Creating and shaping the world does not only consist of painting and drawing. It also is about planting seeds in the future scientist of tomorrow. Myself and team members of the Ford Partnership of Advanced Studies executed a Professional Development Workshop in San Antonio introducing educators to the Ford PAS curriculum - Working Towards Sustainability. In this workshop we focused on different energy resources we as a country are currently using to generate energy. Teachers were challenged to think about renewable energy and in doing so they were broken into - three groups, which included solar, water and wind. In the lab experiments they recorded the comparison of relative amounts of energy, by using and calculating the number of joules of heat generated by each fuel. Each group was encouraged to brainstorm advantages and disadvantages of each source. Soon after completing the lab experiments they were encouraged to reflect on the results to find they where excited about conducting this type of lab in their classroom. The next day we tied it into a Coordinated Learning Experience where they toured Pearl Brewery a warehouse renovation project a learning laboratory for energy efficiency, featuring the largest solar energy installation in the state, according to CPS Energy and Silver Ventures, which is currently renovating the historic brewery site in an adaptive re-use project.
This turned out to be a great learning experience for our participants because they were able to see the impact of how renewable energy works and how this type of Coordinated Learning Experience can impact student views and plant seeds to find creative solutions to Green initiatives. We all have something to offer this world and if you’re not creating art then we must get involved and educate our youth and plant the necessary seeds and stand back and watch the creativity grow.
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