![[photo of Bonneville Power Game]](../pics/bird.jpg)
The Northwest Power System Curriculum
The following chart travels through the 13 lessons in the NPSC curriculum, tying them to the Washington Benchmarks for 7th grade that are addressed by that lesson. Sometimes only parts of a particular benchmark will be applicable to a NPSC lesson, but we thought it best to cite the entire benchmark for easier reference to these state goals. Please note also that because a lesson can be taught and expanded on at many levels of thoroughness, benchmarks were included assuming the most thorough coverage of the topic. Therefore, each teacher will want to review the listed benchmarks in order to see for her/himself which ones are in agreement with their plans. Hopefully you will find this to be a helpful and timesaving tool as you help students rise to the challenge of meeting these goals. On the right, lesson materials available from BPA, other sources, or the teacher (if you are not using the full NPSC curriculum kit from BPA)
| Chapter - Content .... = abbreviated description |
Subject
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#1 History – Orientation To The Pacific Northwest Formation of political boundaries Bodies of water Geographic features |
Section 1: Natural History and historical Development Reading 1.2 – Build vocabulary through reading B: Construct general and specialized vocabularies through reading and specific fields of academic study Reading 3.2 – Read to perform a task B: Read and understand information to perform a specific task.
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BPA or NPSC denotes items supplied by BPA or in the NPSC kit. Suggestion denotes items or experiments to be supplied by the teacher. * An asterisk indicates that the suggestion /experiment is in the NPSC text.
NPSC text: Physical and political maps of the Pacific northwest. |
| #2 Columbia river System; head-
waters and watershed. Map interpretation The Water Game: Experiments with water runoff and water penetration |
Mathematics 4.3 – Represent and share information
B: Clearly and effectively express or present ideas and situations using both everyday and mathematical language such as models, tables, charts and graphs...
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BPA Video: Columbia River gorge, A Natural History BPA Backgrounder: Voyage To The Pacific, July 1990 22 pg. Story of Columbia River journey by grandfather and granddaughter. Suggestion: Teacher’s atlas showing mountains and rivers of the Columbia River system.
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#3 Columbia River Basin (or Watershed). Inquiry: Where does river water come from? Experiments: The Water game
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Mathematics 5.3 – Relate mathematical concepts and procedures to real-life situations B: Recognize the extensive use of mathematics outside the classroom. Mathematics 3.2: - predict results and make inferences B: make conjectures and inferences based on analysis of new problem situations Science 1.3: Understand how interactions within and among systems cause changes in matter and energy. environmental and resource issues B: explain how human societies use of natural resources affects quality of life and the health of ecosystems |
NPSC Water Game: dice, map and precipitation record
Suggestion*: Run-off and soil experiment: Materials needed: Milk cartons sand, soil, gravel Suggestion*: Watershed Experiment Large plastic box or plastic lined box with layer of soil and items from Runoff experiment (above). |
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#4 Salmon In The Rivers The life cycle and ecology of the Salmon. Math Lesson: Dam kills Suggested math lesson: Have students estimate water flows in several watershed areas feeding into one dam by introducing some of the following variables:
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Mathematics 1.1: Understand and applies the concepts and procedures from number sense B: Use pictures and symbols to demonstrate understanding of fractions, decimals, percents... Computation B: Add, subtract, multiply and divide non-negative fractions and decimals. Mathematics 2.2: Formulate questions and define problems B: Define problems in new situations. B: Identify the unknowns in new situations. Geography 3.1: Identify and examine people’s interaction with and impact on the environment B: Analyze the different ways people use the environment, the consequences of use, and possible alternatives. Science 2.1: Develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Modeling B: Correlate models of the behavior of objects, events, or processes to the behavior of the actual things; test models by predicting and observing actual behaviors or processes |
"Splash" – game produced by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Park Service
BPA Backgrounders: "The World’s Biggest Fish Story" (7/87) "Enhancing Our Fish and Wildlife Resources" (3/87) "Downstream Fish Migration: Improving the Odds of Survival BPA – Water Cycle Hexaflexagon (complex 3 dimensional shape). BPA library or Columbia River Inter-Tribal Commission (Portland), Periodical: "Wana Chinook Tymoo" |
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#5A Native Americans, Salmon, and The Columbia River |
History 1.2: Analyze the historical development of events, people, places, and patterns of life in U.S., world, and Washington State history
B: Interpret events, issues, and developments in Washington State history and their impact on people then and now. History 3.3 Understand how ideas and technological developments Influence people , resources and culture. B: Interpret how ideas and attitudes have been shaped by changing technologies.
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NPSC Map: "Historic Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest" Suggested Field Trip: Arrange a class trip to the nearest watershed and stream area. BPA –Salmon Hexaflexagon. BPA library or Columbia River Inter-Tribal Commission (Portland), periodical: "Wana Chinook Tymoo" |
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#5B Native Americans – That’s My Chair! The game in this lesson explores Native American and European value systems.
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History 3.1 Explain the Origin and impact of an idea on society B: Explain origin and development of an idea in history... History 3.3 Understand how ideas and technological developments Influence people , resources and culture. B: Interpret how ideas and attitudes have been shaped by changing technologies. B: Assess the impact of ideas and technological developments on society and culture... |
Suggestion: Local resources: Invite a Native American guest speaker to discuss his/her culture with your class. |
| #6 Dams on the Columbia River
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History 3.3 Understand how ideas and technological developments Influence people , resources and culture. B: Interpret how ideas and attitudes have been shaped by changing technologies. B: Assess the impact of ideas and technological developments on society and culture...
