WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY EGYPT 2007 Climate Change - Why Should I Care?

The Blog has moved to Wordpress!

2007-07-08T14:11:00.000+02:00

This blog has been moved to its new home at Wordpress. Please follow this link and update your bookmarks.

Program

2007-05-27T10:43:00.000+02:00

1200: Public Opening

1200:Continuous Activities

NGOs Fair
Documentaries
Experiments ends 1800

1200: Upper Egypt NGO choir

1300: Preparing stage.

1330: Spirit of Youth Music concert (Kids Corner)

1300: Mazza Magic show (Kids Corner)

1400: Eshq Band (Oriental Music

1500: Mazza magic show (Kids Corner)

1530: Mariam Ali

1600: Award Ceremony

1730: Sesame street Characters (Kids Corner)

1730: Go-Kart Race

1800: Lecture

2000: Itanina

2100: Eftekasat

Continuous Documentary Track

Video Room

12:00-15:00 WESC Documentaries

مهرجان الافلام وافلام مركز الوادى للعلوم البيئية الوثائقية

15:00 – 16:00 Sesame Street

عالم سمسم

16:00-18:00 An Inconvenient Truth

فيلم لـ الجور

1830 -20:00 WESC Documentaries

World Environment Day in Cairo

2007-05-01T12:05:00.000+02:00

In June 2007 people from around the world will be celebrating the environment on World Environment Day (WED). WED is one of the principal ways in which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. Come celebrate in Egypt with the British Council in Egypt and Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) on the 2nd of June in Azhar Park in Cairo!

The event is open to the public, though schools and students are particularly encouraged to come. The day will be an exciting opportunity for anyone to learn more about the environment and climate change, share your ideas, meet new people and participate in a variety of activities, discussions and contests.

Some of the activities planned for the day are;

Hands-on science based experiments to help kids of all ages understand the concepts of climate change
Contests: film festival, imaginative art, song, renewable energy vehicle race and toys made from recycled materials.
Concerts featuring local bands and singers with environmentally themed music
Environmental NGO fair.
Demonstrations of environmentally friendly technologies
Documentaries about climate change will be shown throughout the day.
There will be face painting for the kids, and an environmental mural where you can write or draw your opinions and feelings on climate change and the environment.
And much more!

If you are wondering how you can get to Azhar Park, please follow this link (Google Maps).

Volunteers needed!

2007-04-30T11:57:00.000+02:00

Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) is looking for about 50 volunteers to participate for World Environment Day (WED) to be held on the 2nd of June at Al Azhar park. The theme for this year is "Climate change.... Why should i care?"

The volunteers need to have a background in science and need to enjoy teaching in an out door setting as this is what they will be doing. (They will be working with students of varied ages on environmental activities throughout the day)
Volunteers should be able to speak English and Arabic.
Volunteers need to by dynamic
Volunteers will need to come to an introduction and briefing to know what they will be working on scheduled for the 20th of May (to be confirmed)
Volunteers will be required to read about the topic and study it before coming to the event.

About WESC:
WESC is a registered NGO (Non governmental organization) working with students aged 5 to 16 on out-door science and environmental education, it's a centre that has bee receiving students since 2001. Primarily working on hands on activities, were students get engaged in learning about science and their environment in an interactive fun way. www.wesc.org

If you are interested in volunteering please contact Sara el Sayed

If you are not volunteering just come and join us anyway on the 2nd of June at Al Azhar park!

Why are BC and WESC organizing WED in Egypt with a different topic and date?

2007-04-30T11:26:00.000+02:00

World Environment Day is commemorated every year on the 5th of June. The Egyptian government will hold an official ceremony to mark this day, but the British Council and Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) have decided to arrange an event for the 2nd of June. In addition, the official topic of WED 2007 is 'Melting Ice - A Hot Topic?', but in Egypt it is 'Climate Change - Why Should I Care?'. Why is this so?

