Wind power clil lesson

CLIL LESSON THE POWER OF WIND Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carriรณn, Sax, Alicante, Spain

Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carrión, Sax, Alicante, Spain

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Title of the unit: “Natural resources: the power of wind” Subjects: Natural environment, energy and natural resources.

Student’s level: 15-year-old students Objectives 4.1. Content objectives 4.1.1. Learning about renewable energies.

4.1.2. Learning about wind energy and natural resources.

4.1.3. Developing personal skills for interpreting natural environment.

4.1.4. Getting familiar with how a turbine works.

4.1.5. Recognising the need to protect environment and natural resources.

4.2. Language objectives 4.2.1. Acquiring specific vocabulary regarding wind energy.

4.2.2. Discovering specific vocabulary regarding turbines.

4.2.3. Developing reading and listening comprehension in English.

4.2.4. Developing oral and written expression in English.

5. Activities Vocabulary related to wind energy (filling gaps, matching words with definitions, looking up the meaning, crosswords,...), reading comprehension texts with questions (short answers, ...), listening comprehension (videos), searching for specific information on the internet, written expression (answering questions), speaking about the topic, using new technologies.

6. Detailed session We have planned two sessions to cover the contents of the unit. They have been distributed regarding the subtopics: 

What is wind energy?

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Wind energy in the world.

The situation in our country.

How does a turbine work?

The detailed sessions are as follows:

SESSION 1 Activity 1.- Pay attention to the next Prezi presentation (if you don’t understand anything, please ask questions to the teachers): https://prezi.com/xni-n2sy26pd/the-power-of-wind/

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Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carrión, Sax, Alicante, Spain

Activity 2.- Reading comprehension text. First, read the text: WIND FARMS What do you think of when you hear the word “farm"? Animals? Vegetables? Tractors? Farmers? Would you believe there are farms without any of those things? It's true! What are we talking about? Wind farms!

Wind farms are areas where many large wind turbines have been grouped together to “harvest" the power of the wind. These large turbines look a bit like super-tall, futuristic windmills.

A large wind farm can contain hundreds of wind turbines spread out over hundreds of miles. The land in between the turbines may be used for other purposes, such as regular agricultural farming. Some wind farms are also located offshore to take advantage of winds that blow across lakes or oceans.

Did you realize that wind energy is actually another form of solar energy? Winds are created by the combination of the rotation of the Earth, the irregular shape of the Earth's surface and the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the Sun's rays.

Wind farms are built in areas known to be especially windy on a regular basis. As the winds turn the blades of the turbines, the turbines convert the energy of the wind into mechanical power. Generators then convert the mechanical power into electricity that can be used to power homes just like other forms of energy.

If it's easier, you can think of a wind turbine as the opposite of a fan. A fan uses electricity to make wind. Wind turbines do the opposite: they use the wind to make electricity! As the wind turns the blades of a wind turbine, the blades cause a shaft to spin. The spinning shaft connects to a generator that creates electricity.

If you're wondering why scientists looked to the wind as an energy source, there are plenty of good reasons. Wind energy is free and renewable and, unlike conventional power plants, wind farms don't emit pollutants or greenhouse gases.

On the negative side, wind farms can cost a lot of money to set up. Over time, though, their cost is competitive with other types of generating systems. Unfortunately, you can't make the wind blow whenever you want it to, so wind farms can't always meet electricity needs on demand.

Over time, scientists believe new technologies, such as using batteries to store wind power for peak demand times, will make wind power even more popular. Wind power already accounts for about 3% of the United States' electricity. Experts believe wind power will account for 20% of the nation's electricity by 2030.

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Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carriรณn, Sax, Alicante, Spain

Source: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-wind-farm 2. a. Match the words and their definition: Words 1. GENERATOR 2. ATMOSPHERE 3. AGRICULTURAL 4. OFFSHORE 5. MECHANICAL

Definition a. the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or other planets. b. situated at sea some distance from the shore. c. using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices. d. related to or used in or promoting agriculture and farming. e. an apparatus that produces a vapor or gas.

2. b. Answer the following questions about the text you have read: a. Wind energy is actually another form of what type of energy? b. What are the benefits of wind energy? c. What are the negative aspects of it?

