Grade 11 - Energy, Power, and Transportation(Modification and Manipulation)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

transfer and convert energy to achieve specific objectives
manipulate systems and subsystems that use energy and power, including:
- mechanical
- hydraulic
- electrical
- electronic
use tools and equipment accurately and efficiently to achieve design and assembly specifications that meet manufacturer and industry standards
construct a device or system that is energy efficient

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Energy, Power, and Transportation (Modification and Manipulation) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Students learn to design, manipulate, and construct components to improve the efficiency and performance of simple systems related to transportation. They need to be able to modify and manipulate systems and devices in order to function effectively in today´s technical environment.

Have students compare a high-mileage vehicle, a high-performance vehicle, and a transport vehicle to examine relationships between wheel size, gear ratio, and efficient energy transmission and conversion. As a team project, challenge them to apply principles of transmission and conversion to design and build vehicles powered by alternative energy sources (e.g., wind, solar). Hold a competition to see which group´s vehicle covers the greatest distance.
As part of a unit on energy conversion, show and discuss with students six systems common to all internal combustion engines (mechanical, lubrication, fuel, ignition, starting, cooling). Have students describe the function and interaction of each system as they work in teams to disassemble and accurately reassemble a small engine. As an extension, ask them to apply their understanding of the systems to other forms of transportation (e.g., air, water).
Facilitate students´ understanding of the principles of hydraulics by having them experiment with hydraulic, electrical, and pneumatic systems on a demonstration panel. To extend their understanding, ask them to disassemble a brake system, then identify its components (e.g., shoes, slave cylinder, caliper, pistons, springs), assess faults (e.g., leaking wheel cylinder or caliper, damaged rotor), and repair or replace the damaged components as they reassemble the system.
Supply students with WCB and WHMIS guidelines. As new tools or procedures are introduced, have students model and document the appropriate procedures, based on the guidelines.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

As students develop energy-efficient systems or devices, they can demonstrate their abilities to manipulate the transfer and conversion of energy in a safe manner to meet design specifications.

Hold a competition and ask students to produce the best solution to a fuel efficiency problem (e.g., modify a four-stroke gasoline lawn mower engine to deliver better fuel efficiency). Provide opportunities for them to solve mechanical, design, and technical problems to achieve the greatest gains in fuel efficiency. Have students keep journals during the competition. Collect their journals and look for evidence of:
- design evolution (indicated in thumbnail sketches, notes, and drawings)
- collaboration on design decisions
- exploration of a variety of problems and solutions
- use of prior knowledge to accomplish tasks
As teams work to produce the longest-running lawn mower engine, conference with each team and ask questions such as:
- What system of fuel delivery did you choose and why?
- What problems did your chosen system create, and how did you overcome them?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of your system?
In order to assess how well students use measurement to evaluate their modifications meant to improve the efficiency of mechanical devices, note the extent to which they:
- perform accurate measurements at all stages of the development of their projects
- manipulate the measurements to produce usable statistics that aid them in evaluating their progress
- apply the correct mathematical principles to their data in order to produce meaningful results