Lecture: Lithium Battery Bingo (beta)
This activity can be used to teach about the need of raw materials in the manufacturing of everyday products. The exercise uses the concept of the bingo, adapted to the crafting of new battery powered objects available in BetterGeo. Topics like natural resources, products manufacturing, rechargeable battery and sources of energy can be treated and coupled to school subjects such as geography or technology. This lecture do not require computers and BetterGeo.
What do you need?
One scorecard and its associated items for each group of pupils. There are three different scorecards: download the .pdf [link] and print it in colors and double sided.
The different items the teacher will draw and read out. Download the pdf [link] and print it in colors and double sided.
The supporting material for the teacher. It is a presentation that can be used by the teacher during the bingo game. Download it here [link] and adapt it to the level of the group.
Age and class size?
The exercise is appropriate for age 7-13. There is no limit for the class size, groups can be flexible, and the scorecards can be used twice.
Time needed?
The exercise takes about 1,5 hours if it is realized for the first time. In case the scorecards and the items are ready, it can be done in 1 hour. If the teacher wants to explore in more details one of the topics, this lecture can easily take 2 hours or more.
Difficulty level?
Low to advanced: the difficulty level can be adapted to the pupils. The principle of the game is simple and doable by young pupils. The level of complexity lies in the presentation made by the teacher of the raw materials used in the objects and the topics covered.
Part 1: Preparation
Step 1:
Step 2:
Give one scoreboard and its items to each group of pupils and ask them to cut along the dotted lines. The teacher does the same with its items.
Step 3:
The teacher places its items faces down and introduces the new battery powered objects available in BetterGeo and on the pupil’s scorecards (crafting table). The pupils place the object they will build on the scorecard and the Lithium Battery Bingo is ready to begin. In this part the teacher can give a general introduction about manufacturing products, the need of raw materials and where do they come from.
Part 2: Bingo
Step 4:
The teacher draws one item and reads out the name. If the pupils have it on their score card, they place the item on the score card.
Step 5:
The teacher presents the raw material. In the PowerPoint, you have few facts for three raw materials used in the crafting tables: copper, aluminum and rare-earth elements. You can click on the icon in the crafting tables to know more about them. Feel free to adapt the PowerPoint to the level of your classrooms and to add more facts about raw materials.
Step 6: (optional)
Use the maps available in the PowerPoint to link this exercise with geography and talk about the source of the raw material and countries of the world.
Step 7:
Repeat this process until all the groups have filled their scorecards: Now they know which raw material they will need to build the new objects in BetterGeo.
Step 8:
Finish the exercise with few words about lithium ion batteries. In the game you can only charge them with solar energy (i.e. during the day in Minecraft).
Part 3: Discussion
Steg 9:
After the exercise, the teacher can implement its own lecture or discussion in the classroom about a theme such as natural resources, design of products, recycling, rechargeable batteries or energy sources and climate change.