Science Alive
K-12 Teacher Professional Development and CurriculumEnergySmart Education
Science Alive works to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, prepare students for STEM careers, reduce energy usage among teachers, students, and schools, and reduce the environmental impacts from energy and water consumption. The Science Alive program also provides educator trainings, Green Boxes, school support, field trips, and a speaker series for pre-K-12 educators with an emphasis on energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation and related topics.Â
Curriculum and Resources
The Green Box program offers several energy efficiency and conservation focused curriculum boxes for use by Nevada educators. Available for a range of grades, each box helps students uncover how humans produce energy and learn strategies to reduce energy and water consumption in their daily lives. Interested in using an EnergySmart green box in your classroom? Visit our Green Box page.Â
Each Green Box is a self-contained teaching kit that provides educators with a unit of lesson plans along with all of the necessary supplies.
Participating Schools and Organizations
Over half of the participating schools are designated as Title I, in which more than 50% of the campus student population is eligible for the federal Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) program, a reliable indicator of poverty. Additionally, among the schools served in the current year by the EnergySmart program, 10 percent of the student population at the schools served are designated as Limited English Proficiency. See a current map of our EnergySmart School across Nevada.
Map of schools and organizations participating in the EnergySmart program
Professional Development
EnergySmart teacher training
Our most recent, past EnergySmart Education teacher training event was held virtually on November 18th & 29th, 2021. The event focused on how renewable energy could address issues in environmental justice. Guest speakers Dr. Jennifer Willett from UNR and Dr. Alan Gertler from DRI covered the topics of environmental justice, current research in energy resources and climate change, and the “Research for Change” project.
Video recordings of the lectures can be found on our YouTube channel. Click here to view!
Questions? Contact Leah Madison at leah.madison@dri.edu
Home Energy
Because we know students take home what they learn at school, we’ve developed tools to enhance energy education at home. Families can find home energy savings; NV Energy and Southwest Gas.
EnergySmart Home Kits
Calling ALL 4th Grade Teachers in Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, and Lyon Counties! – A virtual EnergySmart presentation is available to you!
The classroom EnergySmart Home Kit program is getting ready to schedule outreach for the 2022-2023 school year. This interactive energy activity reinforces energy conservation and water efficiency concepts from 4th grade NGSS Standards. The program provides an engaging presentation from our own “Dr. Megawatt”, empowering students to be leaders in energy efficient behaviors in their daily lives. Students will also receive free Take Action Home Kits that will provide materials to install within their home to improve their energy efficiency.
For questions about this program, contact Shawna Witt at shawna.witt@dri.edu.Â
This program is made possible by the generous support of Southwest Gas Corporation.Â
EnergySmart PSA
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are flyers and videos created to raise awareness and change public attitudes and behavior toward a social issue. Effective PSAs often have a powerful message that sticks with the viewer, sometimes becoming part of a society’s collective norm. We host a yearly EnergySmart PSA contest for students to help us create awareness around energy conservation and efficiency.
In 2021 EnergySmart Education hosted a PSA contest open to all Nevada students grades 6-12. Students were challenged to create an eye-catching and informative digital 8 ½ x 14 inch infographic that focused on saving energy in Nevada. The contest encouraged students to research, write, and design a digital product that communicates energy use statistics that inspire their community to participate in daily energy conservation practices.
Check out last year’s PSA winners by clicking the links below!
Middle School Winners:
High School Winners:
Questions? Email Shawna Witt, our STEM Education Coordinator at shawna.witt@dri.eduÂ
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Watch the 2020 EnergySmart PSA Video Announcement winners by clicking the links below!
1st – Decatur’s EnergySmart PSA Video
The EnergySmart Theater Troupe is a musical theater presentation for 2nd-3rd grade elementary classrooms in Nevada, sponsored by the Southwest Gas Corporation. Sing along with Lazy Lou the energy waster and a group of energy scientists as they learn about easy energy and water conservation techniques we can all implement. Prepare to have energy songs stuck in your head all day!
Virtual and in-person classroom presentations will resume this Fall 2022!
For questions about the program, contact Shawna Witt at shawna.witt@dri.edu
All Nevadans are encouraged to view and use our Rewewable Energy Spotlight highlighting the various renewable energy resources in Nevada. Click the links below to learn about the energy companies, watch virtual tours and informative video clips, and explore all of the benefits of using each renewable energy source.
View the Renewable Energy Spotlight!
Click here for tips on how to use the Renewable Energy Spotlight.Â
– Hydroelectric Energy Spotlight
– Solar Energy Spotlight
– Geothermal Energy Spotlight
– Biofuel Energy Energy Spotlight
Watch the full Renewable Energy Spotlight!
Sponsors:
Other Support From:
- Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition
- Center of Excellence
- Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Springs Preserve
- Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Partners:
- Envirolution
- Government Office of Energy
- Green Chips
- US Green Building Council
- Alliance for Climate Education
CONTACT
Craig Rosen
Community Relations and Professional Development Administrator
Craig.Rosen@dri.edu
LOCATION
Desert Research Institute
2215 Raggio Parkway
Reno, NV 89512
DIVISION
Office of Education