Adventure: Facing the Frozen Tundra
Quest: Lights Out
Engineering Concept: Electrical Circuits
Challenge Level: Difficult
What is the problem?
Flynn is in Canada on Baffin Island so her parents can help with a climate change study. They are so far north that the sun doesn’t come up during the winter months. Flynn needs to walk to the dock so she can go on a whale watching tour to see orca whales. She brought a flashlight to see but she slipped and fell, and now her flashlight is broken. She needs help making a new light source with the broken flashlight pieces so that she can find her way to the dock.
How will the students help?
In the first segment, Flynn will ask the participants to creatively solve the problem by planning out how they will use the household materials required to build a solution. Students are encouraged to build a prototype in this segment.
In the second segment, students will research electrical circuits to understand how they relate to the problem Flynn is facing. They will be asked to answer open-ended research questions using research links provided by Growin’GEERS and additional research they do on their own.
In the third segment, students will rebuild their initial design based on what they learned in the second segment. They will be asked to create a new plan for how they will use their materials. Once their solution is complete, there will be a Test for Success to see if their solution passes.
What will the participants learn?
Electrical circuits
Conductive paths, resistors, and power sources
How electrical engineers apply those concepts
What electrical engineers do
Canadian culture
Canadian wildlife
Why teamwork is important
Why it is okay to fail
What do I need to complete the quest?
Access to a computer to watch the videos and research the concepts
Ability to print the GEERling worksheets for students to plan their design and answer the research questions
Household materials needed to complete the hands-on component
Want to get started?
Get access to every Growin’GEERS quest and let the engineering adventure begin!