While the WED in Egypt is open to the public, WESC and the British Council in Egypt are mainly targeting school students and want as many as possible to come. June is exam time and the 5th of June is on a school day. Hence, Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) and British Council set the date to 2nd of June which is a Saturday so that more students and people will be able to attend.

The official topic of WED 2007 is focusing on climate changes and the effects on ice- and snowcovered areas of the world. Melting ice as an environmental problem is very alien to Egypt and its environment (though of course melting ice is a global problem and will affect Egypt's environment and people). While Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) and British Council saw the need to change the topic, we did not want to stray too far from the official theme, but without the snow and the ice.

Hence, in Egypt the topic is 'Climate Change - Why Should I Care?'.

Check How Other Countries are Celebrating World Environment Day

2007-04-29T10:51:00.000+02:00

This blog has been getting quite a bit of traffic from all over the world. It seems like a lot of people are interested in the type of event that we are organizing here in Cairo.

UNEP, on their World Environment Day 2007 website, have made a list over all the WED events taking place around the world.

If you are organizing an event, you can also register your activity there.

Make a Boat powered on Renewable Energy

2007-04-02T19:40:00.000+02:00

Using small photovoltaic cells participants will create their own solar boats.

Global Warming Game

2007-04-02T17:33:00.000+02:00

Using a test kit to detect carbon dioxide and understanding where there is more carbon dioxide and after doing so they will be playing a board game to understand more about global warming.

Make a Solar Cooker

2007-04-02T15:34:00.000+02:00

Participants will experiment in building solar cookers, they will figure out the best we to attract and trap heat using passive solar energy.

Recycling Activities

2007-04-02T14:55:00.000+02:00

These are different activities to recycle, participants will get a chance to make paper and construct their own cards, or make a toy out of recycled material or even create an aboriginal rainstick (an instrument used by the native Australians to call the rain).

Journey of Droplet Game

2007-04-02T14:46:00.000+02:00

This game illustrates the journey of a droplet of water in nature and by so doing participants can collect beads to create their own colorful bracelet that represents their own journey of their droplet.

Composting Activity

2007-04-02T14:25:00.000+02:00

Participants create their own mini compost in a bottle of water and can take it back home and use the compost as organic manure.

Ecological Footprint

2007-04-02T14:17:00.000+02:00

Participants get to try and create their own farm based on two diets a vegetarian one and a meat based one and get to see which one has more ecological impact on the environment.

Polluting a Water Resource Game

2007-04-02T14:09:00.000+02:00

Fun and interactive game that involves participants running to get their share of water, in the process they understand how water is wasted, polluted and distributed amongst the different sectors (agriculture, industry and household)

Game Mechanics

Participants will have to collect as much water as possible into their buckets in 10 seconds over 5 rounds.

Participants will be divided into four groups, with one WESC leader each.

1. The leader will have one large container with water till the brim in the centre of a large room.
2. Participants will stand one 2 meters away from the bucket making a circle.
3. Each participant will have a small container in front of them and a sponge in their hand.
4. Leader will give each participant a sponge. The largest size represents water used in agriculture, the second represents water in industry and the smallest represents water in households.
5. Leader will blow the whistle and using the sponge participants will collect as much water as they can using the sponge into their container.
6. Leader will blow whistle again and will brief about what happened.
Leader discusses that the agriculture got the most water, but also if they look at the trail on the floor the agriculture also had the most waste. Leader will discuss that households have the least water.
7. Leader will then place a drop on each sponge and tell participants to wash in their basins.
8. Participants will then take turns to empty half the water back to the main container.
9. Leader will add more water to represent rain.
10. Leader will take a sample of water labeled 1970.
11. Repeat several times until 2010.
12. Leader will compare with participants at the end the difference from one year to another.
Leader will show how pollution will increase over the years and that the water from the resource which may be the Nile is actually decreasing over the years.

What is a Greenhouse and the Greenhouse Effect?

