After the donation of a 81 Oldsmobile Diesel  by Mike McDonald to Petoskey Public School, a grant was written and funded by the Petoskey Education Foundation.  The initial grant written by teachers from Petoskey High School was focused on creating an engineering challenge that would include over 150 students from both academic and vocational education classes within Petoskey High School.

Waste Vegetable Oil Car – “Going Green”

Lance Bailey - Physics Instructor
Adam Hausler - Automotive Technology Instructor
Tom Ochs - Chemistry Instructor

  Goals/Proposed Activities

An unique opportunity was presented to the science, autos and fine arts departments.  Mike McDonald of Harbor Springs donated a complete and functioning waste vegetable oil car. All the accessories (tanks, filters, pumps etc.) that are necessary to run the vehicle have been included. (Approximately - $4000 donation)  We would like to have the Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry and Autos II students participate in an interdisciplinary unit that requires students to complete proposals from which winning teams projects/presentations would be chosen and engineered within the waste vegetable oil car.

Phase 1  - $500

Students from Honors Physics will be completing an engineering practicum in which they are required to complete an interactive technology presentation in which they will be competing against each other in which they must use technology (Flash, Power Point, Front Page, Video, etc) to show how the waste vegetable car works and then using a budget of $500 (grant money) they must take the existing car and create a plan that would increase the efficiency (miles per gallon – fossil fuels) of the car.  The true purpose of this Phase is through an engineering perspective – “explain how the car works and what to do to make it work better.”

Students from Autos II then would take the winning proposal (determined by instructors and volunteers – automotive engineers) and implement the changes.  

Phase II - $500

Students from Honors Physics will also be completing a second project in which they will research alternative forms of energy and attempt engineer the car with alternative forms of energy so that the vehicle is 100% free of fossil fuels. Students from Honors Chemistry will then produce these alternative fuels (biodiesels, algaes, etc) within the lab to run the car.  The winning proposals will be gauged on practicality and budget.

Students from Autos II will assist in any modifications that are necessary to implement these changes.

Phase III ­- $500

Students from Honors Physics and Chemistry will submit proposals which will enhance the car physically (paint, body work, creative design) and also promote “going green” while promoting the project and the car website (linked to Petoskey Public Schools site).  The website is currently being designed by two Independent Study Honors Physics students who will take the proposals submitted by the students and link them to the current web page.  This web address will be posted on the car so local and national “googlers” can view this incredible project completed at the high school level.

Students from Autos II will assist in any modifications that are necessary to implement. 

Evaluation/Project Results  

Students will be evaluated on their proposals with a specific rubric.  The project will count as an alternative assessment and requires individual and cooperative learning. The proposals submitted by the students will be linked to the car website which is currently being designed and the winning proposals will be highlighted.  Students will be motivated by the assessment factor, competition,  and the fact that their ideas will be “submitted” to a community of learners and will be completed/implemented!  The website will also promote the departments within Petoskey High School that have completed this interdisciplinary unit that has been accomplished through a variety of teacher and student “expertise”

Budget

Please see above for budget!  Students will be required to submit budgets within their proposals that will match to the amounts listed above.  We are asking that each teacher be granted $500 for the implementation of their portion of the project.

Bailey -- Honors Physics - $500 – Efficiency, Innovation, Design of Car

Ochs -- Honors Chemistry - $500 – Alternative Forms of Energy for Car - Biodiesel

Hausler-- Autos II - $500 – Mechanical Engineering and Testing of Car

We will also be seeking donations for the Custom Design portion of this project as $500 will only cover materials and not the labor that would be necessary to complete project.  Painting cannot be accomplished in the auto technology shop.