“Green-Focused” Instructional Materials
The following instructional resources were created by the Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) for the STEM Transitions initiative, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. In conjunction with 38 faculty conferees from community colleges across the country, the CORD staff has developed 61 integrated projects emphasizing the math and science content embedded within six STEM-related technical areas. Below are links to the integrated projects that specifically showcase green technologies. The projects contains all of the instructor classroom resources needed for implementation, including background content, student handouts and assessment tools.
Instructions for accessing integrated curriculum projects:
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STEM Transitions Integrated Projects Focusing on Green Technologies
Greening the Way: Building an Energy Efficient Warehouse
Although warehouses are perhaps not as glamorous as other types of buildings,
most corporate managers are committed to minimizing their effects on the environment
through energy-efficient, environment-friendly warehouses. In this project,
students will investigate basic energy efficiency measures for warehouses, as
well as building practices required to become LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.
Bubbles and Troubles: Sampling Water to Identify Quality Parameters
By participating in a hands-on experience collecting water samples in the field, students receive an introduction to the parameters
that define surface water quality. A critical part of the exercise involves
comparing test methods and test results and quantifying their accuracy
and precision.
Land Cover and Water Quality
Student groups will examine the relationship between land cover, soil erosion and
stream impairment in an area of interest (or one assigned by the instructor).
Students will utilize Geographic Information System (GIS) software to collect
data on land and water quality.
Environmental Impact of Capital Transportation Projects
Capital transportation projects that utilize federal funds require
environmental impact studies, which measure all costs of a proposed
project – both fiscal and non-fiscal – and enable citizens to play a
powerful role in the planning and approval processes. In this project,
students will write a draft Environmental Impact Statement and through
this process gain an understanding of both the costs and the benefits
involved when making decisions that impact a community.
Responding to Hazardous Materials Spills
Having an emergency response plan is critical for all businesses,
especially those dealing with hazardous materials. In this project,
students will develop an emergency response plan and a training session
for warehouse employees. Shipping of hazardous and dangerous materials
is regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Students will
learn how to classify and label hazardous materials for shipping .
Heating Up: Collecting and Organizing Global Warming Data
Students will work in teams to examine data from NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center (NCBC),
in particular, ocean temperature and barometric pressure data from sensors positioned
across the world’s oceans. Because the data can be imported into a
database, students will identify the various entities and relationships within the
data to develop an Entity-Relationship Model (ERM). Moving from paper/pencil to
electronic format, students will produce and draw ER diagrams for the NDBC data
and chart them using MS Visio Professional version, if available. Relationships
drawn in MS Visio Professional will allow such database structures to be imported into database programs.
Greening the Supply Chain: The Carbon Footprint for an Apple
This project is designed to create awareness of the impact the transportation
industry has on the environment. Students will compare the carbon footprint
of apples shipped from New Zealand to those purchased within a 150 mile radius.
Carbon footprint analysis is an adaptive tool that can be used to quantify the
environmental impact of consumption at every level in terms of carbon emissions
and global hectares required to absorb those emissions.
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment: Riparian and Freshwater Lotic Systems
This is a three-part exercise focusing on evaluation of current environmental
conditions in a location of interest (e.g., stream, riparian environments). The project introduces students to a selection of rapid environmental assessment
and monitoring techniques (protocol) designed to provide baseline information for
decision making. Through the application of these procedures, students will learn
about the characteristics of the area of interest, selection of appropriate evaluation techniques, and the uses and limits of the
data generated. The project involves both field and classroom activities.
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