2007-04-02T13:12:00.000+02:00

Students will learn how greenhouses manage to retain heat, and will experiment with different media to try and figure out which will trap the most.

Background
Greenhouses are used extensively by botanists, commercial plant growers, and dedicated gardeners. Particularly in cool climates, greenhouses are useful for growing and propagating plants because they both allow sunlight to enter and prevent heat from escaping. The transparent covering of the greenhouse allows visible light to enter unhindered, where it warms the interior as it is absorbed by the material within. The transparent covering also prevents the heat from leaving by reflecting the energy back into the interior and preventing outside winds from carrying it away.

Like the greenhouse covering, our atmosphere also serves to retain heat at the surface of the earth. Much of the sun's energy reaches earth as visible light. Of the visible light that enters the atmosphere, about 30% is reflected back out into space by clouds, snow and ice-covered land, sea surfaces, and atmospheric dust. The rest is absorbed by the liquids, solids, and gases that constitute our planet. The energy absorbed is eventually reemitted, but not as visible light (only very hot objects such as the sun can emit visible light). Instead, it's emitted as longer-wavelength light called infrared radiation. This is also called "heat" radiation, because although we cannot see in infrared, we can feel its presence as heat. This is what you feel when you put your hand near the surface of a hot skillet. Certain gases in our atmosphere (known as "trace" gases because they make up only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere) can absorb this outgoing infrared radiation, in effect trapping the heat energy. This trapped heat energy makes the earth warmer than it would be without these trace gases.

The ability of certain trace gases to be relatively transparent to incoming visible light from the sun yet opaque to the energy radiated from earth is one of the best-understood processes in atmospheric science. This phenomenon has been called the "greenhouse effect" because the trace gases trap heat similar to the way that a greenhouse's transparent covering traps heat. Without our atmospheric greenhouse effect, earth's surface temperature would be far below freezing. On the other hand, an increase in atmospheric trace gases could result in increased trapped heat and rising global temperatures.

Owl Pellets and Food Webs

2007-04-02T13:04:00.000+02:00

Owl pellets are a great educational tool to understand how food webs are made, the pellets of the owl contain a significant diversity of bones that can help in understanding the organisms that the owl feeds on and thus in turn the organisms in a given habitat.

Click on the video below to watch how the Owl Pellet experiment is done at the Wadi Environmental Science Centre.

Join Our Contests!!! Win Prizes!!!

2007-03-18T15:45:00.000+02:00

In relation to World Environment Day Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) and British Council are organizing several environmentally themed contests. So get your creative energies flowing and join one or more of our environmentally themed contests.

Click on one of the links to learn more about the contest, rules and prizes.

General Rules

Submission must be the work of the person or persons entering the contests.
Deadline for submissions to the contest is 1st May to Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) or British Council.
Deadline for IGSCE competition 30th May to British Council.
Maximum age of participants is 19 years old.
All art and film entries will be on display during WED and the renewable energy vehicle race will be held during World Environment Day in Azhar Park.
Winning entries will be announced and prizes awarded in a ceremony during the day.

Winners of each contest category will receive a special environmentally friendly prize from England (TBA).

Second and third place entries will receive prizes from Gihan Science Workshop

For more information about the contests, please post your questions in the comments or contact:

Caroline Nassif, 012-350-9296 or
Hani Eskander, 010-153-6930

For the IGCSE competition please contact flying.colours@britishcouncil.org.eg

Links on Climate Change

2007-03-17T23:23:00.000+02:00

The theme for World Environment Day in Egypt is 'Climate Change - Why Should I Care?'

Below is a selection of links with lots of different information and facts on climate change, organizations working on climate change and climate change in Egypt.

New Scientist's Special Report on Climate Change

Play and Learn: Games and Activities on Climate Change (for kids)

David Suzuki Foundation's Page on Climate Change Impact and Solutions

Youth Against Climate Change

British Council's Zero Carbon City

Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency's information on Climate Change in Egypt

OneWorld's OneClimate pages

Climate Change Youth Cafe, where young Canadians speak out on climate change

It's Getting Hot In Here, dispatches from the global youth climate movement.

