational.org/pi/3g/index/cfm
www.threegorgesprobe.org/tgp/index
For primary and secondary text materials on the Three Gorges Dam controversy:
www.china-embassy.org
www.coxnews.com/washingon/GORGES.htm
www.hrw.org
www.news.nationalgepgraphic.com
www.school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/threegorges
(news
sources such as CNN.com, MSNBC.com, etc. can also provide materials
and ideas)
Discussion Questions
Opening:
Suggested
list of words for Energy Word Scramble – by-product, China, coal,
consumption, dam, dependence, fission, fossil fuel, government,
non-renewable, oil, pollution, production, pulmonary disease, renewable,
solar, Three Gorges, United States, windmill, Yangtze
Development:
Discussion
questions:
1. What kind of energy sources do we
use on a daily basis? Where do those energy sources come from? How
much do they cost?
2. What does the term non-renewable mean?
What is an example of a non-renewable energy source? Where do most
of our non-renewable energy sources come from (what parts of the
world?) What are some current controversies about non-renewable
energy sources? Which countries do you think use the greatest amount
of about non-renewable energy sources?
3. What are some negative things associated
with the use of about non-renewable energy sources?
4. What is a renewable energy source?
Where are those located? Who controls these resources? More controversy?
Extension Activities
Have
students research whether or not the United States uses hydro-electric power – what percentage of our consumption
is from hydro-electric sources? Does the United States have large dams on our major rivers? Where?
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