Activity 3.- Are you brave enough to do this crossword about renewable energies? Try! http://kidsahead.com/external/activity/45

Activity 4.- Do this wind energy quiz (if you need help, please ask your teachers): http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/wind-energy-quiz.htm

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Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carrión, Sax, Alicante, Spain

Suggested development of the session: The purpose of the first activity is to make sure students learn a bit about wind energy. We consider that the Prezi presentation –with later questions and comments- can be done in 15 minutes.

The second activity should be developed thoroughly, otherwise pupils wouldn’t understand a topic which is probably new for them. They should read the text carefully and ask questions to the teacher if it is necessary. Then, they could answer the questions quickly. The whole activity could be done in 15 minutes approximately.

After that, the third and fourth activities are a way to show if pupils have interiorised the contents and it serves also to know if they are able to look for the answers they didn’t know. They would need between 15 and 20 minutes to solve both exercises.

SESSION 2 Activity 5.- Watch these videos and learn about how a turbine works: 1

Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carrión, Sax, Alicante, Spain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DILJJwsFl3w /

https://www.saveonenergy.com/how-wind-turbines-work/

Activity 6.- Now you’re going to make your own pinwheel. Follow the instructions carefully: http://www.leslietryon.com/3dcolorcutout/makepinw/makepinwheel.html 1

Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carriรณn, Sax, Alicante, Spain

Activity 7.- DISCUSSION: Discuss in small groups about one of the following topics: A. Would wind power be a good source of renewable energy where you live? It depends, right?

Upon what? How much wind you get, of course! So how windy is it where you live?

B. What sources of power will you see become popular in your lifetime? Solar power and wind power are already advancing year by year. But you could invent an entirely new technology that could someday power the world! Use your imagination and take a fresh look at the world around you. What natural forces do you see at work? What forms of natural energy might you be able to harness and turn into a new, renewable source of energy? What about gravity? Or the falling rain? Ocean waves? How about tides?

Activity 8.- What about playing a bit? Play this wind farm game: http://kidsahead.com/external/activity/1

Activity 9.- Do the self-assessment check-list.

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Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carrión, Sax, Alicante, Spain

VOCABULARY I can name the different parts of a wind turbine I am familiar with the vocabulary related to wind energy I can use words related to renewable energy KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOPIC I can identify the different parts of a wind turbine I am familiar with the different steps to produce wind energy I can identify the advantages and disadvantages of wind

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energy READING AND WRITING I can read and understand a text about wind farms I can answer in written form to questions about a text I can read charts, statistics and extract conclusions I can follow written instructions to produce something (pinwheel) LISTENING AND SPEAKING I can watch a video about wind turbines and understand how they work I can listen to and understand an oral presentation about the topic ‘Wind energy’ I can talk about the topic studied in small groups NEW TECHNOLOGIES I can use the internet to find activities and do them I can use the internet to find specific information I am familiar with different online platforms such as Prezi Suggested development of the session: The second session is dedicated to go deep into how a turbine works. For that purpose, students should watch a short video and an animated guide in activity five. That would take them about five minutes. After that, by doing activity six they would have the opportunity of being creative by making their own turbine. They will have 6-7 minutes to complete the task.

Now it is time for speaking: in activity seven, students should share their knowledge about the topic and their own views with the rest of the group (they will be asked to get into mixednationality groups). They will have between 15 and 20 minutes to do it. After that, students will be allowed to play an online game related to the topic. They will have fifteen minutes to play.

Finally, in the ninth activity, students will have the chance to check what they have learnt in this lesson. Five minutes would be enough to do it.

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Youth, multilingualism and work perspectives in Europe IES Pascual Carrión, Sax, Alicante, Spain

Key for activities Activity 1.- Students watch the presentation.

Activity 2. a.

1e 2a 3d 4b 5c Activity 2. b. a. Solar power. b. It is free, renewable and non-polluting. c. It is expensive to set up and the wind does not always blow when it is needed.

Activity 3.- Across: 2: Herschel; 4: array; 5: flow; 6: horizontal; 7: biomass. Down: 1: ethanol; 3: cell; 5: farm.

Activity 4.- Students correct their answers on the online exercise.

Activity 5.- Students watch the videos.

Activity 6.- Students do the pinwheel.

Activity 7.- Student’s oral expositions.

Activity 8.- Students play the game.

Activity 9.- Students do the self-assessment check-list.

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