The Department of Environmental Protection invites middle school teachers, administrators and building managers to an April 22 training workshop in Erie on the Keystone Energy Education Program (KEEP) to teach and track energy efficiency in school buildings and homes.

The workshop is offered free of charge and will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Asbury Woods Nature Center, Maple/Oak Classroom, 4105 Asbury Road, Erie.

KEEP is geared to teachers of grades 4 through 8, administrators and building maintenance managers. Workshop participants will learn about and explore energy issues, including fundamentals and impacts, electricity generation, transportation fuels, careers, energy conservation, student teams and school building energy benchmarking through presentations, tours and hands-on activities.

Participants will have the opportunity to integrate high level, standards-based energy education into their formal curriculum. This could include lesson plans, curricular modules and ongoing benchmarking through EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, resulting in energy efficiency assessments leading to improvements that reduce energy consumption.

The workshops are based on Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards and Assessment Anchors for Environment and Ecology, Science and Technology and Engineering Education. Participating teachers will receive background information, standards-based curricular materials and energy conservation material kits.

Participating teachers will be eligible for seven Act 48 credit hours.

Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register by contacting the KEEP Coordinator, Susan Gove at 412-431-1010 or send email to: sgove@gove.org.

4/7/2014