Our students are enthusiastic, energetic and inquisitive. They thrive on participating in hands-on labs in the classroom and outdoors.
I love their approach to solving problems and their unabated curiosity.
Our rural setting provides many outdoor learning opportunities and the students get involved in a variety of community projects. Their wheels are turning on this project to give back to our community and they are excited to learn new STEM skills to design and build something unique and purposeful.
My Project
Applying STEM to this issue starts with the science. Outdoor lighting contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting all wasted light in the US could have the equivalent effect on CO2 emissions as removing 9.5 million cars from the road. Avoiding light pollution becomes a way to promote responsible energy usage and mitigate CO2 emissions. Research also indicates that nighttime lighting affects wildlife. Species and ecosystems have evolved within natural diurnal cycles that are being drastically altered. Humans are also affected by the disruption of our circadian rhythm which is linked to obesity, insomnia and certain types of cancer. We will use technology of the requested 3D printer and engineering to design the streetlight, print the casing and configure the solar panel and light efficiently and effectively. 3D printing gives the students an opportunity to visualize mathematics through symmetry. We will use software to translate algebraic expressions into 3D forms to create the plastic streetlight casings.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Flentie and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