Beyond Kyoto, International Youth Summit and UN Conference on Climate Change

UK's Royal Society's pages on Climate Change

Egypt
Al-Ahram (Arabic): Nile is One of Ten Rivers Threatened by Drought

BBC: Rivers run towards 'crisis point'

BBC Climate Change Slideshow

Greenpeace: 12 Clever Ways to Save Lots of Electricity

Climate Report Warns of Drought, Disease

If you have any good climate change links leave them in the comments!

Environmental Mural Wall

2007-03-16T16:25:00.000+02:00

Write, finger paint, draw or splatter your opinion on climate change, your feelings towards our shared environment, what to do about climate sinners or simply your name in support on our huge mural wall during World Environment Day.

The mural will be white and empty before the day and is just waiting for your creativity!

Mural from British Council's World Aids Day Event.
Image: Copyright Hamdy Reda

NGO Fair

2007-03-16T16:06:00.000+02:00

At World Environment Day you will have the opportunity to meet ten varied environmental NGOs or businesses with positive environmental practices and learn how they protect, promote and raise awareness about the environment, environmental problems and solutions through their daily work, project and programmes.

Booths are offered free of charge to environmental NGOs and institutions which have an environmental project, idea, or products to display. If you work or volunteer for an environmental organization and want to showcase you work on World Environment Day please contact Caroline Nassif to book a booth.

The NGO fair is limited to ten NGOs and/or businesses working in relation to the environment (broadly defined) and bookings will be made on a first come, first serve basis.

Competition for IGCSE students

2007-03-15T10:39:00.000+02:00

You Can Make a Difference...!!!

Climate change and our response to it are issues of global importance. Climate change will affect food production, water resources, ecosystems, energy demand, insurance costs and much else. There is a broad scientific consensus that the Earth will probably warm over the coming century. Climate change will affect us all.

Fortunately, we can ALL affect climate change.

What can YOU do to make a difference? Did you know that using less energy, especially electricity for lighting, heating and running machines will mean less pollution from power stations?

… and did you also know that if you leave a colour Television switched on in standby mode it can still use a quarter of the energy it uses when it’s switched on normally?

Tell us what your own ideas to help slow global warming in not less that 300 words. Do you have an idea for a project at school … or at home … or in your neighbourhood?

And hey !!!!! …..The best practical scheme wins a prize of a Play Station Portable … and a few other goodies!!!!!

Write your point of view and send it to flying.colours@britishcouncil.org.eg before 30/05/07.

The competition is open for IGSCE students only.

The winner will be announced at World Environment Day in Azhar Park, June 2nd.

For more information please visit British Council's Flying Colours page.

Face Painting

2007-03-14T16:29:00.000+02:00

At World Environment Day there will be a team of face painters ready to paint young and old faces with environmental themes for free.

Photo: Copyright Hamdy Reda

Speeches and Discussions

2007-03-13T14:41:00.000+02:00

At World Environment Day you will have the unique opportunity to hear our experts speak and engage them in discussions about climate change, technological solutions to environmental problems and many other issues.

Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) and British Council have invited a British specialist on climate change (name TBA) and Mohammed Bah Abba (TBC), the Nigerian inventor of the Desert Fridge.

In addition, WED will feature several Egyptian speakers.

Entertainment

2007-03-13T14:28:00.000+02:00

Music acts, dancing and poetry will take place throughout World Environment Day. The entertainment will be environmentally themed.

Music
The Upper Egypt Choir will sing environmental songs.

Shataleen

Meriam Ali

Also the winners of the 'Songs of Hope' contest will perform their song on the day.

Dancing and Performance

Itiana Troupe

Documentaries

2007-03-13T14:23:00.000+02:00

During WED documentaries about climate change, environmental issues affecting Egypt, environmental friendly technology, projects dealing with environmental degradation and lots of other themes.

