Making
Waves : Teacher Pages
Overview
| Objectives | Curriculum
Links | Cross-Curricular Links
| Preparation | Pool
Designs
This
page provides background for teachers preparing the Making Waves
lesson. If you are a student, or wish to see the student pages,
click here.
Overview
The
'Making Waves' module covers aspects of designing swimming pools.
Based on size and performance criteria provided, sutdent teams will
plan, design and build a model of an Olympic swimming pool.
These
Teacher Pages explain how to prepare the module, and provide links
to related topics in other subjects.
Objectives
Students
will learn about wave characteristics (amplitude, reflection, diffusion)
and how pool waves slow swimmers:
-
water waves interfere with and slow a swimmer,
-
pool
construction and equipment can reduce wave interference,
-
a
deeper pool reflects fewer waves,
-
lane
ropes can prevent waves from passing into other lanes,
-
modern
'fast' pools allow water to spill over the pool walls, thus reflected
waves are not created.
Models
will be designed to minimise these waves. Each pool model will be
evaluated by towing a small action figure through it. The class will
observe wave amplitude and reflection. Teams will make class presentations.
Curriculum
Links
Design
and Technology
DT1a,
b, d-g : Developing, planning and communicating ideas
Cross-Curricula
Links
Mathematics
: Pool volume
One
Olympic pool design is 25 metres wide and 50 metres long. The pool
is 3 metres deep at the starting end of the pool and slopes down
(linearly) to 2 metres deep at the far end of the pool. How many
litres of water are needed to fill this pool?
English
: Business presentation
Students
are told they are engineers presenting their firm's swimming pool
design to committee members for a new world-class swimming competition.
Students will make formal presentations and should consider using
one or more of the following media: graphics, charts, models, video.
Ask an engineer or other teachers to act as the committee members.
ICT
: Technical drawings
Using
computer software, ask students to develop technical drawings of
their pools. Include the pool's dimensions in a top, side and front
view of their pools.
Physical
Education : Performance analysis
Have
students videotape class members swimming the length of a pool.
Have students analyse the footage and draw conclusions on the different
swimmers' performance. Students should recommend specific motion
changes that will improve performance.
Science
: The latest swim suits
Water
resistance slows a swimmer. Ask students to report on the latest
drag reducing swim suits and how these suits enhance a swimmer's
performance.
Preparation
Lecture
and Preparation time : 30 minutes.
Lesson
time : Two 60 minute class periods.
Read
through the Student Pages of the module. Students should recognise
that their pool waves cannot strike the side of the model's walls.
The water in fast Olympic pools "spills over" the walls
of the pools. Students should be guided to recognise this from the
information presented on wave reflection and from their independent
research of Olympic swimming pools. Avoid revealing this information
to students if possible.
Suggest
to the students changing only one component of their design at a time.
By making one change at a time, students can control and understand
how a component affected pool performance.
You
may wish to place a spending limit on the project's cost or you may
wish to provide containers and other supplies.
Pool
Designs
Below
are two possible pool designs.
Pool
Design 1
This
design highlights some common design pitfalls. The water level is
too low and the waves strike the sides of the pool and reflect back.
The lane lines are too thin - waves can cross over into other lanes.
Materials
: 56cm x 30cm x 5cm pan,
String for the lane rope.
Pool
Design 2
This
design minimises reflection. The water spills over the sides, preventing
reflection. More water is continuously added from a kitchen sink hose.
A thick rope threaded with plastic straws is used for the lane lines,
stopping waves from entering other lanes.
Materials:
56cm x 30cm x 5cm pan,
0.5cm diameter rope and plastic straws,
small clamps to hold ropes.
Overview
| Objectives | Curriculum
Links | Cross-Curricular Links
| Preparation | Pool
Designs
