Energy Revolution GCP | 2
A Global Collaborative Project
By Jane Yap
University of North Carolina Wilmington
EDN 595: Infusing Global Education in Elementary Education
“We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”
― Wendell Berry, The Long-Legged House
Project Overview
The harmful effects of climate change has continuously changing our environment so much that it has been silently changing our ways of life. According to the Integrated Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “the extent of climate change effects on individual regions will vary over time and with the ability of different societal and environmental systems to mitigate or adapt to change.” (NASA, 2015)
As early as kindergarten, students can be taught about effects of climate change through series of exploratory activities across the grade levels that involve the earth, weather, animals, food, and energy. These exploratory activities can involve a discussion about the weather, a research on animal habitats, math computation of energy bill, or reading a book about food availability. Through these simple concepts, teachers can effectively bring into life the problems of climate change and the need for human beings to step up and become involved in solving this crisis.
The push on the use of clean energy has been an aspiration of all countries in the world with the hope that it will decrease human’s ecological impact to the environment. The aim of this Global Collaborative Project is to instigate a ‘green perspective’ within our students and to integrate ‘green living’ into their daily life. Students will have the opportunity to connect with their peers in the classroom, the students and faculty of the school, and children around the globe through detailed study about weather changes and energy, in-depth conversations about energy and our environment through technology, and various activities that will engage everyone into energy conservation. At the end of this project, my hope is that all students will develop wise-judgement in energy usage and become an ‘active’ advocate for the environment.
Targeted Grade Level(s)
The project was built to be implemented in Second Grade but could also be applicable to upper elementary students.
Project Length
The project is anticipated to be implemented for four weeks.
Project Learning Goals
In the completion of this project, students will be able to:
● Learn about solar energy and how it affects the weather
● Learn about the different types of weather around the world
● Learn what is energy and sources of energy
● Differentiate ‘renewable energy’ from ‘non-renewable energy’
● Learn about history of renewable energy and how it is harnessed
● Learn about geographical locations to know what type of clean energy can we get from different places
● Understand data and create graphs about energy usage at home and in school
● Show ways on how we can help in energy conservation through classroom-to-classroom campaign
● Share experiences and information on weather, renewable energy and energy conservation with other classrooms around the world particularly countries that are based in the tropical region, desert, and coastal regions through ePals and Kidblog.
Essential Questions
Through this project, students will be able to answer the following questions:
● How the sun is affects our weather?
● What is energy?
● What are the different sources of energy?
● What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy?
● What are the different sources of renewable energy?
● How do we harness renewable energy?
● Why can we not use renewable energy alone?
● Why use renewable energy?
● How do we know what renewable energy can we harness from different places?
● What are ways we can help in energy conservation?
Enduring Understandings
Through this project, students will understand that:
§ The energy that the Earth receives from the Sun is the basic cause of our changing weather.
§ Renewable energy is the energy generated from natural resources (sun, wind, water, geothermal heat, and biomass) and they are naturally replenished.
§ Traditional source of energy in the world is presently supplied through burning fossil fuels (nonrenewable energy) that impacts our environment.
§ Renewable energy cannot be used alone for the reason that they are not readily available when we need it. We cannot store wind and sunshine to keep our electricity going.
§ By using renewable energy, we are using clean energy that will not harm our environment.
§ Geographical locations will determine what kind of renewable energy can be harnessed from different areas of the world.
§ People around the world are doing their part towards using renewable energy through different energy-smart inventions and technology innovations.
§ All humans have the responsibility to do their part in helping to reduce this impact to our planet through energy conservation.
This project is based from on the following national and state standards:
Common Core Standards
English Language Arts
2.SL.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.
c. Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed.
2.L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names.
b. Use commas in greetings and closings of letters.
c. Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.
d. Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
e. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.
Math
2.MD.10 Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, take-apart, and compare problems using information presented in a bar graph.
NC Essential Standards
Science
2.E.1 Understand patterns of weather and factors that affect weather.
Clarifying Objectives
2.E.1.1 Summarize how energy from the sun serves as a source of light that warms the land, air and water.
2.E.1.3 Compare weather patterns that occur over time and relate observable patterns to time of day and time of year.
Social Studies
2.G.2 Understand the effects of humans interacting with their environment.
Clarifying Objectives
2.G.2.1 Give examples of ways in which people depend on the physical environment and natural resources to meet basic needs.
2.G.2.2 Explain how people positively and negatively affect the environment.
ICT Integration
The class will be using variety of online resources that could be found from different organizations such as David Suzuki Foundation, the National Geographic Website, Facing the Future, and several government agencies such as Department of Energy and State Energy Conservation Office of Texas. Different videos about renewable energy can also be found in YouTube Channel that will enhance students’ understanding of the topic through different visual presentations. Virtual field trips will be scheduled to look at geographical locations. Students will use ePals and Kidblog as their global communication tools. Through Kidblog, they will be sharing in their ‘take home message’ from the lesson presented for the day which can be shared within the learning community. The class will use ePals (emails) to get connected with other classrooms to share information about the weather, renewable energy, geography and share experiences about energy conservation.
Proposed Calendar of Activities and Exchanges
Week 1 / The Sun and the WeatherOn the first week, students will be introduced to the sun, it being as the main energy source and how it affects all living things on earth. It will also explain how it affects weather pattern all over the world.
Book: My Light by Molly Bang
Activities Include:
· Warmth Chart Activity: Students will go to different places in the school to determine or feel the differences in warmth from each area.
· Weather Journal -Students will record the weather pattern for the week in their weather journal.
