Lesson Phenomena: Converting the Power of Waves
Share Pacific Marine Energy Center image.
Students share their noticing and any wonderings about the image and answer questions as the class discussed how the power of waves could make electricity for a community.
Learning Goals:
- Students will be able to use scientific and engineering approaches to problem solving.
- Students will be able to describe how waves can be used for energy, and different devices that can be used depending on the ocean environment (nearshore or offshore).
- Students will be able to identify ways to change the devices design to be more economically feasible.
Materials List
Group Supplies
- Clear plastic tubing (recommend 1″ diameter, 6″ long)
- Fishing bobbers (example)
- 36 AWG magnetic wire (example)
- Red LEDs (example)
- Command hook (example)
- Fishing line
- Sand paper
- 20mm*3mm magnet (example)
- Suction cup
- Rubber band
- Magnetic hook (example)
- Plastic disks to hold wire on the tube
- Foam/pool noodle/Styrofoam
- Tank: minimum 16″x23″x14″
- Paddle: flat rectangle used to make waves in the tank
- Tape
Important Links
- Lesson Plan
- Phenomenon Image: Pacific Marine Energy Center
- Pacific Marine Energy Center
- Presentation Slide Set
- Driving Question Board
- What is an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)?
- Video: This Spine Like Floating Device Can Convert Wave Power into Electricity
- Video: CalWave Launches California’s First Long-Term Wave Energy Project
- Video: A Window into the Future of Wave Energy
- Video: PelaGen – Advanced wave energy converter
- European Marine Energy – Wave Devices
- Wave Energy Education Project