Driving question: How can we best utilize local vacant land to produce biomass for fueling our cars?
Focus on Teacher
This unit is designed for Biology students in grades 9-12, with an even mix of males and females and a class size of approximately 20-30. Most of these students have never done PBL and will need to learn these skills as we go along.
Explanation of Question
This question is real and authentic to students as it involves their community and their precious vehicles. Old structures are constantly being razed and replaced by new structures or left barren. Instead of building another structure, students will research to see how biomass fields could add beauty to their environment and help stymie high fuel costs. The question is ill-structured because it asks students to define "the best way" in their own words. As they research, students will see that there are alternative methods and different ideas as how biomass to biofuels will work.This question has students look at the economics behind such a decision as how to utilize land, the chemistry involved in combustion, biogeochemical cycles, enzymatic action, and help refine their 21st Century Skills. This question will come at the end of the school year, serving as a review and refinement assignment over critical standards and topics.
This project relates to the curriculum by covering topics such as:
•human use of resources and conservation
•biogeochemical cycles
•enzymatic action
This project specifically addresses the following Indiana State Standards:
•Cellular Chemistry benchmark 1.1-1.3
•Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem benchmark 3.5
•Matter Flow Through an Ecosystem benchmark 3.4
•Photosynthesis benchmark 3.1
•Respiration benchmark 3.2
•Interdependence benchmark 4.1
•Impact of Human Activities benchmark 4.2
Focus on Students
Students will all investigate biofuels, but some groups will look at the production of biofuels and enzymes, other groups will study the fuel efficiency, cost/ benefit analysis, as well as how cars run. The remaining groups will research government processes and agricultural considerations. Students will be allowed to chose their group depending on their interest. As the unit progresses, students will have weekly objectives and activities to help keep the focus and strengthen student understanding of biofuels. At the end of each class, students will be asked to complete a reflection over their work and be allowed to voice their questions or concerns. At the end of the unit, students will present their research and conclusion to their classmates.
Focus on Content
The production of biofuels on newly available land is the topic of our investigation. To answer this question, students will have to research the processes used in growing biomass for biofuels, the processes used in biofuel production, alternative biofuels such as biohydrogen, bioethanol, biomethane, and biobutane. After researching these processes, students will need to look at the efficiency and economics of production of these fuels. These are also skills they may use as adults living in a community.
This unit is grounded in real life in that students will be:
•researching property use in their own area
•researching the production of biofuels
•looking into the cost/benefit analysis
•investigating local, state, and federal regulations
•collaborating and communicating findings
Uses of Technology
Students will use computers as part of the one to one initiative to research information, create graphs in the Enzyme lab, collaborate in Google docs, Skye with experts, create or watch videos, PowerPoints, brochures, record a podcast or song.
In some classes, students will submit their Bell Ringers by email or dropbox and do vocabulary activities, and take the pre and posttests online.
Students can also use a peer evaluation website to critique their team members.
In some classes, students will submit their Bell Ringers by email or dropbox and do vocabulary activities, and take the pre and posttests online.
Students can also use a peer evaluation website to critique their team members.