Other Resources:
· Sun’s Effect on Weather (powerpoint)
· Why do We Study the Sun from NASA website
ePals: Students will write their first emails with the following content:
· Introduction
· Tell something about themselves
Kidblog: Students will answer this question “Why is the sun important?”
For the rest of the week, students will be giving comments to their classmates’ posts.
Week 2 / Renewable Energy and Types of Renewable Energy
This week the students will engage themselves into learning what renewable energy is, how it is different from nonrenewable and the different types of renewable energy.
Book: Living Sunlight by Molly Bang
Videos:
Resources (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O2A2x1Wyhk&feature=share)
Sustainable Energy for All: Powering the Future
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=13&v=CKuePs_RAAY)
Other Resources:
· Department of Energy website
· Energy for Keeps by Nemzer, Page, and Carter
· State Energy Conservation Website
· Sustainable Energy Infochart from Builddirect website
· Teaching Global Sustainability in the Primary Grades: A K-4 Curriculum Guide by Facing the Future
Activities:
· For the first day, class will be engaged into a discussion what is renewable energy and how it is different from nonrenewable energy through a book and a video.
· Teacher will group the class with 3-4 members each. Each group will make a research about a renewable energy source (sun, wind, water, biomass, geothermal). With collaboration with our media specialist, we will go the library for the next 2 days to do research.
· Fourth day, they will write and paste information about the energy source they researched about on a poster board.
· Fifth day, groups will present their research to the class.
· Students will continue to record their weather pattern in their weather journal.
ePals:
Students will write about:
· Their research project about renewable energy
· What they learned about the types of renewable energy
· Explain how they harness these energies
· Share a picture of their project board
Kidblog:
Students will answer to this post, “What is one special thing you learned about wind energy/ solar energy/ water energy/ biomass/ geothermal energy?” Throughout that week, students will be answering to their classmates’ posts.
Week 3 / Mapping our Energy and Energy-Smart Inventions
This week the class will be learning about harnessing renewable energy and the different innovations that produce and use this energy.
Books:
Catch the Wind by Anne Johnson
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
Video:
21st Century of Renewable Energy
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJYlJ9v-Osg)
Science Renewable Energy
(http://greenenergycleanenergy.com/science-renewable-energy-hd-2015amazing-movie-documentary/)
Other Resources:
· 10 Best Places to Harness Solar Energy from Discovery.com
· Building Wind Turbines from STEMmom.org
· Catching the Wind: Designing Windmills from EiE.com
· Elementary students create village that runs off of solar energy from kristv.com
· Do Renewables by Mike Rigsby
· Japanese Golf Courses Go From Financial Flops to Solar Farms from Good website
· Solar Power Generator Infochart from Inhabitat website
· Top 5 Countries on Renewable Energy from activesustainability.com
· Wind Power Generates 140% of Denmark’s Electricity Demand from theguardian.com
· World Map/ globe
Activities:
· Teacher will be showing different graphs to show data on how much renewable energy does our country use compared to other countries.
· We will be learning about best geographical locations to harness renewable energy and students will be probed on what they think will be the ideal places to harness this energy.
· Based on their weather journals, what types of renewable energy will be available in their area.
· The class will learn about different inventions that were inspired by the use of clean energy. As a project, the class will be doing wind turbines.
ePals:
Students will get into conversation with their friends talking about the geographical features of their place and their weather. What kinds of renewable energy can be harnessed from their place/ country? Are they doing it now? Using the world map/ globe, we will mark out the countries that could possible sources of renewable energy.
Kidblog:
Each student will be posting about their learning about a specific place, what type of renewable energy can be/ is being harnessed, and the geographical features that makes this place ideal for that kind of energy.
During the week, make comments on friends’ posts.
Week 4 / Energy Conservation Campaign
This week students will learn about the importance of energy conservation and ways to do it. During the week, students will be making a classroom-to-classroom campaign to conserve energy.
Books:
Baboon by Kate Banks
Energy Island by Allan Drummond
Video:
Bullfrog Power Ad
Other Resources:
David Suzuki Foundation website
Going Green Infochart from MNN.com
The Energy Savings Story from saveonenergy.com
US Energy Consumption Graph from US Energy Information Agency
Activities:
Students will be presented with different information of how we, as citizens can help our planet through energy conservation. (use of infographs and texts)
Students will be making fact sheet posters to share about use of clean energy and ways on how to conserve energy.
Teacher will coordinate with different classrooms to give 5-10 minutes to let students talk about energy conservation and alternative energy.
ePals:
Students will be expected to share conversations and experiences with their virtual friends about energy conservation.
Kidblog:
Students will share energy conservation tips they will bring to their families to share and do at home.
During the week, students will make comments on their friends’ posts.
Project Assessment with Scoring Rubric
Research Project
Criteria / Beginning / Developing / AccomplishedContent / Project contains 1-2 accurate and detailed information about the topic based from research / Project contains 3-4 accurate and detailed information about the topic based from research / Project contains 5 or more accurate and detailed information about the topic based from research
Organization and Neatness / Project was incomplete, or disorganized, illegible. / Project was complete, neat, and organized. Handwriting was clear. / Information was well-organized and neatness was observed.
Presentation / Student made little eye contact with the audience and somewhat made statements that are easy to understand / Student made good eye contact and spoke clearly. / Student made excellent and consistent eye contact with peers. Information was spoken clearly throughout the entire presentation.
Mechanics / Incomplete sentences, missing punctuation marks / Mostly complete sentences and used punctuation marks correctly / Consistently used complete sentences and correct punctuation marks.
Participation / Some students were engaged in the research and presentation. / Most students were engaged in the research and presentation. / All students were engaged in the research and presentation.
Energy Conservation Campaign