Chevy Volt Sparks Science Lesson

STILLWATER, Minn. - In an era where technology is a key part of teaching, a science lesson for Oak Park School students drove up to the back door and gave a close-up look at the technology that is generating quite a buzz in the auto world.

Michael Kahn, of Stillwater Motors, drove one of the first new Chevy Volts in Minnesota straight to the classroom of Oak Park’s GATE program for gifted and talented students. For the teachers, this wasn’t a game of “show and tell” as much as it was a lesson in “see and learn.”

The Volt is General Motors’ new entry in the electric vehicle market. Its Voltec power system drives the four-door car completely off of battery power. The Volt carries a small 1.4-liter gasoline engine, but it only powers up to charge the battery.

Unlike other electric cars on the market, the Volt allows the driver to travel as far as he or she wants without having to pull over or stop to recharge the battery.

GATE teacher Nick Ardito said the Volt is a perfect example of creative problem-solving for students to learn from.

“I think there is a good connection here that they are going to need to solve problems in the future related to energy and how cars get around,” said Ardito.

Many of Ardito’s students have already written essays on alternative energy and new technologies for powering cars. He said the Volt demonstration was an ingenious way to make the lessons come alive.

“They can see a real-world solution to bringing together the math, the science, the technology and engineering and see how it ends up in a new product,” said Ardito.

After seeing the new car and crawling through it, many of the students had their own suggestions on how to improve the Volt. Fifth-grader Jack Maloney suggested adding a solar panel to help charge the batteries.

“Like back in the trunk even, where you don’t even need it,” said Maloney.

Evan Dybvig said he’d put a solar panel on the roof.

“And I’d also have a little wind turbine so that when it’s driving, the wind would spin it. That could also charge the motor -- so you’d basically only have to charge it once to start the motor,” said Dybvig.

Ardtio said he now anticipates lots of fresh discussion.

“They’ll be coming back to me for the next few days even weeks saying, ‘Mr. Ardito, I have a new idea for a car’ and say ‘GM never thought of this,'" he said. "They’ll have some new ideas.”