More information to be announced.

Hands-on Environmental Experiments

2007-03-13T12:32:00.000+02:00

Young and old alike will be able to conduct several hands-on experiments facilitated by Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) and learn about a variety of topics. Below is a list of the activities that will take place during World Environment Day

Environmental Technology

2007-03-13T12:14:00.000+02:00

During World Environment Day, Wadi Environmental Science Centere (WESC) and British Council will showcase and demonstrate environmentally friendly technologies.

At WED you will see demonstrations of the following technologies

Renewable Energy Go-Kart
Solar Distiller
Desalination Unit
Desert Fridge
Rice straw fuel pellets
Composting Toilet

Click on the video below to watch a video about Composting Toilets (long)

Click on the video below to watch how to build a Dew Catcher (short)

Renewable Energy Vehicle Race

2007-03-13T01:48:00.000+02:00

Build your own go-cart and race it against others to showcase the energy efficiency of non-polluting, environmentally friendly vehicles! Participants (working with their class or club) must design and build their own cars, powered only by renewable energy (such as hydrogen or solar).

Participants must design and build their own go-kart that does not run on fossil fuels. All the vehicles must be environmentally friendly, using e.g. solar or hydrogen power. Technical support from Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) is available, so just ask! In addition to designing and building the go-kart, participants are required to give a presentation on the project.

Private and public schools, universities or other academic sectors are welcome to participate in this race. Last year’s designers of the cars were students of grade 11 and 12 from national and international, and public and private schools. Last years winner was Sekem School.

If you are interested in participating in the race, please visit the links below for all the essential information.

If you have any questions regarding the contest please leave them in the comments or contact the contest coordinator Hazem Saleh.

Imaginative Art

2007-03-12T17:35:00.000+02:00

Show how you see, dream, or envision the environment: from natural resources to noise pollution, ozone layer degradation to recycling, ocean to desert ecosystems Entries can be in the form of drawings (hand or computer), sculpture, photography, ceramics, woodworking, or any medium the artist feels best illustrates the environmental issue.

General Criteria

Contest is open for participants between ages 6 and 19
Entries can be in the form of drawings (hand or computer), sculpture, photography, ceramics, woodwork or any medium that the artist feels comfortable with.
The art must have an environmental theme (preferably climate change, but any environmental issue is welcome)

Rules and Regulations

Make sure you download and complete the Imaginative Art Entry Form and hand it in with your artwork.

Submission and Deadline
All artwork must be submitted by May 1st to WESC by contacting the contest coordinator Caroline Nassif.

If you have any questions regarding this contest please post them in the comments or contact the contest coordinator.

Caroline Nassif: caroline@wesc.org or call (from 9-5) on 01023509296 or 0129626469.

Songs of Hope

2007-03-12T17:26:00.000+02:00

Play an instrument? Have a beautiful voice? Active in band or choir? Let us hear your visions of hope for our environment by composing and/or singing a song.`

General Criteria

Contest is open for students between ages 8 and 19
Song duration: 3-5 minutes
Accepted formats: cassette, CD or MP3

Guidelines to compose your song

A song is a mixture of text and music
Composers often find it easier to write lyrics first and then composing the music in harmony with the words
You can use an existing song and write new lyrics to it
Your song needs to tackle and environmental issue (preferably about climate change, though any environmental issue is accepted)
Practice your song well. The winners will perform the song at the World Environment Day in Azhar Park in front of a large audience

Rules and Regulations:

Make sure you download and complete the Songs of Hope Entry Form
and hand it in together with your song entry.

Submission and Deadline:

Film Festival

2007-03-12T16:28:00.000+02:00

Destined to become a film maker? Show your talents and highlight your hopes, visions, and frustrations about the environment. Short story films should present an environmental concern or problem, and possible solutions in documentary, fiction, animation, silent, musical, or other style.

