Fourth grade students throughout the district recently learned about renewable energy during the Flight School enrichment program. Facilitated by Flight School instructors Corinne Teichman and Meghan Ceglie, fourth grade classes at Marion Street, Waverly Park and West End elementary schools learned about dams and how energy is produced through two days of interactive lessons.
 
On the first day, fourth graders learned about four different types of dams and built and tested their own out of clay. The students also worked with Ozobots, pocket-sized robots that teach basic coding skills with markers and paper. Students coded their Ozobots to travel to and from waterways acting as salmon looking to safely make their way through the fish bypass system built into a dam.
  
On the second day, the students focused on alternative energy sources by working on hydropower kits. Groups were challenged to build their own waterwheel with a generator that lights an LED. Students took on roles such as engineers, general contractors and material managers. While working together, the students followed directions and practiced trial and error during their building process. Their ultimate goal was to create a waterwheel that could produce electricity. Mrs. Ceglie and Mrs. Teichman helped each group of students test their waterwheel in the sink after completion. 

Through these lessons the students honed their research and annotation skills, along with their thinking abilities and mapping techniques. Students enjoyed working with their peers and learning about energy and the environment.