Meltdown!

1. Challenge Briefing Meltdown! Year 8

2. Scenario Nuclear power A large amount of the energy produced in the UK is generated in nuclear power stations. The fuel rods in the reactor have to be changed from time to time. In the event of a disaster like the one in Japan the rods need to be moved to cooling ponds. Your task is to prevent a meltdown of the nuclear reactor by designing and making a robot to move the rods to a cooling pond…. Safely! Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

3. The “Meltdown” Challenge In this exciting group work activity, teams will complete a 3 part challenge 1. Build and test a robot to remotely move fuel rods in a nuclear power station. 2. To do a research task related to “Energy” 3. Make a presentation to the rest of the group Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

4. Robot Challenge In this exciting group work activity, teams will compete to build and test a robot to remotely move fuel rods in a nuclear power station. The brief is to design and build a robot that is controlled from within a Control Zone (safe area). The robot must move fuel rods/containers from the “Danger Zone” to the “Cooling Safety Zone”. The robot must stand on the floor within the Control Zone The robot must be controlled by hand…hands must stay within the Control Zone. • Your Robot • The aim of the testing process is to test your robot. We are going to test the robot by seeing how many fuel rods can be safely moved within a 3 minute period • Your robots will be tested according to three criteria: • Number of fuel rods moved. • Safety (Number of times hands stray out of the Control Zone). • Ease of use/effectiveness Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

5. Research Activity • Choose one of these areas to research and add into your presentation: • Something of your own choice… but it must be negotiated with a mentor/teacher. • Or…. • How is electricity generated in a (nuclear) power station? • Energy use in the UK. • Local energy… new nuclear power station- Hinckley C • Fukushima… a nuclear crisis. • A green alternative. Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

6. Presenting Your Work Every team will present to the whole group! The presentation can take any form you want… PowerPoint, Keynote, video, posters, talk… etc. The presentation should last no more than 4 minutes. Everyone should take part… in some way It should include…. • Your team details, a logo and slogan. • Evidence of your design work • Photographs/pictures/drawings of the finished robot • Evidence of testing and how effectively the robot worked. • Your findings from the research activity. Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

7. Your Team To successfully complete the challenge you will need to work as a team. You will need to organise …. Give yourselves an identity…. • Team name • Logo • Slogan or strapline. Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

8. Top tips… You need to work as a TEAM…. Share out the tasks (You won’t finish if everyone does the same thing. ) Plan ahead! (time is limited, you need to plan carefully) Your teacher and STEM Ambassador are available to help…. Ask!!! Use your WORKBOOK and Information booklet…. Lots of information to help you. Make sure you fully understand the challenge…. There are 3 parts to the challenge, you must tackle all of them! Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk

9. Go to it!!! Good luck!!! Clevedon School – Valley Road – Clevedon – N. Somerset www.clevedonschool.org.uk