Welcome to Connecticut Energy Education!

We are a curriculum resource for educators featuring the energy topics in the Connecticut high school curriculum. Issues and topics are explored with a Connecticut focus, and with an emphasis on solutions that students can implement. We offer information, lessons, labs and activities in:

 

"The main reason I like the 9.3 unit is for the mix and match ability of the lessons. I feel like I can focus more on what is being learned..."       ~Alex Velardi, North Haven HS   What's new?   Take a look at our newest addition Energy in the 9.3 Standard. This "Leveled Curriculum" style unit offers Power Points, assignments, creativity, and fun ways to teach about traditional and alternative fuels.   Planning your year            Preview and pilot the 9.1 Energy Transformation lesson written by CT Energy Education for the CT Science Center! Start your year off with a look toward the future. Explore Green Jobs with your students. Check our our new Videos and Games. These short online clips gathered from great sources can supplement your lessons--and many of our lessons, too! It's time to Keep Connecticut Cool! Are you ready?   Connecticut middle and high school students are invited to take the Keep Connecticut Cool Challenge and create a local solution to climate change. Learn about climate science Understand how human activities are contributing to climate change Create a plan to help solve the problem Win prizes to help your project! Visit keepconnecticutcool.org for more information. Watch for changes to the constest for 2010-11! Learn More About Climate Change     The NSTA Learning Center is hosting a series of Climate Change webinars this fall. Free for all, the sessions are 1 1/2 hrs each. Topics include: An Introduction to Earth's Climate, 9/22/10 Clues to Climates of the Past, 9/28/10 Global Climate Change and the Earth System, 10/6/10 Effects of Climate Change: Ocean and Ice, 10/14/10 Effects of Climate Change to Life on Earth, 10/20/10 Predicting Future Climate and Considering Solutions, 10/28/10 Visit the NSTA Learning Center to register. The webinars are also available in their archive.                   The EnergySmart Schools program provides lesson plans and activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy for grades K-12. Each includes a short summary that identifies curriculum integration, time, and materials. The lessons are aligned to National Science Education Standards.                The EPA invites you to consider the benefits of purchasing Green Power by using it's equivalency calculator. The calculator translates kilowatt-hours purchased into more understandable terms, such as an equivalent number of passenger vehicles, homes, or coal plants.   The equivalency calculations for passenger vehicles per year, gallons of gasoline consumed, propane cylinders used for home barbeques, coal-fired power plant emissions for one year, and home electricity use for one year were updated in the calculator to reflect newer data. This update will provide you with more accurate avoided CO2 emissions equivalency statements.                          The United Nations Climate Change conference in Copenhagen has started. If you are looking for an interdisciplinary lesson for your classroom to engage your students on the issues being discussed at the conference check out Facing the Future's "Energy Policies for a Cool Future".   Want to track global climate change negotiations at Copenhagen? Each time a decision is reached it is possible to see the results on our future climate using the Climate Scoreboard developed by a Sustainability team from MIT.         Looking for a fabulous way to reach students on the subject of climate change? The Alliance for Climate Education will come to your school to do an assembly presentation FOR FREE!!   Young, hip, energetic presenters inspire and connect in a science-based, engaging program. Click on the image to the left to see the trailer video on their website.Contact Rouwenna Lamm to book your assembly (New England states).   This is the perfect "fire them up" prelude to starting a climate action team in your school---and CTEnergyEducation can help with resources and also the Keep Connecticut Cool Challenge.         P3 Competition from US EPA          The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of the P3 Award Program, is seeking applications proposing to research, develop, and design solutions to real world challenges involving the overall sustainability of human society. The P3 competition highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innovative projects focused on sustainability. The P3 Awards program was developed to foster progress toward sustainability by achieving the mutual goals of economic prosperity, protection of the planet, and improved quality of life for its people-- people, prosperity, and the planet – the three pillars of sustainability. The EPA offers the P3 competition in order to respond to the technical needs of the world while moving towards the goal of sustainability. Please see the P3 website for more details about this program.          Visit www.350.org to see what you can do to help educate about rising carbon dioxide. October 10, 2010 is the Global Work Party. Plan your action to transform our communities!                  New Climate Change Resources New from Teachers Domain: Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate As the environmental, economic, and political consequences of climate change are felt in Alaska, the Arctic, and throughout the world, we have much to learn from both the traditional knowledge of Native peoples and ongoing scientific research.       Call the plumber! The tub is flowing over!!!   What does a bathtub have to do with Climate Change? It is all about stocks and flows---what you have, the rate it changes, where it is going to, and what you have left over. Learn about the analogy from M.I.T.'s Dr. John Sterman, and read more in Andrew Revkin's recent blog.           Air quality is related to climate change and energy use! One area for students to explore is the practice of idling vehicles, especially in the school parking areas. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has created a fun "Mythbusters" spoof about vehicle idling. You can check it out, and research the Connecticut laws about idling. The move is on in the the House and Senate to reduce the affects of climate change. Redefining Progress expects the Waxman-Markey-Inslee statement of principles (read them here) will be the vehicle for House energy and climate legislation in the coming months. You should read this document to understand the directions we may be moving. It is also something to share with your students as they explore the many choices we have (Stabilization Wedges lesson) that we have in solving the climate crisis.