General Criteria:

Contest is open for students between ages 12 and 19 years.
Duration: 5 – 15 minutes
Format: VHS, CD, DVD or AVI

Guidelines to develop your Film:

1. Concept Script (also known as: script treatment).

2. Screenplay Script (required even if it is a documentary)

3. Script Breakdown (elements required for production including: actors, equipment, props, costumes, lighting, sound, technicians, rental costs...etc.)

4. Storyboarding the Script (drawing the script in “comic book” format)

5. Developing a Shot List (scenes to be shot, which location, what day...etc.)

6. Production Schedule (based on the shot list, the producer breaks up every day to know the cash flow required, location permits to attain, equipment to rent, etc.)

7. Shooting the film.

8. Editing and this includes the picture and sound editing for the film.

9. Adding the Intro and End Credits to the film.

Regulations:

Make sure you download and complete the Film Festival Entry Form and hand it it together with your movie.

Submission and deadline

All entries should be submitted before May 1st to WESC by contacting the contest coordinator Hani Eskander

If you have any questions regarding the contest please leave them in the comments or contact Hani Eskander.

Hani@wesc.org or call (from 9-5) on 0101536930

Recycled Toys

2007-03-12T16:13:00.000+02:00

In 1992, Club 2/3, a Canadian NGO, started a contest of making toys out of recycled material. The main focus of the contest is the fight against degradation of the environment and the possible ways in which this degradation can be inversed. The contest is open for youths, emphasizing the vital role youth have in fostering and creating environmental responsibility. Since its inception the contest has enabled youth in both the developed and developing world to express their creativity through the themes of environment, solidarity, tolerance and cultural diversity.

In 2006, WESC hosted Club 2/3’s toys contest for the first time in Egypt at World Environment Day 2006. More than 15 schools submitted over 70 toys. The first prize went to Ahmed Tarek Amin and Amin Tarek Amin from Al Nasr School in Abul Nomros village for their ???? toy.

Use your creativity to conceptualize, design, and construct your own innovative toys made entirely from previously used/recycled materials. Toys will be displayed in Egypt and winning entries may be entered in international competitions.`

General Criteria:

Contest is open for students between the ages of 6 and 19 years
You can enter as an individual or as part of a group
One toy per person or per group is accepted
Maximum toy size is 40cm x 40cm x 40cm.

Guidelines to develop your toy:

Think of the materials available around you which you could use
Make sure you are developing a toy that a child could play with and not just a sculpture.
Reflect on the creativity and originality of your toy. ( Think out of the Box)
Consider the Aesthetic quality and rigidity of your work

Rules:

The toy should be entirely fabricated of Recycled/ Reusable materials.
NO USE OF ANY NEW COMPONENTS
NO USE OF PAINT
A limited amount of glue, iron cords or any other cords, to be used.
Make sure you download and complete the Toy Contest Entry Form and submit it with your toy.
Make sure you have the “toy’s form” attached to your toy (not glued to the toy).
This contest promotes values such as peace and solidarity, thus no tanks, guns, soldiers or any 'violent' or 'militaristic' toy.

Submission and deadline

All toys with entry forms must be submitted before May 1st to WESC by contacting contest coordinator Caroline Nassif.

Questions regarding this contest can be left in the comments or e-mailed to Caroline Nassif.

caroline@wesc.org or call (from 9-5) on 0129626469 / 0123509296

Overview of building a Go-Kart

2007-03-12T15:55:00.000+02:00

1. Introduction
This post is designed to give a better understanding of the process needed to build a Go-Kart with a group of 20-30 students. In this document, several points are explained as background information needed by students, along with the steps to build the Go-Kart and the cost of the project.

The aim of the Go-Kart project is to engage students’ imaginations, their scientific skills, develop their research skills and teach them how teamwork. This will be achieved as collaboration between your school and the WESC team.

