PLT Energy Webinar Questions and Answers
PLT GreenSchools! Questions:
Question: When you complete these investigations and activities are these done as a whole class and afterschool club? What do you think works well?
Answer: The GS investigations are not done in a “one size fits all” way and allow schools to implement them in a way that makes sense for their instructional programming and needs just as all PLT materials. We have many schools that do the investigations in afterschool programs and others that have incorporated them into whole class daily instruction. Both models work effectively but it is always a benefit to have the investigations incorporated into the daily curriculum.
Question: How do we get PLT to help our school buy new computers?
Answer: To find out about the process of applying for GS action project grants please visit http://www.greenworks.org/.
Question: How do school’s demonstrate alignment with required academic standards while doing the Investigations?
Answer: The investigations are correlated to national education standards. Please visit greenschools.org and click on Correlations to National Education Standards.
The Monarch School Questions:
Question: Can you explain the process and logistics of the Green Building Tour and how to set it up?
Answer: The students worked with the architect of the building, administration, and peers to create a small flip book that can be used over and over again. The flip book has icons and brief descriptions on each of our Green Points in the building. One of the points is Reduce Heat Island Effect. There is an icon of a house with the sun rays reflecting off the roof. Three bullet points are to the side of the icon:
- Highly reflective materials for roofing and parking lot reduce heat gain.
- Slopes on hill reduce heat gain.
- Minimal exterior lighting reduces light pollution.
The last one I would have entered into a different area, yet the students really wanted it here. They are a major part of the team, so we listened to their reasons and decided that was OK with us. Empowering!
Other Green Points include: Alternative Transportation, Storm Water Management and Harvesting, Water Use Reduction, Green Power, Daylight Sensors and Dimmers, Monitoring Energy Use, …..
Question: How many hives do you have? What do you do with the honey, wax etc..It seems like a great project for science!
Answer: We started with three hives. One flew away, and now we have two. The empty box is off with a bee wrangler who is going to catch a wild hive and return the box with bees to us. We have been in a really bad drought down here, so the hives did not have lots of flowers or water this past summer and fall; therefore, we chose not to harvest any honey. Let the bees use it for their winter food. The winter is pretty wet, and spring is looking like we might be able to harvest. We will bottle some honey and follow the philosophy of the bees “Honey can only be given away freely!” I have some people who are interested in using the wax to make candles, soaps, and stuff, so I am coordinating adult volunteers to work with the students. This is a spring time project, so look for pictures and videos later this year.
It is a great science project, and the science teachers are including the bees in their lessons. However, I have found that most of the discussions have been dealing with community of the bees. Specifically, how each bee does her job (all of the worker bees are female) , the role of the queen, and the role of the drones. The students are respectful of the bees and are impressed with how peaceful the hives are when we go out to check on them.