CT Energy Education wants to come to your school to do a workshop, this spring, summer or next fall!   If you arrange for a workshop, you or your department can earn $150. All you and/or your department would need to do is: Arrange for the room Recruit 8-10 teachers to attend You can draw from just your building, the district, or combine districts Provide some support on the day of the workshop Help us arrange for CEUs if possible (we would provide the appropriate info and data needed by your CEU coordinator) Remain in touch with us for changes needed CT Energy Education will: Bring all materials Provide snacks Complete info forms/attendance/evaluations needed for CEUs Remain in touch with you about changes Pay you or your department $150 We suggest the following: Invite high school science teachers—9th grade, general science, environmental science at high school level have the most common interest in the materials Invite your science supervisor(s) and curriculum support administrators Invite middle school staff, the materials may be used as a strong interdisciplinary unit. If your team has an interest in this, invite all interested core teachers. Lessons in the materials have strong mathematics, social studies, and language arts ties, although the core framework alignment has not been completed in these areas yet.

Live Green, Win Green   The votes are in. Suffield High School won the top $20,000 prize in the Live Green, Win Green contest. Check out the entries for the winning schools. "19 Bathrooms" from Hand High School is especially fun.

Save Energy, Save Money Resources for saving energy and saving money. Ecological Footprint Lesson featured on CTV14 "Education Matters" program

Presentations now online!  PDFs of recent presentations Videos below of presentations Energy Issues in Connecticut Presented by Laurel Kohl 8/1/07 The presentation is 1:18:04 with both the Power Point slides and the narrative 12 Steps to a Sustainable High School Presented by Bill Leahy 8/1/07 The presentation is 46:44 with both the Power Point slides and the narrative Improving Building Performance in Schools Presented by Bill Leahy 8/1/07 The presentation is 55:11 with both the Power Point slides and the narrative Brand New - Stabilization Wedges Game - Play the game and see the choices your students make to creatively avoid doubling atmospheric CO2 There's a Thief in My Kitchen - Compact Fluorescent Lab and Exercise for the Middle Grades Connecticut Energy and Climate Change Information Looking for Climate Change reading suggestions or gifts? Here are some book suggestions from members of the Connecticut Climate Action Plan's Education Committee Ecological Footprint - Join the Footprint Database! Join the CT Energy Education CFL Challenge After your class calculates the kilowatt hour, CO2 and cost savings of the replacement of their 5 most-used bulbs, let us know how it adds up. Email your additions and join the list! Workshops It's not too soon to start planning for the 2009-10 year. Would you like CT Energy to come to your school for a workshop?? Schedule a workshop for your school! Want either an Introduction to CT Energy Education, or an intensive hands-on workshop with the lessons? Get the help you need, CEUs, and earn $150 for yourself or your department!

The lessons in CT Energy Education are focused on high school students, although many apply to students from 5th grade to college. Materials are open for all to use. They include an emphasis on Connecticut's energy issues and student solutions. All lessons are aligned to the Connecticut Science Frameworks.

To learn more about questions you may have about Connecticut energy information, including Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy Options, Utility Information for Restructuring, Energy Assistance, Environmental Issues, Consumer Issues and Research & Public Policy, visit Connecticut Energy Information at www.CTEnergyInfo.com