Phenomena: Puerto Rico in the hurricane Maria aftermath
Examine the conditions in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria to understand the needs that existed in this situation and how our understanding of chemistry and energy resources can help one become more prepared for natural disasters.
Next Generation Science Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (Table Standards) * Note there is a spacer of 15 px after this table.
| NGSS Performance Expectations | How is this Assessed? |
| MS-PS1-1: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. | L2: Students will use drawings and 3D models to represent atoms, molecules, and crystalline structures. Students will be assessed on their explanation of how the model accurately represents these structures as we understand them to exist, while differentiating them from how these structures function in reality. |
| MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. | L3: Students will compare and contrast properties of fuels and water in the context of survival settings before and after interactions to classify processes as physical or chemical changes. |
| MS-PS1-5: Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved. | L3: Students will analyze chemical reactions for combustion reactions, both mathematically and with manipulatives, to illustrate that the same atoms exist before and after the chemical change(s) occur. |
| MS-PS1-4: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed. | L2: Students engage in collaborative inquiry to characterize the changes in temperature when water is heated, particularly in the context of cooking and sterilization. |
| MS-PS1-3: Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society. | L4: Students describe the process of obtaining energy from PV cells, evaluating the impact on societies to both harness and use solar energy. |
| MS-PS1-6: Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes. | L5: Students, design, construct, test, evaluate, and redesign a hand warmer device to meet criteria and constraints. |
| MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions | L5: Gain sufficient background knowledge to define the criteria and constraints of the problem. L5: Present mathematical evidence that the proposed device will generate thermal energy in the required range. |
| MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. | L5: Systematically compare results for different iterations of the hand warmer to select the design features that best meet the criteria. |
| MS-ETS1-3 Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success. | L5: Complete two full iterations of the engineering design cycle to create chemical hand warmers, comparing the costs and benefits of each in regard to meeting the criteria for success. |
| MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved. | L5: Design a testing procedure for a chemical hand warmer to produce data that can be used to evaluate the device’s effectiveness. |
Lesson 1: When the Grid Goes Down and Stays Down
Through an examination of media published in the five months following Hurricane Maria in 2017, students will develop an understanding of the electrical grid, the vulnerabilities of a grid system, and the immediate and long-term challenges of living without an electrical grid. This lesson will lay the foundation for the rest of the unit, establishing emergency energy sources and disaster resilience as the anchoring phenomena for the unit.
Lesson 2: Developing a Model of Thermal Energy, Atoms, and Molecules
Through a series of exploration and inquiry activities, students will explain kinetic molecular theory, atomic, and molecular structures. Students will be challenged to gradually increase the precision of their explanation of molecular-level structures and motion. This lesson facilitates the students’ development of an evidence-based argument through collaboration.
Lesson 3: Fuels and PV Cells
Students will return to the phenomena of energy resources to support safety, health, and comfort in an emergency situation. They will distinguish between how common materials provide energy and develop an understanding of how the atomic and molecular structure of the resource differs and leads to different optimal applications of the resource in an emergency situation. Students will evaluate, edit, and justify the items on an emergency preparedness supply list as a summative assessment.
Lesson 4: Research and Evaluate the Impact on the Environment and Society of Converting Natural Resources into PV Cells
Students will engage in guided research to explore resource acquisition, material processing, and electricity generation associated with photovoltaic cells. Opportunity for differentiation exists in the level of assistance in guiding the research, the language and reading level of the texts, the depth of research, and the product expected. The lesson plan is developed for assessing research notes and expression of understanding during a Socratic seminar, but one could easily adapt this research opportunity to meet writing requirements for a co-curricular collaboration. This lesson also provides an opportunity to shorten or lengthen the designated time by adjusting the scope of the research project.
Lesson 5: Engineering a Hot Pack
Through a series of inquiry activities, students will discover the properties of the chemical reaction of dissolving CaCl2 in water, the effect of stirring, and of adding baking soda and sodium polyacrylate crystals. Once initial data is collected, students will share preliminary data through the collaborative inquiry gallery walk protocol practiced in Lesson 2, test a second iteration of their design, and propose an optimized design to meet specified criteria.