The Department of Environmental Protection Monday invited middle school teachers, administrators and building managers to a May 12 training workshop in Slippery Rock, Butler County on the Keystone Energy Education Program 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 3:30 p.m. at Harmony House at Macoskey Center, 247 Harmony Road, Slippery Rock. Harmony House is located on the Slippery Rock University campus.

KEEP is primarily for teachers of grades 4 through 8, administrators and building maintenance managers. Through presentations, tour of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building, and hands-on activities, workshop participants will learn about energy basics, conservation, efficiency, student energy teams, benchmarking using Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and using the building as a teaching tool.

Participants will have the opportunity to integrate high-level, standards-based energy education into their formal curriculum. This could include lesson plans, curricular modules, energy benchmarking through EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, or hands-on student-led 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 kits that contain a Kill-a-Watt meter, light meter, multimeters, power conserving plug-in wall switches, and thermometers (each kit valued at $75).

Participating teachers will be eligible for 6.5 Act 48 credit hours.

Lunch can be purchased in the campus dining hall.  Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Pre-registration is required.  Click Here to register.

More Workshops

Other Keystone Energy Education Program workshops will be held--

-- May 28: Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 500 West Willow Grove Ave., Philadelphia (Register by May 21). Please bring your lunch. To register, Click Here

-- June 17: Ferguson Township Elementary School, 215 W Pine St., Pine Grove Mills (Register by June 10). Please bring your lunch. To register, Click Here.

For more information, visit DEP’s Keystone Energy Education Program webpage.

4/20/2015