The 3A and 3B classrooms went off the grid this week as the culminating event in their study of electricity, circuits, and solar power. What started as an inquiry-based project on alternative sources of energy grew into a fantastic, authentic challenge to utilize solar energy to power individual desk lamps in their classrooms so that they could conserve energy. The students worked with Chris Hartman and Leader In Residence, Ja’Daiza Johnson, to prototype and build their own LED lamps. Once constructed, the students returned to their classrooms where they wired up their lamps to the solar panel-charged battery stationed at their south-facing windows.

The students became well versed in describing how the protons and electrons transferred from the solar energy to be converted to functional electricity. They were interviewed twice by local television stations, and a few students were just asked to speak on WXXI’s 1370AM “Connections” show hosted by Evan Dawson for their Education Fridays broadcast. The students displayed their fine work and sustainable designs at the STEAM Fair on February 12th. We are proud of all of their efforts and good learning for a sustainable future–one light bulb at a time!