Course Syllabus

Clean Energy Technology: Systems (Course 1) Syllabus

 

Instructor: Amanda Mims                                                     Room: 404                                              

Email: amanda.mims@ucps.k12.nc.us                            Phone: 704-764-2900 (Ext. 3334)  

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course focuses on training students in the foundational concepts of alternative energy production and natural resource efficiency.  The Clean Energy Systems course requires students to engage in authentic and realistic work assignments they might encounter in the workplace.  Students will be engaged in a variety of challenging projects designed to prepare them for the workforce and for a variety of options for training and college after high school. The course will require the completion of varied learning activities that apply both technical and academic—reading, writing, mathematics and science—knowledge and skills to complete complex workplace-related projects. Students will regularly collect, interpret, and analyze data from numerous sources as well as acquire technical background information, prepare written journals, and make reflective oral presentations.

 

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE:

Enrollment in the Clean Energy Systems course carries the expectation that you plan to continue in the Advanced Career Clean Energy Technology sequence of courses.  The sequence is as follows:

      Course 2: Clean Energy Technology – Applications

     Course 3: Clean Energy Technology – Strategies                         

     Course 4: Clean Energy Technology – Innovations

 

*Students must earn a passing grade in this course to continue the Clean Energy Technology pathway.

 

MATERIALS:

  • 3 ring binder (at least 1”)
  • Calculator with scientific notation and logarithmic function (graphing is fine)
  • Pencils and Blue or Black pens 

 

MAJOR CURRICULAR TOPICS & PROJECT TITLES:

     Project 1:  Motors & Generators

     Project 2:  Solar Panel Design & Manufacturing                       

     Project 3:  Solar Hot Water Heater                                           

     Project 4:  Biodiesel & Sustainability

     Project 5:  Wind Turbine Blade Design

     Project 6:  Drip Irrigation

 

GRADING SYSTEM:

The grading system for Union County Schools:

        A        90 – 100

        B        80 – 89

        C        70 – 79

        D        60 – 69

        F          0 – 59                                                * Grade of 59 or below is considered failing.

 

Categories

  • 50% Major Assignments
    • Unit Tests
    • End of Project Assessments
    • Project Presentations
  • 30% Minor Assignments
    • Quizzes
    • Classwork/Homework
    • Notebook
  • 20% Employability Evaluations
    • Attendance/Punctuallity
    • Teamwork/Cooperation
    • Communication/Safety

 

Students will primarily work in teams of two or three members.  Each student is expected to complete individual assignments related to the team’s work. Just like teams in the workplace, Clean Energy Technology - Systems team members are collectively and individually responsible for the success of the overall project and for each member on the team mastering related academic and technical content. Students will be asked to participate in the evaluation of their own work as well as other’s work using scoring guidelines provided by the instructor.

Parents will be informed of student achievement through graded work, progress reports, and 6-week report cards.  Phone calls may be made to parents periodically if needed.  I highly recommend students and their parents/guardians regularly check in to student progress/grades through the PowerSchool Parent Portal system found on the district website, where you and your parents can check grades and overall progress in this course.

Since employers, customers and the public expect employees to take responsibility for doing things correctly and timely, as Clean Energy Technology - Systems students, you will be held to high expectations regarding quality of work and personal behavior. You are expected to arrive to class on time with all necessary materials and are expected to take advantage of opportunities to redo major assignments until they meet standards, which may sometimes require before or after school tutoring and academic assistance sessions.

 

 MISSED WORK:

All assignments that are missed due to illness or other reasons must be made-up with two weeks of the absence. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain all missed assignments and make-up work upon return to school. Most make-up work will require students to come before or after school to get caught up. Please plan to cancel or reschedule all extra-curricular, athletic, or club-related activities and place academic make-up work as the highest priority. Any work that is not completed after two weeks of the absence will be recorded as a zero.  Since many of the projects require several class days, completion due dates are FIRM and late assignments will not be accepted for credit.

 

THE ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK:

Students will be required to keep an updated Engineering Notebook for the duration of this course. This bound journal contains all written documentation as a student progresses through the research, design, and implementation of the course projects. The notebook will contain ideas, notes, data, observations, calculations, sources, and other relevant information concerning the experiment being conducted or project being created. A handout detailing the guidelines of the Engineering Notebook will be given to students during first week of class, so that it may be referenced throughout the semester.

 

PLAGARISM

The Academic Honesty Policy is being implemented to ensure that students submit credible work that is evident of their content mastery. Students should seek to be totally honest in their dealings with others. They should complete their own work and be evaluated based upon its originality. They should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.

 

STANDARDS:

Standards for this course are taken from National Science Standards, English Language Arts Common Core College & Career-Readiness Standards, Mathematics Common Core College & Career-Readiness Standards, Career and Technical Standards, Standards for 21st Century Skills, and Standards for All Aspects of Industry Attributes and are available upon request.

 

GENERAL POLICIES:

    CLASSROOM/ LABORATORY RULES:

  1. Be Here! Do what you know is right!
  2. Bring all classroom materials and a good attitude to class with you each day.
  3. Be ready to learn when the bell rings.
  4. Respect yourself, your classmates, and your school.
  5. Wear your safety equipment at all required times. (close-toed shoes, lab coat, eye protection)
  6. Do not speak out of turn - Raise your hand if you would like to speak.
  7. No food, drink, candy, or gum in classroom or laboratory.
  8. Computers and other electronic devices are not to be used during class without permission from your instructor.
  9. Display personal integrity at all times – Be honest and do not plagiarize.
  10. Pull your own weight! We will be doing a lot of group work – do your part as you would in a professional facility.

 

     Consequences of Non-compliance

  1. Verbal Warning
  2. Teacher – Student Conference after Class
  3. Parent notification (email or phone call)
  4. Office Referral
  • Immediate parent phone call or office referral may be needed for extreme disrespect, cheating, fighting, profanity, disruptions, or any other major infractions.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due