This day was filled with research and lively discussions pertaining to both issues related to electrical grids and a deeper understanding of how electrical currents work.  While most of this day was directed around texts, online articles, and jointly recording our thinking and questions for further consultation, we did find the opportunity to get “active” at sub-atomic level with a couple of modeling games.

We returned to the blackout events of the Northeast in 2003 to more fully reason about the issues, points of view of different stakeholders, assumptions, implications, and goals for handling future events.  What can be learned about the grid system used at that time?  Was the grid obsolete?  Are current systems vulnerable in some regions of our nation or world? What are the considerations for prioritizing power restoration?  What root causes of this event illustrate both the positive and negative aspects of interdependent systems? Here is an article from the BBC that you might consider to further discuss with your child.

Additionally, students continue to observe models that decrease ratio and scale for design purposes, as well as models that increase ratio and scale for conceptualizing very small events.  While we can’t see how electrons move differently in direct current and alternating currents, we can act out the function.  This was a fun game, and we were supercharged to know that even the “big kid” PhD scientists in the field find fun ways to model and explore their complex understanding of how electrons move.  We only skipped through the highlights due to the advanced content, but you might enjoy this article and video presentation as well!

Finally, after researching as many of our questions ourselves, we made a list of questions for an expert.  Many thanks to Jason Cauthen, System Supervisor System Control, of Nashville Electric Service for agreeing to interact with us by providing information for our lessons and answering our questions.  We are excited and much appreciative his past and future assistance!

We only have two more sessions, but we look forward to every minute!

Mrs. Byrd