NEED: A Trusted Resource to Bring Energy Education to Your School
The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) designs and delivers teacher-tested energy curricula across the K-12 spectrum.
NEED’s programming includes lesson plans on key energy sources, teacher and student training, evaluation techniques and tools, student leadership development and more. NEED materials and training programs provide comprehensive, objective information about the scientific concepts of energy and the sources of energy – their use and their impact on the environment, the economy and society.
NEED’s interdisciplinary approach allows energy to be a unifying concept with students of all learning styles engaged in learning in fun and inventive ways.
For solar energy, NEED offers extensive teacher and student curricula at four different learning levels: primary, elementary, intermediate and secondary. These hands-on activities engage students in understanding more about the science of solar power and the way we use solar energy today.
With the NEED Schools Going Solar Guide, teachers and students learn how to use the data from their photovoltaic system in research and analysis activities in the classroom – including how to compare their system data with that of other Secure Futures schools in Virginia. For more about NEED visit www.need.org.
Meets State SOLs
NEED materials are designed to meet the needs of teachers and students in the classroom, as well as in programming for clubs and after-school activities. NEED materials are correlated to the Disciplinary Core Ideas of the Next Generation Science Standards, the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts and Mathematics and also correlated to each state’s individual science standards.
For example, the table below shows the numbers of categories, by grade level or subject, in which NEED’s solar lesson plans and activities meet or reinforce SOLs in Virginia. For information on other states, see NEED’s Curriculum Correlations web page.
Teacher Training Workshops
“It was a blast. I first used it in a course called Power and Transportation. The curriculum was old and needed to be revised. The NEED materials fit very well into that course and the kids absolutely loved it! The Schools Going Solar curriculum along with the Secondary Energy Infobook activities were especially a big hit.”
Tom Spencer, teacher
Teacher training workshops led by NEED’s expert educators prepare local faculty to make the most of the NEED curricula, hands-on learning kits and any on-site solar equipment and data. These workshops also provide continuing education credits for participating teachers. Teachers depart the workshop with activities, tools and support to begin teaching energy topics in their classrooms or after-school programs.
Secure Futures provides our educational clients with a complementary full-day teacher training workshop (preferred) or else a condensed half-day version. Teachers receive NEED curricula as well as multiple hands-on kits for their schools as part of these workshops. Secure Futures staff attend these workshops to provide details regarding the data available from on-site solar installations. Up to 40 teachers, from any discipline, as well as other interested staff are encouraged to attend.
Learn More about Bringing NEED’s Solar Curricula to Your School
Would you like to know more about your school might benefit from NEED’s solar energy programs for K-12 classrooms? Then contact us and we’ll be happy to let you know how it works and answer any questions you may have.