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BPA Video: "River of Power"" |
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#7 Magnets and Magnetism Experiments in magnetism |
Science 1.2: Recognize the components, structure, and organization of systems and the interconnections within and among them. Physical science – Energy sources and kinds B: Understand that energy is a property of substances and systems and comes in many forms... Physical Science – Energy transfer and transformation B: Determine factors that affect the rate and amount of energy transfer...
(These benchmarks are addressed in lessons 7 – 12) |
NPSC Materials: Magnets and Compasses |
| #8 Electromagnetism, Part 1
Electricity, running through a coil creates a magnetic field which can be detected with a compass
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NPSC Materials: Magnets and Compasses |
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| #8 Electromagnetism, Part 2
Moving a magnet near a coil can produce electricity which can be transmitted and used at another location . |
NPSC Materials: Magnets and Compasses |
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| #10 Turbines
Paper pinwheel project is used to stimulate design ideas for generator made of a turbine and magnets.
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NPSC Materials: Paper pinwheel pattern Suggested Field trip: Arrange a field trip to the nearest hydroelectric dam |
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#11 Turbine Choices Students design and make turbine generators using available materials.
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NPSC Materials: Paper, straws, wire, magnets BPA Materials: 3-D hydro cut-out project: Build a dam, transformer and transmission tower. |
| #12 Resource Choices and the
Environment Air, water and combustion gases can be used to spin turbines. These propellants are powered by various sources of energy. Each combination of energy source and propellant is a resource choice. Resource choices have important environmental considerations. Intense comparison of various resource choices.
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Geography 3.1: Identify and examine people’s interaction with and impact on the environment B: Explain how the actions and interactions of human societies affect and are affected by the environment. Geography 3.2 Analyze how the environment and environmental changes affect people B: Examine how technology can affect people’s interaction with the environment. Economics 1.1 Comprehend key economic concepts and economic systems B: Give and explain examples of ways that economic systems structure choices about how goods and services are to be produced and distributed. History 3.3 Understand how ideas and technological developments influence people, resources and culture B: Assess the impact of ideas and technological developments on society and culture... Civics 4.3 Explain how citizen participation influences public Policy. B: Analyze the influence of a diversity of public opinion on the development of public policy and decision-making.
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NPSC Materials: Coal is examined as a sample resource choice to begin discussion of environmental impacts.
NPSC Worksheet: Classroom Environmental Quality Form |
| #13 Resource Choices and the
Environment Further considerations of the different types of power generation and the resulting resource choices. Conservation as a choice. Electrical energy: Watts, Kilowatts and megawatts
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Geography 3.1: Identify and examine people's interaction with and impact on the environment
B: Explain how the actions and interactions of human societies affect and are affected by the environment. Geography 3.2 Analyze how the environment and environmental changes affect people B: Examine how technology can affect people's interaction with the environment. Economics 1.1 Comprehend key economic concepts and economic systems B: Give and explain examples of ways that economic systems structure choices about how goods and services are to be produced and distributed. History 3.3 Understand how ideas and technological developments influence people, resources and culture B: Assess the impact of ideas and technological developments on society and culture ... Civics 4.3 Explain how citizen participation influences public Policy. B: Analyze the influence of a diversity of public opinion on the development of public policy and decision-making. Communication 3.3: seek agreement and solutions through discussion B: acknowledge other’s ideas and points of view; identify similarities and differences B: check for understanding in group interactions B: contribute responsibly to group efforts.
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NPSC text Conservation math: Calculate the savings from switching from one energy source to another. NPSC text Conservation Lab: competition to design the most energy conserving jacket for cups of hot water. Suggestion: Advanced lesson: Create a pictorial or physical (topographic) model using dams, watersheds, and hydroelectric output. Introduce mathematics appropriate to the grade level. Introduce related topics for discussion:
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The Power Game – next page |
The power game uses all of the knowledge gained in the prior lessons. Teams of students compete and present their views on power resource alternatives, conservation and public policy. The communication – advocacy aspects of the benchmarks are addressed here: See Communication 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1 and 4.2 | |
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Section 3 The Power Game The Power Game is the last chapter in the Northwest Power System Curriculum. It gives students a chance to discuss and debate power generation scenarios using the knowledge they have acquired in the previous lessons. The students form teams which operate power companies. The teams are faced with decisions reflecting the real world: economics, environment, government, consumers, weather and technology. Each team discusses its options and tries to reach a consensus on what strategy to proceed with as it supplies electrical energy. The teacher can decide how and to what degree success should be measured; the real goal is to precipitate a lively discussion of the myriad conflicts and choices made in the power industry. There are 2 versions of the game: The Power Game and the Power Board Game. Game pieces: Power Resource Cards (showing Purchases price, power output and annual operating cost), current event cards, dice, recording sheets, "Pass cards," siting tokens and power system map. A game board is supplied for the Power board Game. The Power Game - This set of instructions has a practice game and 2 simpler versions of the game which can be used to build skills before playing the full simulation of the game. The Power Game has these basic rules:
The Power Board Game.
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