This is a Clilstore unit. You can link all words to dictionaries.

The War of the Currents

War of the Currents:

Some suggestions for your work:

In this webquest you will learn to make an in-depth analysis of the War of the Currents and get information about why it started and what it was all about. You’ll see what the main issue of the War of the Currents was and who the main participants were. At the end of the lesson you’ll get the task to create a presentation analysing how our lives would be different without the inventions of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. In the grid below there are the evalution requirements for your presentation. Your work should be focused on the question:

1. What is your opinion about society without Edison and Tesla inventions? or;

2. How do you think our history could have been different without Edison and Tesla inventions?

Criteria	1	2	3	4
Clarity	Students have difficulties to understand and follow the content	Students can understand content and follow the content, with some efforts.	Students find it easy to understand content or follow the content.	Students understand the content fully and are able to explain it easily.
Technical data	Technical data are not complete and with many errors	Technical data are not complete, but almost right	Technical data are almost complete and right	Technical data are quite complete and right
Historical data	Students know some basic dates and explain the flow of events with some mistakes	Students know all basic dates and the flow of the events	Students know all the important dates and the causes that led to the invention of some devices	Students can recreate the flow of events perfectly and explain the causes that led to almost all inventions.
Language use	Sentences are ambiguous with many mistakes. Students know some of the academic vocabulary but need to understand them better.	Sentences are clear enough, but very simple and with some mistakes. Students understand the most important terms.	Sentences are well articulated with irrelevant or small errors. Students can understand and apply most of the relevant academic vocabulary.	Sentences are quite articulated, correct with a rich vocabulary. The present grammar errors is irrelevant to communication. Students fully understand and can use the academic vocabulary with ease.
Quality of speech	Speakers don’t know well the content and have difficulty formulating the sentences they use.	Speakers know well enough the content but have some difficulties to formulate the sentences they use.	Speakers know well the content and speak fluently enough with irrelevant errors.	Students can speak correctly and with the right pronunciation and grammar.

Introduction:

You may be wondering who these two men of the picture above are and why they are important - well, you will find out shortly! Play the short video below for more information.

Activity 1:
Play the video and answer the question below it:

1. Can you now name the two men of the picture above? Who are they?

2. Was it clear to you why they were arguing?

3. What were their main points during the argument?

Activity 2:
Read the text about the historical context of the War of the Currents and choose the correct word for every blank spot. Use the lightbulb button on the upper left for help if you need it.

Activity 3: Watch the video, explaining the way a dynamo is working:

Now, check your new knowledge by matching the correct pair in the game below:

Activity 4:

You already know how a dynamo works and how it produces Direct Current. Watch the video below to find out how Tesla made his Alternator work and how Alternative Current, which we use today, was invented.

It seems there is a new player in the game, huh? It's even in the news:

Check your knowledge of the subject with the following questions:

For your final task, you will be divided into 5 groups. Use the name wheel below to choose your team:

You have to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on one of the two subjects, that you saw at the beginning. We are copying it here:

1. What is your opinion about society without Edison and Tesla inventions? or;

2. How do you think our history could have been different without Edison and Tesla inventions?

Use the information provided in this webquest, and if you need additional information look up the following links:

1. https://www.biography.com/inventor/nikola-tesla

2. https://www.biography.com/inventor/thomas-edison

3. https://www.energy.gov/articles/war-currents-ac-vs-dc-power

4. https://www.history.com/news/what-was-the-war-of-the-currents