Greetings! Welcome to Mr. Wagner’s Class Energy Blog. We are a grade 5 class from Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, Canada. We are
passionate about making a difference in the world in many ways including
helping the planet. We searched
for articles online related to energy issues that interested us. We read the article and then shared
what we learned in the blog posts below. Thanks for
reading our entries and please leave comments.
Sincerely,
Mr. Wagner’s Grade 5 Class
Hydroelectric Power-How it work’s
Blog posting by Kaden and Dillon
We read a news article that said how hydroelectric
power works. So how do we get
electricity out of water? Read our
blog posting to find out.
Actually, hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants produce electricity in a similar way. In both cases a power source is used to turn a propeller-like piece called a turbine which then turns a metal shaft in an electric generator, which is the motor that produces electricity.
A dam is built on a large river that has a large drop in elevation. The dam stores lots of water behind it in the reservoir. Near the bottom of the dam there is a water intake. Gravity causes it to fall through the penstock in the dam. At the end of the penstock there is a turbine propeller that is moved by the moving water. The shaft from the turbine goes up into the generator which produces the power. Power lines are connected from the generator that carries electricity to your home.
We think that hydroelectric power is a great idea because it does not waste water and it is a renewable energy source. There is a dam in Saskatoon where we live. There has been talk about creating a hydro electric project there. Read more on our cities website to find out: http://www.saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/Utility%20Services/Saskatoon%20Light%20and%20Power/powergenerationinitiatives/Pages/ProposedHydropowerGenerationatWeir.aspx
One concern about using hydroelectric power is that when the dam is being built it changes the water level and that affects wildlife and plants.
Sources of
Energy
Blog
post by: Nathan and Owen
We read a news article called Sources of Energy. In this article we learned that there are two groups of energy, renewable and non-renewable. In Canada, lots of our energy comes from coal, uranium, and natural gases. These energy sources are for electricity, to heat our homes, and move our cars. These are non-renewable resources because they are limited. Renewable energy sources include biomass, solar energy, and wind energy. They are called renewable energy sources because they are naturally replenished every day. We use renewable energy sources mainly to make electricity. Electricity and hydrogen are different from the other energy sources because they are secondary energy sources. Coal is the #1 energy source for generating electricity in Canada.
We thought learning about Sources of Energy was very interesting. It impacted us because it influenced us to save energy in our own lives. It was fun to learn about. We hope you enjoyed reading our blog post.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Blog
post by: Makena, Brea and Mackenzie
R&R&R stands for reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce means to use something less. Reuse means to use something over again. To recycle means to break something down and make a new product. Reduce, reusing and recycling is a great way to save energy!
Practice the 3 R’s to help the environment. You will decrease pollution and help the Earth. It hurts and wrecks the environment when we use up natural resources. When you R&R&R you realize that a little change can make a big difference. If you do this, you can inspire others to do the same. When we work together we can change the world! Have a great day and we hope you liked our post.
Harness the Power of Wind
By: Makenna
S. and Kenton W.
Today, my friend and I read an article about Harnessing the Power of Wind. In this article we learned 5 different things about Harnessing the Power of Wind and here they are.
As the wind blows over the turbine’s blades they
create ‘’lift’’, much like an airplane’s wing, and begin to turn.
Low-Speed Shaft
The spinning rotor blades turn this shaft 30 to 60
times every minute.
Gear Box
The
gears in this box connect the low-speed shaft with a high-speed shaft that
drives the generator. The gears
also boost the rotation speed of the high-speed shaft to 1000 to 1800 rotations
per minute.
High-Speed Shaft
This
rapidly spinning shaft drives the generator to produce electric power.
Generator
The
generator’s electrical output is connected to the larger electrical grid.
Using
wind energy is a great way to protect the environment. In Saskatoon where we live some
organization are experimenting with wind power. You can search online to learn more about wind energy and
how it works. Thank you for reading
our post.
