NEVADA

GreenPower Desert Research Institute (DRI) The mission of the GreenPower program is to support and promote educating Nevada’s pre k-12 students in renewable energy and incorporating conscious living practices into their daily lives. Since its inception in 2000, GreenPower has been a partnership between DRI, volunteer committee members, NV Energy, and their customers.  With standards-aligned tangible tools and professional development this completely free program helps educators bring green concepts and practices to any pre k-12 classroom. Desert Research Institute (DRI) is the environmental research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. DRI conducts cutting-edge applied research in air, land and life and water quality across Nevada, the United States and on every continent.  http://www.dri.edu/benefits-for-schools

CALIFORNIA

Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI). California is currently poised to lead the nation in environmental literacy with the Education and Environment Initiative (EEI).  The K-12th grade curriculum is comprised of 85 units teaching select Science and HIstory-Social Science academic standards. Each EEI Curriculum unit teaches these standards to mastery using a unique set of  California Environmental Principles and Concepts. The curriculum was created to bring education about the environment into the primary and secondary classrooms of more than 1000 school districts serving over 6 million students throughout California. http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Education/EEI/default.htm

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Energy for Keeps: Creating Clean Electricity from Renewable Resources. With clear and balanced language, the authors and numerous industry experts of this award-winning book provide up-to-date info on all energy sources that generate electricity.  Activities are inquiry-based and, together with the book, are correlated to content standards for California public schools, grades 6-8, and to National Science Standards. The book is produced and written by the Energy Education Group (aka Educators for the Environment) a division of The California Study, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization based in Tiburon, California. http://energyforkeeps.org

NATIONAL FOCUS

Alliance for Climate Education (ACE). ACE is an award-winning national nonprofit dedicated to educating America’s high school students about the science behind climate change and inspiring them to do something about it–while having fun along the way. They’re based in Oakland, California, with educator teams in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, Atlanta, New England, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin. ACE delivers two core offerings: the ACE Assembly and Student Action Program. At the ACE Assembly, ACE educators present climate science that resonates with students via an award-winning in-school assembly that blends storytelling, cutting edge animation, music and video. When the ACE assembly ends, many students are ready and eager to take action, and ACE’s Student Action Programs help get them started. http://www.acespace.org

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Energy Kids and Energy Explained-Two Sites from US Energy Administration. Energy Kids and its sister site, Energy Explained, were winners of the 2010 Adobe Merit Award.  The two energy education sites, both from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, were honored as “the best of the best in open and engaging government” at Adobe’s Government Assembly held in Washington, DC, on November 3rd. Both Energy Kids and Energy Explained promote energy education, but were designed for different audiences. Energy Kids contains fun educational content for kids, parents, and teachers, while Energy Explained is a plain-language energy encyclopedia for the general public, high school and college students and teachers, policy-makers, small businesses, and reporters. http://205.254.135.24/kids/ and http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

100 People Under the Sun. Forward-thinking people around the world are actively inventing new uses for sunlight, creating a future for our planet that is independent of fossil fuel.  Meet these people and listen to their stories via video. Nominate someone you know who is making a difference with solar energy. In a collaboration with SunPower Foundation, the 100 People Foundation focuses its lens on how we share energy on this planet, and provides curriculum for middle school students to ask questions about their consumption and assumptions. http://www.100people.org/100people_under_the_sun_home.php

CLIMATE CHANGE

United State Global Change Research Program. The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society. USGCRP provides a number of resources for educators interested in teaching about climate change: 1. The Climate Literacy Framework: This interagency guide provides a framework and essential principles for formal and informal education about climate change; 2. Federal Grants for Climate Change Education: Information on federal grants are available for climate change education; and 3. the Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit: an interagency project to provide information for students and educators about the impact of climate change on wildlife and wildlands across the United States.  The toolkit is interactive, has videos and case studies for students to explore. http://www.globalchange.gov

COMPETITIONS

Solar Decathalon. The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.  http://www.solardecathlon.gov/

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World Solar Challenge. Innovation is the driving force behind the creative aspects of this Australian race, and building the world’s most efficient electric car is essential if there is any hope of success. In friendly competition, international teams of college students depart from Darwin aiming to be the first to arrive in Adelaide, some 3000km to the south. It’s all about energy management! Based on the original notion that a 1000W car would complete the journey in 50 hours, solar cars are allowed a nominal 5kW hours of stored energy. All other energy must be harnessed from the sun. http://www.worldsolarchallenge.org/

WEB GAME

Energy Hogs/Alliance to Save Energy (ASE). The Energy Hog Challenge is a set of computer-based classroom activities that guide children through lessons about different sources of energy, how we use energy at home, and how to bust energy hogs to save energy. Each student can become an Official Energy Hog Buster upon completion of the lessons. It covers the subject areas of Science, Math, Technology, Language Arts and Social Studies, and meets national learning standards and is designed for grade levels 2-6. Founded in 1997, the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) is a nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency worldwide through research, education and advocacy. http://energyhog.org