MEEKER | Every year in 6th-grade science, students learn all about our Earth’s renewable and nonrenewable resources. What are they? How are they harvested? How do they generate energy? How much of it do we need? Is it reliable or predictable?
To help us understand where Meeker gets its energy from, White River Electric’s Alan Michalewicz conducted a presentation to share Meeker’s energy profile with the students. The students had the opportunity to ask questions and consider all of the advantages and disadvantages of our energy sources.
Students then receive information on Power City (a fake town) with a map and data about available resources, sunny day averages, and average monthly wind speeds. Groups must then decide on one renewable energy source (wind, solar, tidal, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric) and one nonrenewable energy source (nuclear, natural gas, oil, coal) that would be best suited to power Power City. After writing a speech addressing all of the advantages and disadvantages and designing an information poster, White River Electric’s Chris Reidinger and Kari Matrisciano alongside Ann Franklin visited the class again as “City Council Members of Power City” to help judge presentations. This is always a fantastic project for students to think like true engineers and consider how they may solve real-world problems. Thank you, White River Electric!
By CLAUDIA BULLEN
