ComEd and the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project are working together to provide energy education resources, teacher training, and home energy conservation programming to teachers, students, and families in ComEd's service area in Illinois.  We are excited to announce the Illinois Energy Workshops held at multiple locations throughout the ComEd service area. Classroom teachers (K-12) have a unique opportunity to learn about energy in a fun and exciting way! 

ComEd sponsors Illinois Energy Workshops
In 2010, ComEd will sponsor eight Illinois Energy Workshops:

• October 7 –  Oak Brook 
• October 26 – Schaumburg/Palatine
• October 27 – Gurnee
• October 28 – Rockford
• November 16 – Lincoln Park Zoo – Chicago
• November 17 – Glenview/ Northbrook
• December 7 – Joliet 
• December 9 – Oak Brook 

Thanks to ComEd sponsorship, there is no cost to attend the workshops. Breakfast and lunch are provided! Substitute costs will be reimbursed to school districts and substitute reimbursement forms will be provided at the workshop.

The NEED Project’s mission is to promote an energy conscious and educated society. NEED is the nation’s leading provider of energy education programs and materials to schools. All NEED learning activities are correlated to Illinois science objectives. The program will make teaching energy exciting and fun.

Participation in this workshop provides educators with a free NEED Science of Energy Kit that teaches the concepts of force, motion, light, sound, heat, electricity, magnetism and energy transformations through hands-on activities.  Teachers are also encouraged to take advantage of the School Energy Management Kit and program and may select a Monitoring and Mentoring or Learning and Conserving Kit to monitor school energy use. 

Other materials designed for this program include an energy economics activity that incorporates home energy efficiency tips and an understanding of electricity pricing and sales. 

ComEd is also making Home Energy Efficiency Kits available using NEED's Saving Energy Curriculum Guides.  Teachers receive a Saving Energy Kit to use in their classrooms to teach energy efficiency measures.  Students then take the home energy efficiency kits home to install with their families. 

Teachers attending the ComEd sponsored workshops receive a comprehensive energy education curriculum package including:

The Science of Energy or Secondary Science of Energy
Energy Enigma
Electro Works Teacher Guide and Student Guide
Monitoring and Mentoring Teacher Guide and Student Guide
Learning and Conserving Teacher Guide and Student Guide
Saving Energy at Home and School Teacher and Family Guide
School Energy Survey Teacher Guide and Student Guide

ComEd and NEED work together on the ComEd Change-the-World Campaign. This year, schools may receive grants of $500 to implement education programs about Change-the-World and to help teach their local communities about energy efficiency! 
                          
Take the Change the World Pledge
For more information about the ComEd program, contact NEED at 1-800-875-5029.