~~~Solar Energy~~~
A blog post by:
Catherine, Olivia, and Alissa
Today, we read an article about Solar Energy and we learned that it heats water, spaces, and fluids. The main benefits of Solar Energy is that it does not pollute or produce carbon dioxide. When solar panels are located on buildings, they have very small impact on the environment. The sun has made energy for billions of years. Solar energy is the sun’s rays that reach the earth. This energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and electricity.
I think that solar energy is a good idea. It powers stuff without polluting the Earth. Whoever came up with SOLAR ENERGY is a GENUIS and should get lots of credit because they invented a way to power stuff without hurting the EARTH J -Alissa
~~~I think that one day the EARTH will be a better place because of solar energy and we can make a difference to change the world. The people who created solar energy have played a big part in human history. Each one of us can also play a HUGE part in the world by saving the environment.~~~ - Catherine
I think that the Earth will have no
pollution someday. If we work
together I believe that we can
save the environment, save the earth, and save ourselves! JJ - Olivia
Geothermal Energy
A blog post by Audrey and Tia
We read an article about Geothermal Energy
Geothermal Energy is found in large
areas of hydrothermal resources are called geothermal reservoirs. Most geothermal sources are deep
underground with no visible clues showing above ground. But geothermal energy
sometimes finds its way to the surface in the form of:
v Volcanoes
v Hot springs
v Geysers
Most Geothermal Resources Are Near Plate Boundaries. The most active geothermal resources are normally found along major plate barrier where earthquakes and volcanoes are concentrated. Most of the geothermal activity in the world occurs in an area called the Ring of Fire. This area surrounds the Pacific Ocean.
Using geothermal energy has both pros and cons that need to be considered before using it.
Energy and
the Environment
Blog Post by Meadow and Elly
Today we read a news article about Energy and the Environment. In this article we learned that mining and using energy sources has different effects on the environment. Some of these effects include emissions (a substance emptied into the air), waste, and polluted water.
Once when I was driving to Edmonton I was taking a nap. I woke up, looked out the window and saw enormous oil pumps. At first, I didn’t really know what they were then my mom told me that they were oil pumps and that’s when I figured out that something was wrong. The air is being polluted by vehicles, factories, and buildings everywhere. Our world is turning into a giant dump. So that day until today, I try to be as environmentally smart as much as possible.-Meadow
After I read this article I was like, “This is bad.” I figured out that we use energy everywhere. If mining the oil and coal isn’t bad enough, the machines digging that stuff up is polluting the air also. All of us need to do everything we can to help the environment everyday -Elly
Wind Energy Basics
By:
Lindsey and Lexie
Today, we read a news article about Wind Energy Basics. In this article we learned that wind energy is used with Windmills. Windmills have been around for more than 9,000 years. People have used them to power their ships, pump water from wells, and to cool their homes. But today, we have wind turbines that use the force of wind. A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into electrical power.
We think that it is a great idea that some people are now using wind energy instead of fossil fuel energy. Using wind turbines can decrease money on your electrical bill and will reduce damage to the environment. We encourage you to use wind energy instead of fossil fuel energy if possible. One drawback of using wind energy is that wind turbines can cost a lot of money. Thank-you!
Saving Energy
Today we read about a news article on Saving Energy. In the article, we learned that all of us use energy for transportation, cooking, heating and cooling rooms, lighting, and entertainment. The choices we make about how we use energy are important. By turning machines off when you are not using them or buying energy efficient appliances we can impact the environment and our lives. There many things we can do to use less energy and to use it wisely. It`s starts with little things such as turning a light off when we`re not in a room or turning out cars off when we`re stopped.
Anyways, we believe that you should be energy efficient and an energy conserver. If we do we can save the environment!
Using and Saving Energy for Transportation
Blog post by Matthew M and Matthew C
Today we read an article on using and saving energy for transportation.
Here’s what we learned…
About 28% of the energy we use goes to transportation. 93% of the energy used in transportation is used in petroleum. Petroleum is used in gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel.
It is very surprising that 93% of the energy used in transportation is used in petroleum. We suspected that the energy used by transportation would be about the same. At first, we thought it was surprising but after we thought about it we realized that it wasn’t.
We`re going to try to start walking and biking whenever we can instead of driving.
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