Educational Materials
Posted on Jan 14, 2009 in Uncategorized | Comments Off
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FERMENTATION ACTIVITIES
SUSTAINABILITY ACTIVITIES
GENERAL INFORMATIONAL HANDOUTS AND VIDEOS
MATERIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Fermentation In A Bag Activity
This is a demonstration table or interactive activity that GLBRC has done at family-style outreach events such as Science Expeditions at UW-Madison. It appeals to a range of younger children, about ages 5-14 or grades K-8. Prep time and set-up are minimal, and students can carry around their portable experiment if desired. This activity can also be easily adapted for classroom use.
Supporting Material:
Fermentation Bag Labels: Formatted for Avery Label Template 5163
Grassoline: Driving Away From Corn Poster
Fermentation Challenge: Making Ethanol from Cellulose
This high school-level lab demonstration and activity will introduce students to the process of fermenting cellulosic biomass into cellulosic ethanol, along with the challenges researchers face in this area. The demonstration uses a Vernier probe or balloons to measure fermentation rates of different feedstocks to begin the discussion of why some carbohydrates are easily fermented by yeast while others are not. Students can design and carry out their own labs to try to improve fermentation rates of various feedstocks.
Mini-Fermenter Instructions
This technical college or college-level material includes instructions for building and experimenting with a laboratory-style fermenter. The minifermenter may be used to run demonstrations or experiments in a classroom. This material is adapted from Madison Area Technical College.
This activity focuses on global energy that is related to human activities. It steps through where this energy comes from (sources); how it used; how it flows from these sources to uses; and what the corresponding losses are. An emphasis is placed on student development of questions in regards to these energy flows. Further detail on global bioenergy is provided. The target audience is high school students and undergraduates. This document is currently under revision through Fall 2009, please check back for updates and changes.
Supporting material:
Global Energy Flows: Abbreviated Version
Global Energy Flows PowerPoint
Energy Flows Data Set
Biomass Energy Flows Data Set
Energy Consumption by Source Raw Data
IPCC Chapter 4: Energy Supply from IPCC
Biofuels Sustainability: Assessing energy and carbon balance
This high school/introductory college-level activity considers the sustainability of different transportation fuels. Students are introduced to the concept of a life cycle assessment, focusing on energy and carbon cycling for corn and cellulosic ethanol and gasoline production systems.
Supporting materials:
PowerPoint of Life Cycle Assessment for Energy
PowerPoint of Life Cycle Assessment for Carbon
Video: Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuel Energy
Video: Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon in Biofuel Production
Script of Energy PowerPoint and video
Script of Carbon PowerPoint and video
Walk through the Biofuels Life Cycle Assessment Activity
Life Cycle Assessment Process Tool and Answer Key
Carbon Sequestration in Soils (PDF)- Adapted from Ecological Society of America.
Carbon Dioxide Production in Soil Microbial Communities
This high-school level lab and its supporting materials help students quantify how soil microbes such as bacteria and fungi are involved in carbon cycling, and to consider the impact of agricultural soil management on carbon cycling and climate change. After initial discussion and observations, students will design and carry out their own labs that allow them to explore the relationship between microbial respiration and soil variables such as temperature, habitat, soil type, and fertilizer application. Sample data contains 4 tabs with data for nutrients and time, temperature, habitat, and Vernier probe data.
Supporting material:
Soil Microbes Presentation (PDF)
Sample Data
Carbon Sequestration in Soils (PDF)
Photographic sequence of lab set-up (PDF)
Predicting Soil Respiration – This one page activity can be used alone or in conjunction with the soil sampling activity. This provides an unlabeled graph of data from 4 different habitats and asks students to describe which bar must correspond with each habitat.
Dig it! The Secrets of Soil, Greenhouse Gas Calculator (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History)
The Biodiversity Front Newsletter:
Volume 1, Issue 1 – Fall 2008
Volume 1, Issue 2 – Spring 2009
GENERAL INFORMATIONAL HANDOUTS AND VIDEOS:
Why is it so difficult to create cellulosic ethanol?
A four page handout that discusses the difficulties in creating cellulosic ethanol. Appropriate for high school and college students.
Video: What is cellulose and how is it used to make ethanol?
Center Overview
A document outlining the areas of research for GLBRC. It defines the areas being investigated, the departments, and the partners of GLBRC.
Bioenergy 101 – Common Vocabulary
A list of words commonly heard while discussing bioenergy with definitions.
Development of a Sustainable Bioenergy Economy
An short intro about developing practices that are economically viable and environmentally responsible.
This figures covers the process to convert biofuels into ethanol. It is short and to the point and would be appropriate for middle and high school students.
A figure that shows a simplified pathway from the microbial fermentation to your gas tank. It also includes images of the location of cellulose and a short intro about how cellulose can be used as fuel.
Bioenergy Bibliography With Annotations (PDF)
A list of sources created especially for educators. Includes helpful websites and articles with materials for many different age groups.
A printable version of the contents of this educational materials page.
A printable description of the videos on this website.
About GLBRC Education and Outreach
A one page document detailing our mission, resources, and projects. Also contains contact information for our staff.
MATERIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY:
Part 1: From Biomass to Cellulosic Ethanol. Depicts the process used to convert biomass (plant matter) into cellulosic ethanol and the improvements needed to optimize these processes. Downloadable 11″ x 17″ PDF, Browser-Friendly HTML Version
Part 2: Understanding Biomass: Plant Cell Walls. Explains plant cell-wallstructure and some issues preventing their efficient conversion to ethanol.Downloadable 11″ x 17″ PDF, Accompanying preamble PDF, Browser-Friendly HTML Version
CONTACT US:For more information on GLBRC Education and Outreach programs:Phone: (608) 890-2828
Email: education@glbrc.wisc.edu
Mailing address:
University of Wisconsin
GLBRC Education & Outreach
445 Henry Mall, Suite 506
Madison, WI 53706
