Homemade Battery Engineering Design Challenge

Isaac Rapelje, Sequim High School
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Initial Publication Date: August 13, 2020

Summary

Students enjoy using inquiry and the engineering design process to answer questions and solve problems. For this engineering design challenge done as part of a high school chemistry lab, students get to design and test their own homemade batteries. They apply previously learned chemistry concepts, such as energy and chemical reactions, to define their own engineering problem and test solutions. They decide what inputs to change and by what amounts, define the constraints, and are responsible for problem solving as a team. Because this battery engineering challenge is student directed, it is also an excellent way to meet the needs of individual students, because it allows students to design experiments based on their interests and current level of understanding. It also gives students freedom to develop an experiment that interests them and one that will challenge their own misconceptions. Although this lesson was created for high school chemistry students, I have included rationale, Next Generation Science Standards-alignment, and an introduction to engineering, so that this could be used for middle level or secondary teacher education programs, as well as university-level introductory chemistry.

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Context

Audience

I designed this lesson and used it in a 10-12 grade chemistry course at a public high school. I typically have 20-32 students in this course and course periods last 55 minutes in a combined classroom/ chemistry lab environment.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Students need a basic understanding of electricity, and oxidation and reduction reactions. In addition, students will need to learn how to use a multimeter. Multimeters can vary greatly on use but here is a video on how to use a basic multimeter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts0EVc9vXcs.

How the activity is situated in the course

This engineering design challenge took approximately 12 course periods including an intro to oxidation reduction reactions and a brief explanation of batteries during the second semester of 2019. Before completing this engineering design challenge, students should have learned some basics, batteries, electricity, how to use a multimeter, and it is helpful but not absolutely necessary to understand some basics on oxidation reduction reactions. They should also have practiced identifying problems, working as a team to solve a problem, accepting that engineering is a process. Because students make a homemade battery the only specialized equipment is a multimeter all the other materials necessary for completing this engineering design challenge can be found at home or purchased at a grocery or hardware store, For example, a simple battery can be made from two pennies, a paper towel and saltwater. I have also put a cart of materials out for students and let them design their batteries based on the materials I provide.

This lab could easily be adapted for a university-level non-majors introduction to chemistry course. I have also included rationale, Next Generation Science Standards-alignment, and an introduction to engineering, so that this activity could be adapted for middle level or secondary teacher education programs, as well as professional development for high school teachers.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

The main goal of the inquiry lab was for students to use the engineering process to define a problem, design a solution considering the materials, constraints, and factors that contribute to electricity production in a homemade battery, and test if their design can produce enough electricity to charge an electronic device.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Another goal for this inquiry activity is to demonstrate how information on the internet can create misconceptions and that it is important for students to test things for themselves.

Other skills goals for this activity

This engineering design challenge develops teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking skills, including troubleshooting, working with limited resources and information.

Description and Teaching Materials

Rationale- explains the reason why I teach this engineering design challenge and they way other teachers could modify it to suit their needs.

Homemade Battery Design Challenge Outline - shows the sequence of activities I use to teach this lesson.

Introduction to Engineering- As a science major I did not receive specific engineering instruction, these resources help define what engineering is and how it differs from science. 

Engineering team building- Teamwork is an important aspect of engineering that is often overlooked, this outline is how Pat Burnett introduces engineering teams in his engineering classes.

Engineering design rubric- Students often become discouraged if their engineering design doesn't work but it is important to remind students this is part of the process and this rubric focuses on the process rather than the result. Rationale and NGSS Science Standards (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 19kB Jul31 20) 
Homemade Battery Design Challenge Outline (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 85kB Jul31 20) 
Introduction to Engineering Information (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 108kB Jul31 20) 
Engineering Team Building Outline - Pat Burnett (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 19kB Jul31 20)
Engineering Design Rubric (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Jul31 20)

Teaching Notes and Tips

Generating student interest: I use a discrepant event or phenomena to hook student interest in this unit by showing a person charging an Iphone with an apple or watermelon.

Common misconception: Students believe the energy in the battery comes from the fruit/liquid and not from the electrons transferring between the metals.

Engineering lessons should allow students to 1) identify a problem, 2) design a solution, 3) work as a team, 4) have a chance to "optimize" improve their design.


Assessment

This lesson uses a pretest on batteries to identify students prior knowledge and misconceptions.

Assessment for the battery engineering lessons or more focused on a students ability to follow the engineering process, it is important to remind students that grades are not determined by how "good" their battery is but instead on their ability to use the engineering design process to solve a problem and work as a team. I have included a rubric to assess students in these important engineering skills.

References and Resources