The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Energy Programs recently announced that applications are now available online for the 2014 K-12 Energy Education Camps. The four-day educational sessions provide K-12 teachers with the information and resources needed to teach the science of energy and energy conservation in the classroom and to guide students in becoming leaders in their school and community.
“It is essential to teach the next generation of energy consumers about the benefits and importance of conservation,” TDEC Office of Energy Programs Director Molly Cripps said. “Lowering energy costs and promoting conservation helps create a more sustainable energy future for all Tennesseans.”
While a school may be represented by one teacher, it is highly recommended that teams of two teachers from a school attend the camp and work together to develop and conduct an energy education program.
K-12 teachers are invited to apply for one of the following three camps:
June 3-6 at Cumberland Mountain State Park in Crossville, Tenn.
June 10-13 at Paris Landing State Park in Buchanan, Tenn.
July 8-11 at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Pikeville, Tenn.
Teams selected to participate in Energy Camps will be provided with complimentary lodging and meals and will receive a $400 stipend to purchase energy-related classroom materials. Applications are available online at http://www.tn.gov/environment/energy_education.shtml. Applications are due by April 11, 2014.
At Energy Camps, teachers will participate in fun learning activities that address science standards and also make connections to Common Core State Standards for English language, arts and math. The camp will include sessions with classroom activities divided into grade clusters of K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 as to address grade-specific standards and include age-appropriate instructional methods. Teachers will leave the Energy Camps with increased background knowledge of science of energy, energy conservation and clean energy technology and be prepared to involve students in service learning projects that promote environmental stewardship in their schools and communities. The 2014 Energy Camps will also include a full-day field trip to energy-related sites.
The Office of Energy Programs Energy Education Camps is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. For more information, contact the Energy Hotline at 1-800-342-1340 or contact Angela McGee at Angela.McGee@tn.gov.