Steven Kerlin Grant, Summer 2010

Overview:

• proposed professional development experience for in-service middle and high school teachers includes a two-week summer graduate level course, follow-up mentoring throughout the school year, and sustained involvement in an online learning community.
• will feature activities and instruction in energy generation and conservation on Earth and in Space Exploration.
• July 12-23

Activities are: Field Trip to the Moon, Moon Mining, On the Moon, Space Math II, and Solar Energy for Space Exploration. Dr. Kerlin will collaborate with Mr. Hargis to conduct a more detailed exploration and selection of AESP toolkit activities during final planning for the summer course.

For two half days of the course Dr. Hodgson (NKU Mathematics) will assist teachers with

• mathematical calculations and concepts related to course activities,
  • The true cost of coal (e.g. the Martin coal disaster)
  • The true cost of oil (e.g. BP's disaster in the Gulf of Mexico; Exxon Valdez)
• energy efficiency,
  • Stirling engines
  • Solar versus hydrocarbons
• loss-dissipation through transmission,
  • Why not power the US through North and South Dakota winds?
  • Liquid energy -- solar hydrogen
• appropriate statistical analyses,
  • Why not power the US through North and South Dakota winds?
  • Liquid energy -- solar hydrogen
• mathematical models and the modeling process
  • parabolic mirrors
  • angle of orientation and solar panels

Dr. Sadat-Hossieny and colleagues (NKU Engineering Technology) will lead presentations, hands-on activities, and tours of laboratories during two days of the course. They will focus on how alternative energies including bio-fuel, solar, and geothermal can be used to meet energy needs on Earth and beyond. They will demonstrate the operation of a bio-fuel extraction unit and lead activities to explore energy management systems in specific structures.

As one day of the course Doug Keaton from the Kentucky NEED project will lead teachers through activities that are available in energy kits that teachers can purchase or borrow from a set that the NKU Center for Environmental Education (CEE) has available for loan.

Here's my proposal (so far).