Part of Lesson Plan: Introduction to Alternative Fuels (updated) by Richard Rodman

Activity Overview / Details

NOTE: This next portion of the course is important for effective communication and connecting with the students. In this portion of the course, you are seeking to understand the reason(s) the students enrolled in the course. Directed instruction will work most effectively when you meet the needs/desires of the majority of the student population. Your goal as the teacher in this portion is to discover WHY these students have enrolled in your class.

Begin lesson segment:

Most individuals have opinions about motivations for Alternative Fuels. Seek to understand the reason(s) the students have enrolled in your class. Do this by leading an interactive discussion about these key elements; do not limit the discussion to these, but use them as a springboard to launch the discussion.

1. Political views of the “wars for oil”; show the political cartoon of hybrid here

2. Global-warming; go to www.fueleconomy.gov and discuss carbon footprint

3. Sustainability; all alternative fuels have two common components; cleaner (less emissions) than gasoline AND renewable sources

IMPORTANT NOTE: you as the teacher would be well-served to pay close attention to the above discussion; there are many different reasons why individuals are interested in this emerging field; presenting material that aligns best with student interests will most likely provide enduring interest in the topic (make your class fun and engaging).

Following the introduction/information-seeking discussion, hand out Chapter 35 of Automotive Technology, A Systems Approach, by Jack Erjavec (Delmar/Cengage Learning, 2010). Inform the students this will be the reference material for the next 4-hours of the course (in the Intro to Alt Fuels class that I teach, this is two, 2-hour lecture sections).

Additionally, the review questions at the end of the chapter will serve as the homework assignment. Students who wish to receive additional knowledge and extra-credit may complete the "ASE-Style Review Questions" in addition to the "Review Questions," found at the end of the Chapter 35 handout.