Chicago Students Construct/Operate a Biodiesel Reactor
My students need the necessary equipment to make and test biodiesel from waste cooking oil from the school cafeteria, culinary arts shop and local fast food restaurants.
$5,932 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
A solid foundation in STEM education is important. Judith Hallinen, an educator at Carnegie Mellon University says, "There is a misconception amongst some educators that STEM-related studies are meant for elite students."ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ STEM education is necessary at all levels from 1st grade to college
My school is a vocational high school that serves 1,500 inner city students.
The student population is 60% Hispanic, 35% African American, and 5% Caucasian. Over 80% receive free or reduced meals. Students study the career and technical fields of automotive technology, culinary arts, digital media, HVAC, and machine technology. In addition, students are provided with a rigorous sequence of academic subjects that prepares them for college and careers. I am always looking for projects that combine vocational and academic studies while addressing aspects of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). My students need a project that is crosses the gap and demonstrates the connection between vocational and academic studies while providing hands-on experience in real-world issues. This project-converting waste cooking oil into biodiesel fuel-will teach "green" technologies while integrating the curriculum of different areas of the school.
My Project
The goal of this project is to provide the necessary training and equipment students can manufacture and test biodiesel fuel made from waste cooking oil. The waste oil will be obtained from the culinary arts shop and nearby fast food restaurants. Specifically, students will construct a small biodiesel processor using a kit purchased from a vendor. Students will be responsible for the construction and operation of the processor. In the process, students will learn the technologies used to manufacture chemical products, technologies that involve tanks, mixing, piping, pumping, heating, and temperature measurement. In order to ensure a quality product, students will setup and operate a lab to test the waste oil and adjust batch parameters based on their data. The students will also create storage for the biodiesel fuel. Fuel that is produced will be donated to a biodiesel truck used to provide food to underserved neighborhoods in our city.
The aim is for students to experience the 'Design Cycle' approach to solving problems.
Student's research, design, construct, test, analyze performance in response to specific problems. Understanding the problem-solving process should emerge through the pursuit of this activity. Scientific principles and hand-tool and machine-tool skills are exercised through a need-to-use basis. This project achieves a goal of the Next Generation Science Standards to incorporate engineering into instruction.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Fluharty and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.