Course Syllabus
Title: Energy and Climate as Disciplinary Core Ideas
Credits: 3
Instructor: Jessica Angell
Meeting Dates: June 26-30, 2017
Location: Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT
Course Code: EDU 5627 C13
Course Description
Energy and Climate as a Disciplinary Core Idea is a professional development opportunity for teachers of grades K-12 with the goal of helping teachers develop the foundation for teaching energy and climate in their classrooms.The course integrates energy and climate literacy within the context of the Next Generation Science Standards, project-based learning, and school communities.Using the three-dimensional learning of NGSS as the pedagogical foundation, teachers explore the science core ideas of Human Impacts on Earth Systems, Natural Resources, Global Climate Change, and Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer. In addition, teachers are supported and challenged to apply this content to energy and climate project-based learning opportunities for students.Hands-on exploration, discussion with experts, field trips, and collaboration time for curriculum creation allow teachers to develop additional strategies and learning opportunities to engage their students in applying energy knowledge in meaningful ways that support the shift from “learning about” to “figuring out.”There are two separate tracks, one for teachers of grades K-5 and one for teachers of grades 6-12, to differentiate for the varying and diverse needs of different grade levels.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
●Summarize and explain how energy and climate literacy fit within the context of NGSS, project-based learning, and school communities.
●Develop standards-based, grade-appropriate energy and climate lessons/units to use within their classrooms.
●Feel more confident and comfortable with energy and climate disciplinary core ideas.
●Select and use appropriate energy science equipment and technical toolsto enhance lessons.
●Compare and contrast energy and climate issues/policies on local, national, and global levels.
●
General Course Information
Attendance Expectations
Participants are expected to attend all five days of the summer training and to contribute to all aspects of the course, including informal dialogue, presentations, work time/supported time and both large and small group discussions.
Required Readings
Required excerpts, chapters, or full text of:
●Committee on Conceptual Framework for the New K-12 Science Education Standards, Education, B. O., Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Council, N. R., Quinn, H., Schweingruber, H., & Keller, T. (2012).A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. National Academies Press.
●Two to four scholarly, peer-reviewed readings of their choosing on science instruction, implementation of NGSS, hands-on learning, or related topics.
Recommended Readings and Other Resources
●Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan. 2016 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, frompublicservice.vermont.gov/sites/psd/files/Pubs_Plans_Reports/State_Plans/Comp_Energy_Plan/2015/2016CEP_ES_Final.pdf
●Energy Literacy – U.S. Department of Energy. 2012 Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education.Retrieved March 15, 2016, fromenergy.gov/eere/education/energy-literacy-essential _ principles-and-fundamental-concepts-energy-education
●Community Energy Dashboard. The Energy Action Network (EAN) has created a Community Energy Dashboard to enable communities to understand their energy use and make clean energy choices and investments across all energy sectors: electric, thermal, and transportation.The Dashboard makes energy use across all three sectors visible and understandable to consumers and communities as a whole.The goal is to inform, educate, and engage Vermont communities in energy use, leading to action and documenting impacts.
●VEEP-Developed Curricula and Kit Materials:
○Solar and Wind FUNdamentals. Introduce your youngest students to wind and solar! VEEP has designed an introductory unit on wind and solar for K–3 that incorporates engineering principles in engaging, hands-on lessons, using NGSS and Common Core as frameworks. With a focus on being an engineer, students will build, share, and redesign models to understand how we can effectively use wind and solar.
○Wind Works. Hold on to your notebooks! Large fans and demonstration wind turbines unite to create electricity and present the power potential of wind. Students take measurements of wind speed with handheld anemometers and measure the voltage output on specially designed wind turbines. Students then graph the resulting data to explore the relationship between wind speed and power, and evaluate wind power as an energy alternative here in Vermont.
○Solar Challenge. Challenge your students to build a collector to boil water with energy from the sun. Students go to engineering school, learn about collector design, and parabolas through hands-on experiments. Student teams design and build solar collectors and compete for prizes in several categories. Materials kit for Solar Challenge includes reflective Mylar, cardboard, and mini-collector patterns.
○PVs In Action. Turn your students into solar energy experts. Materials kit includes mini PV panels, motors, and lights (just in case!): everything you need to demonstrate solar power right in the classroom. PVs In Action Curriculum guide has lessons that build on each other.
○Modeling Climate Science.How do human activities affect Earth systems?Help your students develop their understanding of factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century with the emphasis on the major role that human activities play.Students ask questions, build models, and engage in investigations and then apply this knowledge to help minimize the risks of climate change.
Course Content/Outline
Prior to the Start of the Course
●A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practice, Cross-Cutting Concepts, and Core Ideas.Participants will close-read sections on the core disciplinary ideas of Global Climate Change, Human Impacts on Earth Systems, and Energy Conservation and Transfer. Participants will
- Underline the most important ideas.
- Summarize ideas. For each component idea, consider what it really means to be able to use this science idea.What should students be able to explain?Record the important ideas that they come up with.
- Write any questions they have about what is in the Framework that they would like to clarify.
