Presentation Notes - this was what I presented to my peers in class to demonstrate my depth of understanding of the content and details

of how I would present this lesson to the students in class.

Hydroelectric Energy is energy produced by falling water or running streams. Generally held in a dam or reservoir, the release and of the water, and therefore its gravitational potential, is used to turn the blades of a turbine. In order to generate commercial (large) quantities of electricity, turbines must spin very rapidly. This means that the water must strike the turbines with great force. (Hence why they build housing structures, like dams, so they can utilise the energy) The turbines are connected to a generator, which turns the mechanical energy into electric energy. Think about this, Niagara Falls, one of the worlds largest free flowing water falls, with approximately 2.5 million litres of water falling 50m every second, how much power could it produce? Over 2 million (1, 249, 500, 000) watts of power. Constructing dams across rivers allows water to be stored so that it can be used to generate power whenever needed and creates the force needed by the turbines. To generate electricity, a control gate in the dam is opened, (show picture) allowing water to rush through a tunnel-like passage before striking the turbine. As the turbine spins, it in turn spins the generator. Within the generator, the spinning causes electricity to be generated, as Serena explained earlier. This hydroelectric power (electricity from flowing water) is then sent through the power system to be used for the many ways in which electricity makes our lives easier. In Australia we have more than 100 operating hydroelectric power stations with total installed capacity of about 7800 megawatts (MW), one of which is the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme which accounts for around half of Australias total hydroelectricity generation capacity and provides base load and peak load power to the eastern mainland grid of Australia. The water used to power the hydroelectric energy plant, like many others, is released back into nature. The Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme releases their water into the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers for irrigation. In other cases, it can be transferred back up to the dam or reservoir to be reused. This is just one example of how we use hydroelectric energy, another example is The Tasmanian integrated hydropower scheme which harnesses hydro energy from six major water catchments and involves 50 major dams, numerous lakes and 29 power stations with a total capacity of over 2600MW. This provides much of the states energy!! Hydroelectric energy is a renewable and clean energy source by means of the water cycle. And the water is FREE!! However, some of its downfalls are: it disrupts the natural flow of water and can catch large amounts of debris, wildlife and ecosystems. The building of these large new dams floods extensive areas, causing social and environmental disruption. Furthermore, to build these renewable energy-housing structures we, at the moment, need to use fossil fuels. However, the energy produced by these Hydro Energy plants and Wind Energy farms far out ways this. (Approx 4.44 mins haha, also Im allowing for fumble time, cause I do that often!)

Activity: Water Wheel PROCEDURE I. Setting the stage A. Show the students a glass of water and ask the following questions: 1. Do you think this water can produce energy? How could it do this? (Lead the students to realize that the energy of moving water could be used.) 2. Does using water "use it up?" (Lead the students to recognize that we do not consume water when we use it; water is continuously recycled.) B. Use the Water Cycle poster to review the water cycle with the students. C. Discuss with the students the fact that using water's energy requires no fuel and produces no pollution, and that water is free for the taking. Activity A. Investigate how the energy of falling water is used. 1. Share with the students the following information: (short/brief description of how water energy is turned into electric energy) This will be shared in the first session and refreshed before this activity Today we are going to learn about the energy of falling water. We will do this by making and using a water wheel or turbine. Some powerplants use falling water for the energy from which they make electricity. Water held behind a dam is released through large pipes down to a nozzle. The water squirts out of the nozzle with great force, hitting a water wheel (turbine) and making it spin. This spinning turbine drives the generator that makes electricity. This is how we get electrical energy from falling wafer. Electricity from falling water is called hydroelectric power. 2. Give each student a copy of the student sheet "WATER ENERGY: WATER WHEEL" included. Give each student the materials listed on the student sheet. 3. Have each student demonstrate how the water wheel works at a sink or by holding it over a pan and having a helper pour water onto it.