ALASKA ELEMENTARY LEVEL
NATIONAL ROOKIE FINALIST
Northern Lights ABC School
2424 East Dowling Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
(907) 742-7500
Project Title: Energy Matters
Project Adviser: Tammy Black
Our class involved the community, students and families in our project by teaching them about energy. We created presentations that were easy to understand and presented them to nine classes and at a Family Science Night at our school, Northern Lights ABC.
We had four main presentations accompanied by posters on the subjects of Safety around Energy, How to Save Energy, Energy Matters, and finally an Energy Sources presentation. The Energy Matters presentation talked about how energy is important to Alaskans and also our energy plan for Alaska. The Energy Sources presentation included small groups describing different sources of energy such as solar and hydropower. These presentations were also presented to and broadcasted by our local news station, KTUU Channel 2 News.
During our class presentations and Family Science Night, our class had students and adults sign pledges that said they would promise to conserve energy. We managed to collect a total of 110 family pledges and 359 student pledges!
At the Family Science Night, we had all four of our presentations on display and open for students and adults to come and ask about them. We learned a lot and worked very hard on this project!
CALIFORNIA PRIMARY LEVEL
NATIONAL FINALIST
Urbita Elementary School
771 South J Street
San Bernardino, CA 92410
(909) 388-6488
www.urbitaschool.com
Project Title: Earth Savers are Energy Stars
Project Advisers: Linda Gregory and Elena Villegas
Student Directors: Karleeah McNeill and Leilani Negret
We learned a lot about energy. Energy can be light, heat and motion. We need energy to grow. We get energy from food. We get energy from the sun because the sun makes plants grow and we eat plants or animals that eat the plants. We planted tulips and peanuts to learn about how plants grow. We are raising trout to learn about life cycles. Without energy there is no life cycle or food chain.
We learned how solar energy heats things in experiments. We also learned about magnets. Magnets can make things move. They can attract or repel. We put our experiments in the science fair.
We get energy from fossil fuels like gas for our cars. We learned about energy sources like wind energy and hydropower (water).
It is important to save energy. People can save energy by doing things like turning off their lights. We shared our energy saving ideas with our school. We made a movie about energy and how not to waste it. We also learned an energy song to sing for Earth Day. It tells people to change their lights to CFL bulbs.
CALIFORNIA ELEMENTARY LEVEL
NATIONAL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Burrel Union Elementary School
16704 South Jameson
Burrel, CA 93607
(559) 866-5634
http://burrel.ca.schoolwebpages.com
Project Title: Energy Awareness and Conservation
Project Adviser: Mary Funk
Our class involved the entire school in learning about energy, as well as our community and an orphanage in Kamuli village in Uganda, Africa. We have a three-phase project based mostly on solar energy and energy conservation.
As we first began learning about energy and energy conservation, we wanted to showcase what we learned from the NEED curriculum and lessons. Students shared statistics and ideas for conserving energy in their homes for their parents and community leaders at a PTC meeting.
Then as we moved into solar energy, it seemed like the right thing for the students in Uganda. They have a lot of sun and no electricity. So we wanted to share what we learned about using the sun for free. The students have never learned about science before and we wanted to share our fun with them.
After learning about energy, it was just right that we did something with energy. The After School Solar Class designed an Outdoor Solar Learning Center. They got it approved and Mrs. Funk found funding. We are building it at our school.
We learned, we taught and we gave back. That’s education!
CALIFORNIA ELEMENTARY LEVEL
Cumberland Elementary School
824 Cumberland Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 522-8255
www.sesd.org/schools/cumberland/index.htm
Project Title: Going Green
Project Adviser: Melinda Teves
Our class goal was to make Cumberland School green. Becoming green would help our planet. We decided to earn our Green Business Certification from Santa Clara County.
First, we divided our class into committees. For example, the Baseline Survey Committee launched a survey to find out what kids already knew about the environment. We set up an energy audit with PG&E. We also went on a tour by Santa Clara County where we learned ways to save energy and money.
We experimented with our NEED energy materials. Our Energy Monitoring Committee set up recess demos with solar cars and other great materials. Each classroom appointed an Energy Monitor to become an expert. Our Entertainment Committee performed assembly skits to get Cumberland kids walking.
We broadened our recycling efforts. We saved 57 trees last year. Now every classroom also has a container bin and a paper bin.
We expanded the technology-waste recycling contest. And our class is starting another contest (with PG&E coloring books and an EPA website) that’s informational and fun. Anyone who participates will get a “Cumberland Kids are COOL” bracelet.
Soon, Cumberland will be green!
CALIFORNIA ELEMENTARY LEVEL
Urbita Elementary School
771 South J Street
San Bernardino, CA 92410
(909) 388-6488
www.urbitaschool.com
Project Title: Change a Light, Change the World
Project Advisers: Andrea Schindler and Elena Villegas
Student Directors: Jasmine Miranda, Gabriela Morones, Andrew Cortez, Zaire Kennedy, Amanda Ramirez and Alexis Medina
Energy runs the world. Our upper grade Earthsavers learned that people waste energy and need to know how to conserve it.
We learned we waste twice as much energy in our homes as we do in our cars. We studied a concept map that explained how energy is distributed to our homes from power plants. We did an experiment that measured how much energy is lost in heat from incandescent light bulbs.
We created a Power Point presentation about energy saving fluorescent light bulbs. We used it to teach the students at our school how to save energy by switching to CFL light bulbs. We also organized a school-wide light bulb exchange program.
We made a flyer with energy saving tips that we distributed in our community. In addition, we explained how CFL light bulbs are more energy efficient and we exchanged old incandescent light bulbs for fluorescent light bulbs.
To share what we have learned, we are giving our Power Point presentation at the upcoming Environmental Expo.
Earthsavers know how important it is to recycle. We collected and recycled cans, plastic bottles and eyeglasses, as well as used ink cartridges.
Earthsavers = Energy + Conservation, a great equation!
CALIFORNIA ELEMENTARY LEVEL
West Orange Elementary School
243 South Bush Street
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 997-6283
www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/wo/
Project Title: West Orange Recycling Ambassadors
Project Adviser: Vicki Anderson
Student Director: Lorenzo Posthuma
The goal of the club was to learn about energy and the environment. First, we learned what energy is and about the different sources and different forms of energy. We learned about the advantages and disadvantages of each energy source. Were they renewable or nonrenewable? Did they pollute or not? Were they safe or dangerous? We learned how we get energy from each source. We did energy transformation experiments, and also learned different ways to save energy and help the environment.
We then made posters about the different sources of energy. We used these and other information to teach the students of West Orange about energy, energy conservation and why energy conservation is important for the environment.
The club started a recycling program with the whole school to practice the three Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle. This taught the students the benefits of recycling. Recycling saves energy and natural resources, and helps the environment by keeping the recycled materials out of landfills where they can stay for thousands of years. We won first prize in Wal-Mart’s recycling contest for our region.
The activities we did were fun. They also helped the other students learn important information about energy and the environment.
CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEVEL
NATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Robert A. Millikan High School
