Proposal to Rush Henrietta Board of Education Randy Warner, Chelsea Griswold, Jen Roland, & Mike Burke

Proposal Offer an integrated Math, Science, and Technology classroom to investigate efficient energy use and alternate energy sources in the Rush-Henrietta School District.

Outcomes of Proposed Course Students will research, devise, and implement strategies to increase energy efficiency in our district. Students will investigate alternate sources of energy that may be used by our district. Students will educate peers on energy efficiency and alternate energy sources Students will communicate and propose changes to district energy use to the School Board twice annually

Rationale: Why MST? MST is an integrated approach where student learning is greater than Math, Science and Technology individually. In addition to math, science and technology, students learn inquiry, design, how to analyze and transfer information, problem solving and the interconnectedness of math science and technology in the real world. Way to HOOK students Students learn more when engaged Real world application – relevant to students lives Fun, challenging, cooperative Students need a deep understanding of math, science and technology more now than ever. Students will experience integrated learning that reaches beyond Math Science and Technology.

About the Course This year long course will be primarily student driven, with all projects and investigations chosen and supported by students (with instructor facilitation). Students will work as a group, or in smaller teams. On going projects will be supported from year to year by students Topics studied may include: transportation, cooking, heating, solar power, wind power etc. Curricula will change from year to year, but content will tie directly to NYS Math, Science and Tech standards.

1 st Semester Outline At the beginning of the course students will pick, as a class, an energy topic to pursue. Students will spend the first semester collecting and analyzing data about current energy use by the district as it relates to their topic. Students will also spend the first semester researching and developing energy efficient or alternate energy strategies that pertain to their topic. Students will give a mid-year presentation to the School Board presenting research and proposing new energy strategies.

2 nd Semester Outline During the second semester, students will implement their proposed energy strategies in the Rush-Henrietta School District. Throughout the semester, students will collect and analyze data regarding energy usage in the district to determine the effectiveness of the strategies. Students will present their findings, research, and conclusions to the Board again at the end of spring semester.

Culminating Experience At the end of the course students will run the Camp for Alternative Sources of Energy, or C.A.S.E., for the middle school students at both Roth and Burger Middle Schools. This camp will be used to not only share the knowledge the students have gained, but also educate their peers in alternate energy sources and energy efficiency.

Assessment Assessment will be primarily project based. Students will be assessed on their presentation to the board, quality of implementation of new strategies, and analysis of results of said strategy.

Who does this course target? This class will target seniors who may not otherwise be taking math, science, or technology. The class size will not exceed 16, and ideally would have 12 to 16 participants This class will provide “real life” applications and understanding of STEM areas that students may not otherwise be exposed to in their senior year.

Who will teach this course? A team of teachers will collaborate bi-weekly to plan and discuss material for class. This team will consist of a math teacher, a science teacher, and a technology teacher. One of these three teachers will teach the class. Furthermore, a community member, such as an engineer, interested in and experienced with alternate sources of energy and energy efficiency will co-teach the course.

Where will this course take place? This class will have a home base in a science or technology classroom where students can safely run experiments and build equipment to assist them in their endeavors. However, the class may need to meet at various locations on the school campus depending on the projects and topics being investigated.

Course Expenditures This course will require the following monetary resources: $2000 Materials Budget Building Materials Field Trips Online Access to Subscription Websites $5000 Stipend for Adjunct Professor $1000 C.A.S.E. Budget