Technology & Innovation: Human ingenuity

Teacher-guided visit

years 5 & 6

Pre- or Post-visit slideshow

A teacher-guided visit of:-• Boulton and Watt engine • The steam revolution• EcoLogic: creating a sustainable future

Investigating the historical, social and environmental impact of technology and innovation at the Powerhouse Museum.

This slideshow can be used for either pre- or post-visit purpose. It features:• physical layout• key objects • Audiovisuals and interactives in the relevant sections of the three exhibitions.

Curriculum links:-Stage 3 Science and Technology units: • Environment matters, • The best place to live, • Switched on. Stage 3 COGs unit: • Living Land

What is technology?Technology is … • all around us• more than tools and gadgets • applying knowledge to meet needs and wants

Technology

Problem

What is innovation?Innovation is … • improving on something that already exists• coming up with something new that makes our lives easier

What is ingenuity?Ingenuity is … • being creative• about applying ideas to solve problems

Boulton & Watt engine, level 3

Boulton and Watt engineThis is the oldest surviving rotative steam engine in the world • The engine was made by engineer James Watt and

entrepreneur Matthew Boulton of Birmingham, England for Whitbread’s London brewery in 1785.

• It was donated to the Museum and arrived Sydney aboard the sailing ship ‘Patriarch’ in 1888.

• This massive engine played a key role in he development of the modern world.

connecting rod

beam/rocking arm

planet gear

fly wheel

cylinder

condenser(in tank)

piston rod

Boulton and Watt engine

drive wheel

sun gear

a) the separate condenser -reducing fuel use by 85%

b) the parallel motion mechanism -allowing the piston to push the beam up as well as pulling it down

c) the governor -automatically controlling the speed of the engine

d) the sun and planet gears - turning the up-and-down motion of the beam into rotative motion

1. Innovations that Watt and Boulton introduced

d

cb

a

James Watt was also the first to surround the

cylinder with wood to keep it hot

James Watt improved the steam engine dramatically to become an efficient and reliable source of power for industry around the world.

Boulton and Watt engines were prime movers in the Industrial Revolution, the engine represents not just innovation and entrepreneurship, but also great changes to people’s life and the environment.

DO YOU KNOW?Despite the engine’s size (9.14 m tall and 33 tonnes in weight), it produces less power than an average family car (11 kW or 15 horsepower).

3. What’s behind the Boulton and Watt engine? Visit the galleries behind the engine.

Gallery 1: The engine makers a) Find out more about the lives of Boulton and Watt here.

James Watt: the Scottish instrument maker who was the creative genius behind the engine

Matthew Boulton: the entrepreneur who saw the potential of the engine and supplied the finance and manufacturing know-how.

Gallery 2: Watt’s inventions b) Here find out how the ‘governor’ works.

DO YOU KNOW?Boulton saw a governor in a grain mill and asked Watt to apply the idea to the steam engine to control the speed.

Gallery 3: The Lunar Society Boulton and Watt were members of a group of scientists

and manufacturers known as the Lunar Society. c) Find out why the group was called the Lunar Society. d) What did they do at their regular meetings?

Jasperware jewellery made by Matthew

Boulton and Josiah Wedgwood (right)

Coffee potThis belonged to Joseph Banks, the botanist who sailed to Australia with

Captain Cook. Banks met Boulton and Watt at meetings

of the Lunar Society. (left)

The Soho Manufactory

Soho Foundry

Soho Insurance

Co

Union certificate Birmingham

riot 1792 Birmingham

Gallery 4: More of Watt’s inventions and life in the 1700s e) Find out how the ‘parallel motion’ and ‘sun-and-planet’ gear work.

The parallel motion

mechanism interactive

The sun-and-planet gear interactive

From single acting to double acting interactiveSee how the parallel motion mechanism (right) allows the top of the cylinder to be sealed while letting the piston push the end of the beam up as well as pulling it down (double acting).

From up and down to round and round interactiveSee how the planet gear drive the sun gear and the flywheel as you move the beam up and down.

To move the beam, you will need to give the flywheel a little push if one of the gears is directly above the other.

Count the number of turns the sun gear and flywheel make for every stroke of the beam.

The steam revolution

The steam revolution, level 2

The steam revolutionThis exhibition traces the development of steam technology and its impact on society. Explore how the power of steam inspired amazing inventions and technologies that made work easier and faster.

Original engine roomThis gallery was the original engine room of the Ultimo Power House, which generated power for Sydney’s electric trams. The engine room was completed in 1899 and remained in use till 1963.

Section 8: Roll up! Roll up!

Section 9: Designed for speed

Section 10: The city electric

Section 11: The Earl

Spencer’s cargo

Section 1: Introduction

Section 7: All work …

no play

To the left of the exhibition entrance 4. See how human and animal power was replaced

by machine power with the arrival of steam power.

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: Steps towards

steam

Section 4: Steam goes

bush

Section 3: Turn on the tap

Section 5: Designed for power

Section 6: Steam on the move

Section 7: All work …

no play

To the left of the exhibition entrance 4. See how human and animal power was replaced

by machine power with the arrival of steam power.

Steps towards steamThis section covers the scientific discoveries about air pressure and the nature of steam that led to the invention of the Boulton and Watt rotative steam engine

1

Interactive: Feel the

weight of air

Scientific discoveries

about air pressure and the nature of

steam

Video: Boulton and Watt – how their

engines work (2 min)

Interactive: Boulton and Watt engine

model

Interactive: Feel the weight of air 5. Find out what makes the piston lift the

weight.

