Earth+Science+Component

=Physical Setting/Earth Science= Bob Allers & Jud Spanneut New Hartford Central Schools New Hartford, NY

This project gives us the opportunity to try something a little different in our Regents Earth Science classroom. Our goal is to reinforce concepts from different units while providing our students with an opportunity to learn about wind energy.

Locating a site for windmill construction is a critical part of the energy production process. Our plan is to have students assess three locations for placing a windmill within the school district. The three locations are a village setting in the Hudson Mohawk Lowlands, a suburban area on district property between two school buildings, and a rural area on the highlands of the Appalachian Plateau.

Criteria that students will consider are village, town, county, state, and national laws, codes, and environmental review processes. Sources might include local code books, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation data, and other agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Other factors to consider are wind conditions, topography, environmental impacts, aesthetic impacts, and cost-benefit analysis (including time for investment return).

Possible products may include an oral presentation and/or power point presentation. We anticipate three cooperative groups independently investigating each site with the criteria outlined above. Groups would summarize their investigations and results. We anticipate discussion with final consensus and recommendation to "local officials" on the best possible location for windmill construction.

We are considering limiting some variables such as the make, model, and power yield of the windmill units, as well as archival resources available to students in order to maintain consistency and keep the project to a manageable scope.