Source: Peterborough Examiner.
With one look at the house, Edmison Heights Public School pupil Noah Henderson, 10, easily found all the ways the family was wasting energy.
Henderson was one of 24 pupils in Drew Monkman’s Grade 4/5 class that got a taste yesterday of the programs that will soon be offered at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre.
“The kids are looking for how energy is wasted by a family called ‘The Wasters,'” Monkman said. “They are looking for 18 different things that can be changed to conserve energy more efficiently.”
The class was divided into groups and each group tackled a different activity that focused on energy conservation and alternative energy.
“We’ve been studying energy conservation for a while now and I know what’s wasteful and what’s not,” Henderson said. “People use a lot of energy that is unnecessary.”
Spending the day with Monkman’s class was a chance for the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre to test some of the programs that will be offered to schools, said curriculum developer Allison Hands.
“The activities have been fantastic so far,” she said. “The kids are very into it. It’s all very hands-on. They’re really engaged.”
In another group, Kyla Selmeczi, 10, and Khora Dyer, 9, were making two lists, energy efficient activities versus wasteful activities.
“What saves energy is washing your clothes in cold water, but it’s wasteful to wash your clothes in hot water,” Selmeczi said. “If you use hot water is uses more energy than cold.
“Also you should also always fix your leaky faucets.”
While some of the environmental issues are complex, Monkman said the interactive hands-on activities really resonated with the children.
“In my class these kids are kinesthetic learners, meaning they learn through movement and using their hands… so these activities help to get the message across,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the children also learned about wind turbines and electric cars.
The Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, located on Pioneer Rd. at Trent University, will mainly be used to teach children of all ages about environmental living and renewable energy.
It recently opened its doors to the community after 20 weeks of construction.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Nov. 7.
The designer of the building, Chris Magwood, program coordinator for Fleming College’s sustainable building design and construction program, called the centre “one of the most sustainable buildings in Canada.”
