RSSGrade 9 science students become ecoarchitects
It’s not your ordinary grade 9 science class. Oak Bay High School teacher Garrett Brisdon is engaging his students to help take the Victoria-area high school off the electricity grid.
The class has hypothesized that the school would save on electricity costs by installing an integrated solar panel system. Their assignment is to investigate and develop a proposal for making Oak Bay High School energy efficient.
As part of the project, the class analyzed energy-efficient buildings from New York to Beijing. Their research has also included reviewing the school’s electricity bill and interviewing a technology firm specializing in solar power.
The grade 9 students have been broken into teams to develop their concepts for an energy efficient high school, including using solar panels, water filters, composting toilets, geothermal heating and daylight sensors.
Although each component is still under consideration, students have begun thinking about ways to fund their recommendations. For example, they are planning to launch a fundraising drive in order to raise the $10,000 needed to purchase solar panels. The green-driven school will also be holding a student-organized conference on sustainable living on April 24 as part of Earth Week. More....
