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KIE Curriculum Library
A large number of KIE projects have been developed. We provide
you with brief descriptions of existing KIE projects below; links
take you to more detailed information, including instructions
for use in your classroom. (If you're interested in using a project
for which we provide no additional information, please contact us.)
Projects which have been classroom-tested:
| Aliens on Tour |
a design project where students design clothing and dwellings
for cold-blooded alien species who have different climate needs,
building on their knowledge of thermodynamics, insulation, and
conduction. |
| All The News |
a critique project in which students think critically about the
evidence used and claims made about energy conversion by a "science
tabloid." |
| Dinosaur Extinction |
a theory comparison project. The first theory focuses on the impact
of a massive meteor and the second on geological changes that
were occurring around the time of the dinosaur extinctions. |
| Houses in the Desert |
a design project where students design an energy-efficient house
to remain comfortable in the desert's temperature extremes, using
their knowledge of thermodynamics, insulation, and conduction. |
| How Far Does Light Go? |
a theory comparison project involving the examination of the scientific
properties of light and culminating in an informal classroom debate. |
| Light & Color Debate |
historical debate about the relationship between light and color |
| Looking at Light |
provides an introduction to using some of the KIE software in
the context of evidence concerning the nature of light. |
| Life on Mars |
a theory comparison project in which students debate over whether
or not there is evidence to support the idea of life on the planet
Mars |
| Sunlight, SunHEAT! |
a software introduction and critique project, provides an introduction
to using some of the KIE software in the context of evidence concerning
solar energy and passive solar architecture. |
Fully developed projects, but have not been classroom-tested:
| Conic Sections |
a critique project in which students learn how to make mathematical
conjectures and support them with evidence. |
| Gas Laws |
students explore the complexities of the ideal gas law in real
world situations |
| Global Warming |
students learn about global warming concepts and interpret relevant
climate data |
| That Dam Project |
students debate about issues surrounding the use of dams as a
feature of resource management |
Projects currently under development:
| Environmental Racism |
students explore issues relating to environmental racism and explore
these issues in their community |
| Cups |
students think about thermal design aspects of containers |
| Air Pollution |
students build a pollution monitor and examine evidence about
the effects of pollution |
| The Science of Radioactivity |
students learn about the scientific history and process behind
radioactivity |
| Rats in Space! |
students explore whether or not rats in space make good biological
models for humans in space |
| Much Ado about Frogs |
students debate which theory best explains the phenomena of frog
deformities found in natural settings |
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