Students will be engaged in all the processes necessary to make the Go-Kart, from designing the car, to deciding what parts are needed, to purchasing the parts, to assembling them, to re-evaluating whether it works or not and eventually testing out their model.

2. Required Background
Before the students start any kind of project, they must start with the theory.

We suggest certain topics that the students should know before hand, before they can embark on the Go-Kart project and these are:

2.1. Physics applied to Electricity.
Resistors, Diodes, Capacitors, Transformers.

The student should be able to understand the basic rules of electricity such as Ohm Law (U=R*I) Power law (P=U*I), The difference between AC and DC voltage, and some regulator schematics such as Inverters.

This theory is for power train understanding, from batteries to wheels through the electric motor. As well as speed regulation and control.

2.2. Basic Mechanics.
Differentiation between Speed and Acceleration. Knowledge of Gravity, Newton Force, Stability and Balance between two Vectors.

Students must understand: weight distribution, wheel friction on the ground, good design and fixation of the seat into the Go-Kart structure.

2.3. Mathematics
Trigonometric and Geometric basics.

The subject relates mainly to structural design. Students will learn how to transcribe what they have in mind onto paper, then into a real, life-size metallic structure.

They will learn the real conditions of problems that we never face on paper, such as engineering precise joints for two interlocking pieces.

3. Days of work required
The answer to this question depends on two factors: availability of materials and your motivation.

To save time we suggest that students are divided into teams. Each team will have specific task. E.g.:

Team 1: Frame/ body design

Team 2: Brakes

Team 3: Steering wheel and direction system

Team 4: Engine

Team 5: Documentation and reporting.

At first each team will be engaged on their own work independently from others. Eventually the students will need to coordinate with the other teams in case there have been changes and they will then need to appropriately adjust to the changes. Of course at the end all the teams must work together to fit the Go-Kart like a puzzle.

A preliminary estimation of the time needed to complete the project is: 10 days

4. Steps to build the Go-Kart.

4.1. Studying the above mentioned theories.
Where?: Your School. Cost: N/A

4.2. Meeting with the WESC team.
Where? Your School. Cost: 100 LE.
A good presentation from both parties must be done to find together the expected results.

A good understanding by both parties from the beginning is a third problem already resolved.

4.3. Second meeting with WESC team Place: Your School. Cost: 100 LE
Students give a presentation on their groups and the list of supplies are provided. The students are then given tasks for the purchases.

4.4. Purchases
Where?: Wekala, Sabtia etc. Cost: 200LE (or 400)
There will be two leaders and the students responsible with the purchases will go out and buy their equipment with the aid of the leaders.

4.5. First day at WESC.
Where?: WESC. Cost: 40LE/Student
Student teams must’ve been created at school by this point. After a brief presentation of our center and facilities, we may start our first day of real work.

4.6. Building the Chassis
Place: Wadi Warehouse 200LE per WESC assistant.

Students from the frame team will be assembling their chassis. Two leaders necessary.

In the coming days, students must concentrate on the project work. If all the conditions are present; the final result may be achieved within seven days. Seven to eleven days of work is expected for a “simple” Go-Kart.

An upgrade of our basic model may be discussed. We may think of options for higher speed, greater power, lighter frame, more aerodynamic design. We will review the electric schematics, limit the mechanical wastes and so on.

All of this must be discussed with the school and the WESC team on the meeting day. After this we may decide exactly on the final cost and deadlines.

6. Budget.

Material	Information	Price/unit	Total

Metallic frame	The Go-Kart Body	400	400
DC motor	The"engine"	800	800
Transmission	From motor to the wheel	250	250
4 Wheels		35	140
2 wheels axis		100	200
Direction system	Steering wheel, and direction system	650	650
Seat	Pilot seat	100	100
Electronics	Speed regulation and control	300	300
Battery	Energy providers (minimum 2 is required)	600	1200
Brake		200	200
4 SKFs	Ball bearing	25	100
Electric Accelerator		175	175

		TOTAL: (LE)	4515

Source of information:Mr. Rédouan, WADI’s Enginneer.

