Fuels+Webquest

= __ Alternative Fuels Vehicle Webquest __ __ "Driving Into the Future" __ =

 Within the next year or two, each of you will be joining the driving public. Most of you probably have a good idea of what type of car you want to drive for that important first car. If you are anything like me it's a huge wish list. I would imagine that of all of the things you are looking for, you didn't even for a second think about what type of fuel that car will use as a source of power, am I right? What would happen if we woke up tomorrow and we suddenly lost our supply of oil from the middle east? Or if we just realized that all of the oil that we thought was there, really wasn't. In this Webquest, we take that idea and look at what the future of driving might look like! An Important message from the President of the United States of America To my special committee members, With consumers paying record high prices at the gas pumps, the time has come for our great nation to take our technological might and move forward. I have visions of a day when our great citizens will not be held prisoner by the world oil fields and gasoline companies. With goal in mind, I have selected each of you to be members of a special Blue Ribbon Committee with the goal of selecting a new fuel source for many years to come. I have placed the future of this countries transportation system in our hands, don't let me down. Sincerely,

The President of the United States

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 Your group's task will be to select two different types of fuel sources that might be used in the future to power the cars that you will be driving. Once you have conducted your research, you will then select the one fuel that you think will be the best for our nation to drive into the future. Your chief engineer will then design a prototype vehicle that uses your group's fuel selection. You might want to take a small consumer survey of people to see what the consumer opinion is of your vehicle to build your case. Then you will present your findings to the president in a formal presentation using a PowerPoint show or some other format. I wish you all the best of luck, your nation needs you, Mrs. Green, Secretary of the Department of Energy Introduction l Task l Process l Evaluation l Conclusion

 To the team, As you should already be able to tell, you have a very important job that has been entrusted to you. This issue is more than just a matter of saving in the environment, or a few dollars at the gas pump. In today's world economy, this issue is also one of national security and defense. Standing at the beginning of the 21st century, we see before us, an era when we can change the course of transportation history. Even to this day, we are driving cars that have engine designs that are over 100 years old. In that same amount of time, air travel has gone from a small one person airplane flying a few seconds, to jets that go three times the speed of sound. The time has come for a revolution in the automotive industry. In this project you will find out what you may be driving in the future. Your group will need to conduct research on at least two different types of fuel sources currently under development. The president would want to know how each of your fuel sources are produced into the final product. For example, modern gasoline is refined from crude oil taken from wells drilled underground. In addition, he wants to know how this fuel works to power your vehicle, and how soon this technology will be ready for use. Some of these fuels will be ready for commercial use in a matter of years, some are ready now, and a few need a bit more study before they can even be considered. Once you have completed your research, select which one of the two your group thinks will be the best alternative fuel for the nation to use. Support your group's opinion with facts from your research and then design a vehicle, from the future, that is powered by your fuel. How does your car compare to the modern cars on the road today in terms of size, power, fuel economy, impact to the environmental, and other facts your group feels to be important. __

The fuels- select one from each column: __
 * = Electricity ||= Bio-Diesel ||
 * = Solar Energy ||= Ethanol ||
 * = Hydrogen Fuel Cell ||= Methanol ||
 * = Gasoline/Electric Hybrid ||= Natural Gas ||
 * =  ||= P-Series ||
 * =  ||= Propane ||

Once you have a design drawn out, conduct a brief consumer survey on what people think about your design and the idea of alternative fuels. This should help your team understand many of the problems facing these new technologies. As you can imagine, changing the entire nation to this new fuel will not happen over-night. Therefore, your group will need to make a minimum of three suggestions to improve the fuel economy of modern vehicles in the mean time. Your final project will be presented to the Congressional Committee on Renewable Energy (the class), and the President himself (Mr. Shiffer)! Your presentation can be completed using anything from posters and charts, to PowerPoints presentations. **Although every group member is expected to help with every part of the project, selecting roles for each group member might help to ensure that all of the work is getting completed. Suggested roles: ** __Head of Research and Development__- Oversees the research and makes sure all of the questions in the project are being answered properly. __Chief Engineer__-You are in charge of design and operation of the vehicle, if someone has a question about the fuel economy or pollution emitted, you have the answer. __Media consultant__- It is your job to sell the presentation to the public and the president. You will oversee the Public opinion survey, and make your presentation look its best. The following websites should be helpful in completing your research:  Government Link on Fuel Economy:

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 In determining your grade for this project, I will be using the rubric shown below. As you are working on your presentation, make sure you are including all of this information in a clearly understandable format.


 * ||  || 5 ||   || 3 ||   || 1 ||


 * ** Research on **
 * Alternative Energy Sources ** ||  || Your group thoroughly explains how the fuels are produced and how they power the vehicle, including their current status in development. Your group has sited several advantages and disadvantages for each of your fuel sources. ||   || Your group adequately explains how the fuels are produced and how they power the vehicle, including their current status in development. Your group has sited a few advantages and disadvantages for each of your fuel sources. ||   || Your group moderately explains how the fuels are produced and how they power the vehicle, including their current status in development. Your group has sited 1 advantage and disadvantage for each of your fuel sources. ||


 * ** Vehicle Design, Environmental Impacts and Public Opinion ** ||  || In the presentation, your group highlights the several environmental impacts widespread use of this fuel might bring (good and bad). You have drawn a design for a new vehicle (or modified an existing car). Finally, your group has taken the vehicle design to the public and gotten the opinion of a minimum of 5 people outside of this class. ||   || In the presentation, your group highlights the few environmental impacts widespread use of this fuel might bring (good and bad). You have drawn a design for a new vehicle (or modified an existing car). Finally, your group has taken the vehicle design to the public and gotten the opinion of a minimum of 3 people outside of this class. ||   || In the presentation, your group highlights an environmental impact widespread use of this fuel might bring (good or bad). You have drawn a design for a new vehicle (or modified an existing car). Little input from public was gathered. ||


 * ** Group work and Presentation ** ||  || All of the group members showed great teamwork to achieve all of the goals and objectives of the project. Your presentation is very neat and easy to follow manner. Your group's fuel choice is well supported by all of your research and public opinion results. The president would follow what ever you suggest. ||   || All of the group members showed some elements of teamwork to achieve most of the goals and objectives of the project. Your presentation is presentable and most people can understand your message. Your group's fuel choice is supported by all of your research and public opinion results. The president wants more information but likes what you have so far. ||   || Your group really didn't work that well together. Your presentation is not very neat and is hard to follow. Your group's fuel choice seems to be done randomly and is not supported by your research. You have very little public opinion results. The president is not willing to go with your findings. ||

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 I wish all of you the best in completing your project. I hope you really enjoy working on this and have and let your imagination run wild. This is your chance to change the course of history, where any answer is the right answer as long as you can support it in the eyes of the president. While your working, keep in mind that you are answering the same questions and making the same decisions that real engineers and politicians are making at this very moment.

Introduction l Task l Process l Evaluation l Conclusion

This webquest was designed to meet the following Pennsylvania Academic Standards: Science and Technology: Environment and Ecology: 4.2.10.A.1 - 4.2.10.B.1 - 4.2.10.B.2 - 4.2.10.B.3 - 4.2.10.C.1