Students Learn Good Efficiency

and Conservation Habits

Hands-On Energy Program Teaches Students "Practice Makes Permanent"

 

Energy efficiency and conservation are great habits to practice and make permanent — that’s what sixth-grade science students at Wilder Intermediate learned with the help of the Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC). It was all part of  the PowerHouse™ Energy Investigation Program that GVEC recently presented at the school in partnership with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).

During this two-part energy education program, students learn about how energy is produced and distributed, environmental impacts, how energy is typically used throughout the home, and how to become more energy efficient. As one of the hands-on learning activities, students take on the role of “energy investigator” and conduct a mock energy audit of their homes to see how energy is used. When done, students receive a personalized energy report showing how their households use energy, complete with conservation and efficiency tips they can put into practice to help their families save energy and money.

“This program is great. I like how it aligns with the TEKS and presents the information in a fun and informative way,” says Kelli Arvin, Wilder science teacher. “The students seem to get a lot more out of learning about energy conservation by participating instead of just reading about the subject. It presents to them a realistic view of what our energy footprint is and how we eventually affect our environment globally.”

GVEC presents the PowerHouse Energy Investigation Program to over 1,000 fifth- and sixth-graders in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City School District each school year to help students understand their roles in energy conservation.