BoeingHigherEducationProgram

The 13th UTokyo Techno-Science café Report２July 28, 2013

Techno Science Cafe ‘The Future of Battery and EV’ was held on 28th, July, 2013 in the University of Tokyo.
More than 40 children-mainly from upper grades of the elementary school joined.
Firstly, Mr. Ken-ichi Tsutsumi from MITSUBISHI Motors delivered a speech about Electric Vehicles (EV). The history, the formation and also the future of EV were introduced. There were many new issues that surprised the children in the speech, such as: actually the history of EV is much longer than that of gasoline car.
Secondly, Prof. Yamada from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo delivered a speech about battery. The principle of how batteries work, researches of batteries made now, and even the hot issues of energy were delivered easily to understand. Not only the children, but the parents were also very into the speech.
After the speeches, a chance was given by MITSUBISHI Motors to ride on ‘iMiEV’-EV made by MITSUBISHI Motors - around the campus. Although it was only a short period, both the children and the parents experienced how fast and silent EV was while running.
Finally, group-work workshop was held by university students. Children were divided into 6 groups, and they had fun answering quizzes about batteries and also making batteries themselves.
In the quiz corner, they learned many that they didn’t know. Such as: there are over 4000 types of batteries in the world, and the first person who made battery was a Japanese, etc. Later, in order to let the children know that people are also electrolyte, an activity was held that: 5 children were asked to hold spoons and a piece of foil on their hands. And when they were connected by wires, they made the music box sang. The children were very excited. At last, children were asked to make a battery from the materials in everyday life-charcoal, salt water and aluminum foil. They were asked to use the batteries they made to spin the propellers. Through this, the children learned about the principle of battery by making it by themselves.
When preparing for this Techno Science Café, we found that there were many contents that might be difficult for the children to understand. So we thought a lot about how to make it easier for the children to understand. When the program actually started, we found that the children were far more eager in learning new things than we have thought. We felt very happy too.
We, as university students, have also found many new knowledge about batteries, even we are using them every day. Moreover, we learned much from the children’s attitude towards learning. We ourselves have gained many from this event.
We hope that this kind of event can call for the children’s will to develop the world of science. See you next time.



2013年7月28日，举办了“东京大学Techno Science Café——电池与车的未来”活动，共小学高年级的孩子们40余名参加。
　首先由三菱自动车工业株式会社的堤健一先生为大家做了一段关于电力驱动车的精彩演讲。他介绍了电力驱动车的历史与构造，以及电力驱动车在今后社会中的重要意义等等。例如：电力驱动车的历史其实比汽油驱动车的历史还要悠久等等这样的话题，让孩子们感到非常有趣。
　接下来由东京大学化学系统工学科的山田教授为大家做了关于电池的演讲。他详细且易懂地为大家介绍了电池的原理、目前正在进行的研究，以及目前的能源问题等等。不仅仅是孩子们，家长们也从中懂得了许多新知识。
　另外，演讲之前，三菱公司特意允许大家试乘了“电力驱动车iMiEV”,短短的时间内，大家乘坐无噪音的电力驱动车，在校园里体验了电力驱动车的许多优点。
　演讲结束后，孩子们与东京大学的学生们一起协作，通过动手来学习体验有关电池的知识。孩子们被分为6个小组，参与关于电池的有奖竞猜、并自己动手制作了电池。
　在有奖竞猜环节，孩子们学到了许多让他们感到惊讶的电池知识。比如：电池其实有4000余种，世界上最早的干电池其实是日本人制作的，等等。在大家一起齐心协力奏响音乐盒环节中，孩子们自己作为电池的“电解质”，手里拿着勺子和铝箔，５个人串连在一起使电压升高，奏响了音乐盒。孩子们十分兴奋。通过以上环节学习了电池的构造以后，孩子们用碳棒、盐水、铝箔等身边的材料制作了电池，并将自己制作的电池连在螺旋桨上使其转动。孩子们通过动手学会了如何制作电池以及它的原理。
　这次的Techno Science Café多多少少有一些对孩子们来说较难的内容。在准备的时候，我们就一直在思考怎么才能更易懂地向孩子们传达这些知识。真正到活动当天，我们发现这些孩子们都特别好学，并且有特别强的好奇心，这让我们非常高兴。
　即使我们每天都要使用电池，然而作为大学生的我们也通过这次活动学到了许多新知识。另外，孩子们对于学习的热情，对于新知识的好奇心，也让我们从中学到了很多东西。
　希望能够通过这次活动能够增强孩子们对科学的兴趣。我们下次再见。