Scientific discoveries from air pressure to invention of steam engines

6. Newcomen steam engine modela) What motivated Newcomen to take on the challenge of building his

steam engine?b) What was his engine designed to do?c) Compare Newcomen’s and Watt’s steam engine.

Turning on the tapFollow the development of Sydney’s water supply and look at the huge cylinder from Botany Pumping Station. Compare it with the cylinder of the engine behind you and imagine how big the Botany engine was.

Cylinder with

timber insulation

Interactive: Pump some water 7. Get an idea of the effort involved in

using a hand pump.a) Which part of the pump works as a

simple machine?b) What type of simple machine is it?

Audio: ‘Not a drop fit to drink’ Hear what people thought

about Sydney’s water supply in the 1800s (3 min)

Until the 1850s, few people in Sydney had taps in their houses. Most had to pump water by hand from public pumps and wells and then carry it home, walking up to half a kilometre each way.

Horse-drawn fire engine

Portable steam engine

AV:… making

steam move (3 min)

AV:Fire! Fire! (4 min)

[behind the engine]

Steam on the move8. On display are two ‘portable engines’ that could be moved from place to place to do

their work. These were compact and light enough for horses to pull.a) Choose one of the two engines. Collect as much information on it as possible. Write

a short story on it after your visit to the Museum.

Hard work before steamHand tools like these were used on farms in Australia and Britain before mechanisation. Great skill and strength were needed to get results.

Shearers with hand shears

Steam on the farmFarm workers saw mechanisation as a mixed blessing. It made some jobs easier, but people struggled to keep up with the relentless pace of machines. Many people had to move to cities because there were fewer jobs on farms.

The first fire brigadesIn the days before governments employed fire-fighters, fire brigades were owned by insurance companies. These brigades would only put out fire in buildings insured by their own company.

The Fire KingMerryweather, the maker of our horse-drawn steam fire pump, was so successful that he was nicknamed the Fire King. The engine was made at Greenwich in England.

All work … no playOn display are large steam engines that drove factory machinery all around the world before World War II. The relentless pace of the machines made work monotonous as well as noisy, dangerous and dirty.

Marshall steam engine

Printing pressWeaving

loom

Pulleys to transmit energy from engine to

machinery

9. The Marshall enginea) Find the technology or innovation that allows the steam engine to

drive hundreds of small machines in a factory.b) Imagine you are a factory worker, working in such a factory.

Describe your typical working day.

The city electricThis section looks at the spread of electricity and the turbines that generated it.

AV:Metropolis

(2 min)

Interactive:Light up Sydney

Parsons turbines

Interactive: Light up Sydney 10.Turn the handle of the interactive as fast as you can.

See whether you can light up the whole Imperial Arcade.

a) Find the machine that change the turning motion into electricity. What is it called?

b) What is the most commonly used fuel in Australia’s power stations?

c) What are the impacts of these power stations on our environment?

Fantasies and failures11.Steam power inspired many

inventors in the 1800s. See some of the interesting ideas people had. Put down any immediate ideas then make a sketch of your own fantasy steam powered engine after the visit.

Steam turbine reaction model

Aircraft model engine

EcoLogic, level 1

Discover the science behind global warming and learn how our precious natural resources such as fresh water are managed. Be inspired by how people and companies are changing the way they do things to secure a more sustainable future.

CARBON GALLERY

Into the unknownThe calm climatic conditions of the last 10,000 years have allowed agriculture and civilisation to flourish. But life will be less predictable if we let global warming continue.

DO YOU KNOW?The average Australian’s lifestyle emits about 20 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year.

Clean energyBuilding

new cities

NSW town of Bundanoon

REDESIGNING OUR WORLDCreativity, innovation, awareness of systems and personal behaviour change will all be essential in helping us adapt to new conditions and prevent the extremes of global warming.Social and economic structures that make our communities more resilient will help us all to deal with change.

REDESIGNING OUR WORLD

Building new cities

Clean energy

1. Find out more about technologies that capture energy from renewable sources such as wind and sunlight.

2. On display are some building models. Point out the sustainable features and environmental benefits of each.

REDESIGN YOUR WORLD

3. NSW town of Bundanoona) Find out who were involved in making the initiative of not

selling giveaway bottled water such a success in Bundanoon.

b) Find out the alternatives the town provide.

DO YOU KNOW?Bottling water gives off 1,000 times more greenhouse gases than pumping water to your tap.

CITY LIVING

4. Towards a sustainable housea) See how our choices of fittings and furnishings

in various family areas can make a difference. b) List three eco-friendly appliances, technologies

or products you have at your home.

CITY LIVING

5. Eco-design: reduce, recycle, reusea) Here choose one product from each group,

find out what makes each sustainable.

Online resources1. Boulton and Watt engine exhibition page, including a 11

min illustrated talk on the engine by curator, Debbie Rudder.

2. Boulton and Watt engine animation (1:11 min)3. Inside the collection blog: search the blog to find out

more about Boulton and Watt4. The steam revolution exhibition page, including

exhibition teachers notes.5. Marshall steam engine working (1:44 min)6. EcoLogic: creating a sustainable future exhibition page,

including exhibition teachers notes.7. PotBiz: the innovation game8. Australia Innovates, an online guide to innovation in

Australia’s industries

Image credit: All images used are from the Powerhouse Museum

-: Powerhouse Museum Learning :-

Relevant education programs1. Technology & Innovation: Design and Make

workshop for years 5 & 6

2. Sustainable solutions workshop for yrs 5-10