As the world is increasing its reliance on renewable energy, cultivating a generation of adept problem solvers becomes a high priority. STEM education plays a pivotal role in fostering the skills needed to support the growing alternative energy market, guiding students toward degrees in this crucial field. The challenge lies in sparking their interest and engagement in renewable resources and alternative energy—how can we inspire the next wave of innovators in this sustainable pursuit? Here are three ideas.
1. Connect Energy with STEM
The expansive subject of energy seamlessly integrates with various scientific and engineering disciplines, making your science program an ideal place for its introduction. Classroom demonstrations using everyday instances, such as the electricity illuminating lights, the force propelling students in their activities, and the metals constituting circuits powering the internet, vividly highlight the presence of energy in students' daily experiences. Encourage academic engagement by prompting students to explore and identify energy in their surroundings—be it in the classroom, school, or their homes.
2. Let Them Experience Energy
It’s one thing to read about energy, but some students will need to have direct experience with it in order to understand. Have them engage in different types of energy experiences to explain how it works. For example, teach them about how solar panels store energy they collect from the sun, and then how they use that energy to provide power when the sun is no longer visible. If you can, set up solar panels at your school and use them to power something in your classroom so students have a direct visual connection to the concept of energy.
3. Critical Thinking About Energy
In today’s world, there are best practices for which type of energy sources to use for specific energy needs. As our reliance on alternative and renewable energy grows, we may need to think outside the box when it comes to energy applications. Teaching students about all the different types of energy sources can help them think critically about when to use each source, and provide them with an adaptable understanding for how to use the resources in the future.
Alternative & Renewable Energy Products for Schools
Midwest Technology Products offers a wide range of products for schools that enable you to teach alternative and renewable energy. Here are some great options to get you started.
Thames & Kosmos Wind Power 4 STEM Experiment Kit
With this kit, you can assemble a realistic 3' tall wind turbine complete with electric generator and adjustable rotor blades that are designed with complex aerodynamic curves to look and work like modern-day wind turbine blades. Then, conduct experiments to optimize the turbine’s performance by adjusting the angle of the blades and discover how to use the wind turbine to light up an LED and charge a rechargeable battery.
OWI X in 1 Renewable Energy Kit
Students will learn three renewable energy concepts: hand-generated power, solar power, and wind power. They will build five different vehicles, three dinosaurs, and two windmills. Designed for children ages 8 and up, this kit includes a colored instruction manual and over 115 pieces to build ten exciting models.
Chaney 54-in-1 Solar House Green Energy Lab
This course has been designed to show how different technologies using green or alternate energy can be used in the home. Students create a model house from Plexiglas and install an amorphous silicon glass solar panel to simulate how to harness the sun's energy. The solar energy will be stored in a battery and reusable solderless breadboard to be used for all experiments. This kit is ideal for beginners in grades 6 through college.