2015-2016 PECO Energizing Education Program

Guidelines and Application for Continuation Programs

Applications must be received byDECEMBER 4, 2015

How to Apply:

Email this completed application to Sharon Kiefer at OR

Mail the completed application to:

The Franklin Institute

ATTN: Sharon Kiefer

222 N. 20th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

What is the PECO Energizing Education Program Transition Year?

Following 7 successful years of the development and implementation of the PECO Energizing Education Program, PECO, The Franklin Institute and NEED have designed a transition year plan that will continue the program while piloting some new opportunitiesto prepare for a new program to be launched for schools in the fall of 2016. This transition year (2015-2016) will give our PEEP schools and the program partners at TFI and NEED the opportunity to work together to create something even more exciting in 2016-2017 and beyond.

Our continuing schools have been the backbone of the program throughout the years, and have a wealth of experience to bring to future plans. We will be bringing together a group of lead teachers from the PEEP schools to consider the path forward and to create what we see as PEEP 2.0.

We hope you will join us in this effort to build on the program each of you dedicated your time and energy to over these last seven years.

What resources do PEEP Schools Receive during the 2015-2016 School Year?

The PECO Energizing Education ProgramTransition Year includes:

  1. One-Day Mandatory PEEP Teacher Training hosted onFriday, January 8, 2016at The Franklin Institute (substitutes reimbursed)
  1. Replenishment of consumables for NEED kits and curriculum:
  • Science of Energy
  • solar energy
  • wind generation
  • hydropower
  • energy efficiency
  1. A cash grant of $500 to support the school’s selection of and implementation of an energy-focused/STEM

Challenge project that will be documented and submitted just like the PEEP Community Projects of years past.

  1. The STEM Challenge projects will be reviewed and a minimum of one school will be selected to share its project at the Philadelphia Science Festival or other community events in the Spring.

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PECO Energizing Education Program - Continuation

Application for Participation

Please be sure to submit all application components and respond to all questions:

  1. SCHOOL ______

Nameof Person Completing Application
Title
Address
Phone
Email
District Name
County
  1. Principal of the School

Name
Phone
Email
  1. Additional Information

What grade(s) level will you include in the program
Number of students you will include in the program

4. Please provide responses to the following questions (include on no more than two pages):

a)How has the PECO program impacted your school and students thus far?

b)How will you build and expand upon your existing PECO program within your classroom in the new school year?

c)What do you plan for the STEM Challenge project? (Sample challenges listed below.)

d)What community partners will you work with on your community outreach project? Please elaborate on how you will work together.

5. Endorsements and Acceptance of Program Expectations

The PECO Energizing Education Program evaluation has shown that the most successful schools have support at the

administrative level. Does the school have the active support of the principal/vice principal/curriculum specialist to provide the administrative support needed for the project? Check any/all that have indicated support for your school to participate in

the project:

_____District Superintendent or County Superintendent of Schools.

_____Principal/Assistant Principal

_____District and/or school curriculum specialist (science, technology, etc.)

7. Signature ______

By signing above, you certify that, if selected, your school has the administrative approval and support to fully participate in the PECO Energizing Education Program and accepts the expectations of the program.

Email the application form (above) and attach question responses to Sharon Kiefer at .

FAX to Sharon Kiefer at: 215-448-1081

Or mail to: The Franklin Institute

ATTN: Sharon Kiefer

222 N. 20th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Some Sample Ideas for Energy in STEM Challenges

Info to note: Schools will submit a summary of the Energy in STEM Challenge project and upload to the NEED Dropbox for review by the PEEP team. At least one project will be selected to present at the Philadelphia Science Festival Carnival (April 30, 2016). Schools will be encouraged to reach out to community partners to assist them in their projects (for example – architects and engineers, home builders, etc).

Consider this idea: Set up your STEM Challenge as a challenge between two continuing PEEP schools!

Energy Efficiency Blackout Competition

Students learn about energy efficiency and conservation

Use tools to establish baseline energy consumption for a series of “Fridays” and determine an average use on that day of the week

Conduct a blackout (or several), on “Fridays”, school-wide

Design and implement an energy savings plan for other days

Measure their savings during blackouts, and from energy savings plan measures

Present their findings to others at a school or community event

Energy House Competition (similar to the solar decathlon idea but with a model)

Students learn about sources, efficiency & conservation

Design and create models of energy efficient homes that employ their new knowledge (solar, wind, geothermal, natural gas, efficient technologies)

Present their findings to others at a school or community event

Wind Turbine Challenge

Students learn about wind energy & turbines

Design and create the best turbine blades

Test/showcase their blades at a school event with competition among teams

Electricity Generation Challenge

Students learn about energy, energy transformations & electricity generation

Students design and build the best generator model using a set of materials

Students design and build the best accessory to generate electricity from another source (attach generator to a student created turbine)

Test/showcase their designs at a school or community event with competition among teams

The Natural Gas Challenge

Students will design a plan for exploring and producing natural gas, including understanding natural gas development and the use of technologies to explore and product natural gas.

Students will consider the challenge of developing natural gas in populated areas and from small drilling pad sites.

Students will consider the geology of the region and design ways to produce natural gas from the local geology.

Students will follow the molecule and design ways to be most efficient with natural gas throughout the process – from exploration to local delivery to usage at home.