This lesson teaches how to make charcoal from biomass waste, following D-Lab's model (http://d-lab.mit.edu/resources ). The creation of charcoal from waste limits deforestation, and charcoal burns cleaner than wood. This lesson also discusses the chemistry of combustion and the importance of oxygen control during the charcoal-making process.

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how to build a simple charcoal-pressing device

cutting a metal barrel, metal-work/welding

brainstorming local sources of biomass, possibly design a charcoal press

demonstrate chemistry of hydrocarbons and combustion reactions, hopefully enforce prior knowledge from school curriculum

students burn and crush their own charcoal

PEN lessons that meet the requirement are noted in brackets.

Cutting and welding the metal charcoal press, although this part could be ignored if the press is made by a professional beforehand.

Not applicable

Not applicable

To demonstrate the difference between ash and charcoal, the teacher sets fire to a piece of wood or paper. The teacher then shows how complete combustion leads to ash, and incomplete combustion leads to useful charcoal.

Not applicable

Students will prepare a barrel for the charcoal burn, fill it with dried biomass, and make charcoal. Students may also design and build their own charcoal presses.

for the burn: metal barrel or oil drum that can be sealed from both sides, tools to cut the barrel, rocks, sand/dirt, dry biomass, cassava or starch for binder, stove, pot, water

for the press: metal tube, flat metal pieces, thin metal pipes, welding and cutting equipment

paper, lighter, bowl of water

paper and pencil for design work

Ideal size for one burn is 5-10 students, so everyone can participate in some way and everyone can watch the burn. A larger class would also be fine, although only one teacher is necessary. Students can design and build their presses in groups of 4-5, so everyone can have a turn.

Why should students want to participate in this lesson?

Charcoal is recognized around the world, so this can be immediately applicable to students' lives. Deforestation and air pollution are also significant issues.

Why should teachers want to teach it?

Teachers may be able to connect the chemistry to prior knowledge from the standard science curriculum. Also, for the charcoal press, there is a concrete design challenge for students to solve.

If this lesson (and its prerequisites) were the only PEN lessons someone took, what should they be able to do?

Weld a charcoal press and make biomass charcoal.

If you had to teach this lesson tomorrow morning, what would you spend tonight working on? (assuming that materials were not an issue)

Reviewing the chemistry of hydrocarbon combustion. Looking over the charcoal-making manual to recognize the kinds of smoke and get the timing right.

If you hadn’t taught this lesson before, what questions would you have for someone who had taught a very similar lesson?

What would you recommend for the perfect batch of charcoal? How effective were students' charcoal press designs?

If the only materials available were broken radios, TVs, and computers, could you do all the electronics in this lesson? (assuming you had solder, soldering irons, etc.) If not, what would be missing?

Yes.

If the only structural materials available were dish-cloths, cardboard, and plastic bags, could you make the mechanical bits of this lesson? (assume equipment as above) If not, what would be missing?

No– see above.