We suggest this cost per student depending if the number of students participating are 20 or 30 as seen below:

Type	Unit	Total
School visit	100LE X 2	200LE/ # students
9 WESC visits	40LE	360LE
Outside visit	200 LE X 4	800 LE/ # students
Go-Kart cost (20 students)	4515LE ÷ 20 students	226LE
Total Amount (for 20 students)		640LE / Student
Go-Kart cost (30 students)	4515LE ÷ 30 students	150
Total Amount (for 30 students)		560LE / Student

7. Evaluation
We suggest that along side the project all the teams document all the stages of the Go-Kart with their plans, their measures, their research, the mistakes they did and their pictures. This document can then become a valuable publication for the school.

Another suggestion would be to hold a panel discussion between students and Engineers and experts from Oil Companies, where the students propose their project and discuss the possibility of new forms of renewable energy.

As a final result the students will have gained experience in scientific theory, in scientific application, in teamwork and the satisfaction to achieve such a big target.

In order to understand the full scope of the Renewable Energy Vehicle Race you must read these posts

Go-kart: Requirements for Student Presentation

2007-03-12T15:13:00.000+02:00

As part of the Go-Kart project each team entering is required to give a presentation to WESC and British Council on the 30th of May (place to be announced).

The presentation must cover the following:

Fuel

Students need to present the pros and cons of the fuel to be used. This can be presented by the documenting team, but needs to be compiled by all students!

Engine/ Motor

Find an appropriate motor. (need to choose if electric or fuel)
Find a way to connect the engine to a power source. (Batteries)
Regulate the speed and acceleration.
Come up with a list of supplies and a budget for the cost

Brakes

Assure symmetric brake control of the car.
Find an easy way to brake and stop the car with minimum energy consumption.
Come up with a list of supplies and a budget for the cost.

Steering Column

Find a system of connecting the steering wheel to the wheels.
Assure a good control of the car.
Come up with a list of supplies and a budget for the cost

Frame/ Body

Make a plan of the frame and design it. (need to obtain designs on paper, with dimensions in cm/m)
Design the body. (Not the chassis, but the seat, the external features)
Choose the material to make the body.
Come up with a list of supplies and a budget for the cost.

Documenting/Marketing

Document the complete process and procedures you used in creating the go-kart.
Take pictures and write a report.
Interview participants.
Finalize a « Clean Energy Car » booklet.
Come up with a marketing plan to fundraise money.
Come up with a list of supplies and a budget for the cost. (camera, brochure, batteries)

In order to understand the full scope of the Renewable Energy Vehicle Race you must read these posts

Go-Kart Team Requirements

2007-03-12T15:04:00.000+02:00

Students are required to assign a team manager/ a team researcher / a team engineer / and a team technician.
Students are required to research the type of fuel to be used and then decide with the other teams on the final choice.
Students are required to prepare a 10 minutes PowerPoint presentation in their respective teams. The students will give the presentation on Wednesday 30^th of May. (look below for details)
Students are required to write up a list of supplies and a budget for these supplies. (taking into consideration that the budget is max LE3000)
The PowerPoint presentation needs to include:

1. Background on the type of alternative fuel to be used.

2. Background on their topic and what ways can it be made.

3. Plan of model how it looks like

4. Method of constructing the part.

5. List of materials to be used

6. List of material used and cost. (Students need to go down to Ataba, Shubra and other places and find out about the cost of these parts.) The budget as a whole cannot exceed 3000LE

7. Suggestions and solutions

After the presentations (on 30/11/05) the students will be involved in designing a plan and will divide the purchases among themselves.

If you have any questions regarding team requirements or the go-kart race in general please submit questions as a comment or contact:

hazemsaleh.@gmail.com

Story Telling

2007-03-02T17:34:00.000+02:00

Telling the stories of 'Cold Feet' and 'Walking on Water'