Pi Day and NEED Education at Rochester School

March 14th is International Pi Day. This year, at Rochester School, students from science, math, and technology organized a show and tell of their best projects from class for Pi Day. Rochester School is a private K-12 school in Chia, Colombia that prides itself on its energy efficiency and sustainability. It is the only LEED Platinum (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) School in Latin America, certified by the US Green Building Council. We rely heavily on NEED resources to teach energy, conservation, and building science. The NEED resources align perfectly with our institutional mission and vision and we use our campus as a living text to complement the resources.

Several students and teachers have attended NEED youth and education conferences, which provided inspiration to what engaging activities we would showcase during our Pi Day schedule. For example, students from the sustainable development club organized three activities: the mini energy source sidekick circuit challenge, the wind blade challenge, and exploring angle and photovoltaic efficiency.

Mini Sidekick Circuit Challenge: Using energy source graphics provided by NEED, students could choose to make a solar, natural gas, or wind circuit. Before we started the activity, students were asked to describe an emergency situation when they needed a flashlight. The students then broke up into groups and constructed their circuits.

The goal was for students, with support from peers and parents, to construct the circuit in 60 minutes or less. Each student carefully removed the protective covering from the conductive copper tape and each chose different ways to complete their circuit.

The best part of the activity was the finished product: smiling faces of accomplishment! After the activity, the students formed a circle. We discussed how the activity helped to develop collaboration and critical thinking skills. Students shared what they valued about the activity and how they used problem solving skills to accomplish the task.

Wind Blade Challenge: Other groups of students participated in a wind blade challenge. Using recycled materials and NEED resources, the students worked collaboratively to manipulate variables related to wind turbine efficiency. They were encouraged to visit other groups to gain inspiration and new perspectives. Some students had difficulty with their group members and had to quickly resolve conflicts by clarifying roles. Just like in the real world, you have to learn to work with people with different perspectives.

Photovoltaic (PV) Exploration: Students also explored how the angle of a PV panel is related to its efficiency. Using NEED’s solar energy resources and multimeters, they manipulated the PV cells until they reached the optimal energy output. Since we live very close to the equator, they found that a PV cell with an angle of about 10 degrees oriented towards the south produced the best results. The students completed the activity by discussing how the angle and energy output might change if the geographic location was located in Canada or Argentina. Applying their understanding to different situations expanded their global mindfulness.

Overall, Pi Day was a success. The combination of using the school as a living text and the NEED resources reinforced the students’ understanding of energy and conservation. What’s next for Rochester school? We hope to continue to integrate NEED resources and attend NEED’s annual Youth Energy Conference & Awards in Washington, D.C. this June. Who knows, maybe one day we can have our own NEED conference in Colombia!

Blog by: Matthew Reis
Environmental Sustainability Teacher
Natural and Environmental Science Curriculum Coordinator
Sustainability and Energy Curriculum Coordinator

Posted 5/14/25