Renewable Energy Engineer Bob Rogers and Renewable Energy Coordinator Katie Kargol combined forces with Lois Cohen and Annemarie Garcia of Lois D. Cohen Associates to bring a new, vibrant teaching method to the classroom.
On Tuesday, April 30, Rogers and Kargol traveled to North Lake School not just to lead a presentation with the trailer with which they’ve so often been seen, but also to discuss its merits in the classroom.
This was the first time the LCRI presented its trailer in a classroom setting, and Rogers and Kargol couldn’t have been more impressed with the responses of the kids.
“This was just so invigorating and refreshing,” said Rogers, “We hope to do more of this.”
The entire lesson spanned from early morning till lunch, with both duos taking turns. Cohen and Garcia provided the students with a mini lesson focused on what forms of energy are considered renewable energy, what sustainability means, solar energy, what energy is and what it is used for. Rogers and Kargol supplemented their information with practical application and hands-on demonstrations. This included Solar Electrical Systems for homes, well pumping with solar energy for stock watering and pivots, wind systems, solar hot water, ground source heat pumps and the importance of energy efficiency .
There were two classes that participated in the fun lessons, which were the 4th and 5th grade classes of Carrie Brown and Josiah Fritz, respectively.
Solar Oregon, the organization that supplied the LCRI with the grant to run its trailer, stipulated that the LCRI has to use its trailer a minimum of 6 times for demonstrations.