Many of our 6th grade students are completing an interdisciplinary research unit entitled "Going Green". This unit employs student choice and differentiated instruction. There were many possible topics of study that included Alternative Energy, Transportation, Arctic Region Study, Climate Change, Designing your own Green Home, Reduce Reuse Recycle, and Wacky Weather. Students could investigate many aspects of each topic and choose a challenge level and a way to demonstrate what they learned in the form of a product.
Students who choose "Alternative Energy" as a topic compared and contrasted benefits and drawbacks of alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, and biomass. Students attended a presentation with an alternative energy expert during the school day. Some students choose to demonstrate what they learned through a power point presentation while others created models and one student even invented "solar house siding".
Students who chose transportation investigated alternative ways to power motor vehicles. These alternative methods included electricity, hydrogen, biodiesel, hybrid, ethanol, and natural gas. Students attended a presentation by a biodiesel expert and Peter Zack from Maine Energy Education made fuel cells with students and displayed his hybrid car in the back of the school. Mr. Zack was brought in as a result of a student contacting him for an interview. He was so impressed with the project and our student, that he volunteered an entire day in our classrooms.
Students who choose Arctic region study investigated how diminishing polar ice would impact sea levels and wildlife in arctic regions. Students worked with science teachers to create and analyze ice cores in an after school session.
Students who investigated climate change defined climate change and researched evidence of climate change including the causes, perils, solutions, and actions.
Many students were intrigued by the "Designing Your own Green Home" topic. Students investigated what a green home was and how individuals can go about designing a zero-energy home. Students considered location and house size, construction materials, heating, plumbing, electrical, septic, and appliances. Students attended a presentation by Ms. Roe, a local green home and product expert. Some students also chose to interview her further relative to their product while other students created model homes and noted features of interest.
"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" was another interesting topic where students explored the reasons for diminishing waste and presented ways that people are cutting back, re-using materials and turning materials into other products for consumption. Students were excited to learn that Patagonia recycles fleece jackets and they were astounded to find that schools in Naples, Italy were closed because their landfills were filled and trash was piling up on the streets. Many students started recycling programs at home and one student has created a compact florescent light bulb fundraiser where classmates can purchase energy efficient lightbulbs at a reduced cost!
The final topic of choice was "Wacky Weather". Students investigated how climate change leads to extreme weather patterns and how our weather and temperatures are changing. Students attended a presentation from the Mount Washington Observatory. Students could choose to investigate effects on precipitation including floods, droughts, and heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes and relate them to impacts on health, plants, and animals.
Student learning was evident with the presentation of their products and the written response of their reflection papers. Students were asked how the research has changed the way they think about the Earth and climate change and brainstormed changes they could make in their life to help the environment. I believe that we have only begun to see the impact that this project will have on the students. I am proud to say that they are stewards of the environment. With Earth Day approaching, students are eager to find ways to make a difference.
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