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EES 491: Educational Outreach in Sustainability and Energy
Katie Kehoegreen
Institute for Sustainable Energy Intern
Eastern Connecticut State University
Abstract
I am an intern in the Educational Outreach sector of the Institute
for Sustainable Energy (ISE). I am completing my internship for the
Fall 2010 semester. I am working under Laurel Kohl, who is the
Energy Technical Specialist for Education & Training, at ISE and my
faculty advisor is Dr. Fred Loxsom. I am also working with Laura
Worthington, who is the Energy Technical Specialist for Education &
Training at ISE.
My internship objectives are to
1. Demonstrate knowledge of sustainability concepts;
2. Demonstrate knowledge of basic energy use and
sources
3. Design and adapt lessons to effectively teach
sustainability and energy use for elementary and middle
school students;
4. Teach elementary and middle school groups key
concepts of sustainability and energy use
5. Evaluate effectiveness of lessons taught.
I complete all my work on my own time, and meet about once a
week with Laurel Kohl and Laura Worthington to explain what I have
accomplished, express problems I was having, and to receive
feedback.
As an elementary education major with a sustainable energy
studies minor this internship has provided me with wonderful
opportunities to broaden my knowledge of lesson plans and
curriculum standards., given me opportunities to work hands on with
in the classroom and with students and opportunities in preprofessional training.
ACE Action Team/
Keep Connecticut
Cool Contest
At Windham Middle School, I work with 5th-8th graders during the after
school program every Tuesday. These students are part of an ACE
Action Team which is participating in the Keep Connecticut Cool
Contest. The students are leading the school to become more
sustainable through encouraging fellow peers, faculty and community to
be more sustainable and energy aware. The students have selected
multiple smaller goals and one larger goal which they are working
towards. They are beginning with their smaller goals which include,
recycling awareness in their school, replacing Styrofoam trays in the
cafeteria , going to the nearby elementary school to talking about
sustainability, making morning announcements to raise sustainability
awareness, and conserving water by encouraging peers to respect
water in bathrooms and from water fountains. The bigger long-term
project is acquiring solar panels for the school. This includes getting in
touch with administration, researching options, and fundraising. The
students are also sponsoring ACE to come and give a free school wide
presentation.
Dr. Loxsom asked me to complete a research paper as part of my
internship. The topic for my research paper is layered Curriculum and
climate change and outlines the process of creating a lesson plan which
encompasses both.
Future Scenario Forms & RHAM Middle
School
The Future Scenario Forms were an activity I had originally
created for the Ecological Footprint Unit Plan. They evolved into a
separate activity which has students predict ecological footprints in
the future. On December 10, 2010, I am going with Laurel and
Laura to RHAM Middle School to implement the activity with
groups of 8th graders.
Meeting with Laurel Kohl
and Laura Worthington
Windham
Middle School
Layered Curriculum Lesson Plan
& Research Paper
Laurel Kohl, asked me create a lesson plan which used the layered
curriculum style created by Kathie Nunley. We decided the lesson plan
would be about climate change and satisfy Connecticut Science
Standards 9.8 and 9.9. As I am developing this lesson plan I have
researched material such as articles, games, experiments, videos,
projects and other assorted tasks, to be used in the three layers. Layer
C, the first layer creates the foundation of knowledge for the students.
Layer B incorporates the material they have learned with new material
with a factor of fun. Layer A applies what the students have learned to an
analytical question.
Institute for
Sustainable
Energy
Ecological Footprint Unit Plan
I adjusted a preexisting ISE Ecological Footprint Lesson Plan aimed at
grades 6-12 into a Unit Plan for 5th grade. The goal was to create a
lesson that could be presented to a 5th grade classroom and could be
used to by other teachers in Connecticut. The unit plan incorporates
four lesson plans in it. I met with Laurel kohl and Laura Worthington in
the creation of the unit plan, presenting them with rough drafts of the
unit plan. They then gave advice and directions. I would adjust
accordingly then we would meet again until a final product free of errors
and confusing language that was clearly formatted and easy to follow
was created. On Monday October 18, 2010, along with Laura
Worthington, I assisted in presenting the lesson plan one to three fifth
grade science classes.
Connecticut Science Teachers Association
Education Conference
On Saturday October 30,2010, I attended the CSTA Education
Conference at Hamden Middle School. At the conference, I assisted
Laurel Kohl out at the interactive table during breakfast and at the
ISE/Keep Connecticut Cool table in the exhibit hall. I attended three
sessions, one about the ACE action Team and Keep Connecticut
Cool, one by Jeff Winokur about integrating Literacy into the
classroom, and one by Dr.Ralph Yulo about seeds. I also attended
the keynote speaker who was Jeff Winokur.
For Further Information
Institute for Sustainable Energy Website: www.sustainenergy.org
Keep Connecticut Cool\ Contest: www.keepconnecticutcool.org
Alliance for Climate Education: http://www.acespace.org/
Internship Blog: http://kehoegreenkatie.spaces.live.com/