Wednesday, July 17: Energy, Alternative Energy, and Global Climate Change

In Wednesday's class we started out with a LEGO Serious Play build: Build a model of an invention that is innovative.

Next, we discussed Energy, Potential and Kinetic Energy, Chemical Energy, and the idea of Global Climate Change and the Carbon Bathtub.

Next, we went on to discuss Alternative energy with the help of our Teaching Assistant, Trevor! 

We discussed how solar energy works, and used our bodies to demonstrate how photons are excited in photovoltaic cells. We also had students from class explain how Hydro power works in a dam. 

We then went on to relate these concepts to the Mars Rover Curiosity landing and discussed which energy sources Curiosity uses. 

Next, we broke up into groups again so one group could finish painting their ecosystems, and start building with LEGO Simple Machines which the other group started LEGO Mindstorms robotics.