Module 3: Move
I orea te tuatara ka patu ki waho – A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions
Aotearoa has many incredible electricity sources – but once it’s generated, how does it get to where it needs to go?
In this module, you’ll learn all about electricity’s journey through the National Grid. Then, you’ll create some electricity magic and make a wind turbine!
Move
Remember the three steps in the great journey of electricity? Move is step number two.
Now that we’ve generated electricity, we need to move it all over the country so it can reach our hapori.
In Aotearoa, we rely on a special power system to connect generated electricity, to the hapori that use it. It’s called, the National Grid.
Gene's back to give us the lowdown:
Video transcript: Move – electricity's journey
Great grid race
Did you whakarongo closely to the steps in electricity’s journey?
Collaborate with your rōpū to piece together how electricity travels from the turbines in the Tararua Ranges, to the toaster in your whare.
Activity 3.1: Great grid race
Can your rōpū arrange electricity’s journey in the right order, speedier than the rest? Game on.
Ngohe 3.1: Te tauwhaiwhai pūnaha ā-hiko
Ka tere ake i ētahi atu te whakaraupapa tika a tō rōpū i te ara haere o te hiko? Kia rite mai.
Create
To get connected to the National Grid, you’ll need to continue with the engineering design process. Rōpū, get ready to bring your designs to life and create a wind turbine prototype!
What’s a prototype?
A prototype is a simple model that lets you test out an idea. Just like an engineer, you can use your prototype to test how your turbine will work and then make changes to improve it.
Lewis and Cha Cha are back to help you get started:
Video transcript: Create
Activity 3.2: Create
Collect your materials and follow the instructions to create your wind turbine prototype!
Ngohe 3.2: Waihanga
Kohia ō rawa, ā whāia ngā tohutohu ki te hanga i tō tauira whakamātau mō tō kapohau.
Test
The test stage of the engineering design process will show you whether your turbine design works, and if there are any ways it could be improved.
Time to test
To make sure your prototype is fit to power a town, you’re going to perform two tests.
- A functionality test to make sure the turbine spins, and that the blades are balanced and secure.
- Then, you’ll power up your prototype by connecting it to a printed circuit board, and testing it against a fan to see how many lights you can turn on.
Remember – you can’t get out more energy than you are putting in. This means, the more efficiently your turbine works, the more lights switch on.
You’re going to observe and record what happens during testing to form a set of data on your prototype’s performance.
Activity 3.3: Time to test
Perform two tests on your turbine to determine whether it’s ready to brave the winds and power up your town.
Ngohe 3.3: Whakamātautau
Mahia ētahi whakamātau e rua i tō kapohau kia kite ai mēnā ka kaha tonu i te pupuhi a te hau, mēnā ka whakahiko rānei i te tāone.
Reminder!
Make sure you find a light source to use in the next module – this could be a desk lamp, or a strong torch.
Tools down!
Mīharo. Today you:
- Discovered the National Grid
- Competed in the great grid race
- Continued the engineering design process
- Created your turbine prototype
- Tested your turbine prototype