To “go green,” we must “go honest” so that we can address and solve the real energy challenges before us. – Dr. Scott Tinker
How will developing countries source the energy they need? How can we increase energy efficiency? Where will we get the raw materials for solar and wind development? Can we have “clean coal?” Is it possible to scale up the use of wind and solar energy to reduce CO2 emissions? These are the hard questions that the curriculum of Switch Classroom can help you address in your classes.
We launch this blog in October as we observe National Energy Month. This annual event began in 1991 to raise awareness of the importance of finding sustainable solutions to our country’s growing energy needs. The energy landscape in the U.S. has changed considerably since the early 1990’s with the development of shale gas and the growing use of solar and wind power. Addressing the growing energy needs for developing countries has its own challenges. How do we, as educators, provide a balanced exploration of the energy choices both we and the next generations will face? Dr. Scott Tinker, founder of the Switch Energy Alliance, calls on us to be honest about the benefits and challenges of each energy source.
Through this blog, we will provide ready-to-use teaching strategies, share our own use of Switch Classroom, and provide the latest insights from energy experts and educators.
We will provide teachers with useful information on how to:
You will also get to meet experts:
Switch Classroom was created by teachers for teachers. The Switch Energy Alliance Teacher Advisory Council (TAC) developed the curriculum for Switch Classroom with you in mind! Each member of the TAC brings many years of experience and expertise and we are your partners in providing vital energy education to students. Energy decisions are hard! They will impact our health, economy, environment, and security! We need to equip the citizens of tomorrow with the information needed to make these hard decisions. Join us in this journey as we explore the energy future!
Lynn Kistler
Chair Switch Energy Alliance Teacher Advisor Council
Upper St. Clair High School, Pittsburgh, PA
Science Teacher: Environmental Science, Physics, Chemistry
Switch Classroom is thrilled to announce the release of five new alignment guides, providing educators with valuable resources to seamlessly integrate our activities and lessons into their 5th-12th grade courses. These alignment guides also showcase how Switch Classroom aligns with various rigorous standards, including AP Environmental Science, IB Environmental Systems & Societies, and NGSS (Next…
I teach Chemistry at an inner city school in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chemistry is sometimes hard for students to understand. After we have covered mole conversions (stoichiometry), my students are tired and need a break from the hard math involved in chemistry. After discovering the Switch Classroom two years ago and using it in my AP Environmental…
Switch, the full-length documentary, has been a regular component of my AP Environmental course since I received my first copy of the DVD over ten years ago. I was impressed by the balanced and fact-based tone of the film which is often hard to come by when presenting environmental issues. A couple of years later, I learned…
I teach 3rd through 5th grade Gifted and Talented students. The gifted students at my school meet once a month for an hour, we do this six times a year. At the first meeting with the students I introduce them to an organization called The NEED Project. NEED introduces my students to all things energy and provides…