●Peer Reviewed NGSS Articles. Participants will locate and read two to four scholarly, peer reviewed articles on science instruction, the implementation of NGSS, hands-on learning, or a related topic in order to facilitate a discussion with the class.
Summer Institute Week
●Day One: Energy and Climate Within the Context of NGSS: This first day sets the stage and provides context for our learning. Several guest speakers have been invited to present on climate science and the Next Generation Science Standards. We will focus on the disciplinary core ideas of Global Climate Change and Human Impact on Earth Systems and consider what it really means to be able to use this science idea.
●Day Two: Energy, Electricity, and Renewables: All teachers will participate in a general discussion about energy and renewables and then depending on grade level will explore grade appropriate curriculum and lessons. A field trip to a local renewable facility will end the day.
●Day Three: Policy, Projects and Action:During this day teachers will hear about what is happening at local, national, and global levels regarding energy and climate policies. This will dovetail our conversation on educational policies in Vermont such as personal learning plan, transferrable skills, and flexible pathways. Project-based learning will be explored through different tracks such as Efficiency in Lighting and Plugload, Transportation Projects, and elementary projects in Personal Responsibility and Sustainability. A field trip to a school community undertaking energy projects will pull all the learning of the day together.
●Day Four: Using Content to Make a Difference: We will examine how community partnerships can help a school provide authentic experiences and audiences for students. The Community Energy Dashboard will be highlighted as well as other local community projects.
●Day Five: Curriculum Development: Teachers will have time to collaborate and work on developing energy and climate curricula with guided support from VEEP staff.
Student Evaluation/Assessment
A minimum of 45 hours of professional development that includes
●1-2hours of reading 2-4 scholarly, peer-reviewed articles on science instruction, the implementation of NGSS, hands-on learning, or related topics, with the addition of facilitating a discussion with the class.
●2-5 hours of close reading the K-12 Science Frameworkand identifying key points to aid in the development of an energy unit.
●35-40 hours of energy inquiries and investigations during the summer institute week.
Percentage Contribution of Each Assignment
●A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practice, Cross-Cutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (10%).Participants will close read sections on the core disciplinary ideas of Global ClimateChange, Human Impacts on Earth Systems, and Energy Conservation and Transfer.
●Peer Reviewed Articles (10%).Prior to the summer session, participants will locate and read 2-4 scholarly, peer-reviewed articles on science instruction, implementation of NGSS, hands-on learning, or related topic.They will be responsible for facilitating a discussion with the class.
●Summer Institute Energy Inquiries and Investigations (80%). During the summer session, participantswill completeenergy inquires and investigations, each of which will be documented through the use of a science/engineer notebook.This will be a place to organize observations and data, analyze data and maintain a record of learning for future reference.Participants are expected to contribute to all aspects of the course including informal dialogue, presentations, work time/supported time and both large and small group discussions.Each teacher will develop and share a unit sequence at the end of the week.
Grading Policy
Grades are indicated by letters with a designated “quality point” value assigned to each as follows:
A4.0
A-3.7
B+3.3
B3.0
B-2.7
C+2.3
Additional grading information can be found in the 2016/2017 Castleton University Graduate Catalog, under Academic Policies, accessible online at:
Academic Honesty Policy
Castleton University is a learning institution committed to the highest standards of scholarly conduct. The students, faculty, and administration make up a scholarly community whose integrity and success necessarily stem from a mutually agreed upon code of academic standards and principles that promote trust and honesty and prohibit the attempt to gain unfair academic advantage. Membership in the Castleton community means sharing responsibility for upholding and safeguarding these academic standards and principles.
Any violation of academic honesty will be considered cheating and will be dealt with accordingly by the appropriate authorities.
For more information click the link below to access the 2016/2017 Castleton University Graduate Catalog Academic Policy section:
Use and Ownership of Copyrighted Materials
For information and guidance, faculty and students are referred to the Vermont State College Manual of Policy and Procedures as it relates to the use and ownership of copyrighted materials. Guidelines are set out in Policy 416, accessible online at the following address:
Additional information on this subject is contained in the publication “Questions and Answers on Copyright for the Campus Community.” This document can be accessed online on the National Association of College Stores web site at the following address:
Course Drop Policy
Castleton University offers courses to educators with the expectation participants will complete the course. However, the University realizes circumstances arise in one’s personal life that may cause disruptions. The policy for dropping a course is that a participant will notify the instructor in writing of the intent to withdraw from the course.
The notice should include the reason for withdrawing and be made as follows:
1 credit course (15 hours) – before 3 hours of the course have taken place
2 credit course (30 hours) – before 6 hours of the course have taken place
3 credit course (45 hours) – before 9 hours of the course have taken place
4 credit course (60 hours) – before 12 hours of the course have taken place
After that, changes in class status will be considered for health, bereavement, and personal or emergency situations only. Those who withdraw without adhering to this policy may be liable for associated course costs.
For more Academic Policy information check the link below to access the 2016/2017 Castleton University Graduate Catalog:
Transcript Request