parc final report compiled

OUTCOME REPORT: SUSTAINABILITY OUTREACH FOR NORTHERN NEW MEXICO 2015-2016

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Summary of Accomplishments

What were the major goals for the project?

Design a 1-2 hour modular program including energy kits from the PARC outreach

website

Deployable kit teaching about sustainability and renewable energy

5-10 events in the first year serving ~20 students per event (100-200 participants in the

first year)

Collaboration with partner organizations to recruit program facilitators and the

community of students and teachers in NM as participants

Collaboration with Explora which will continue to teach the program or modules of the

program for years to come

What was accomplished under these goals?

Major Events/Activities

Date Event/Activity Location Number of participants (type)

7/17/2015 Explora Adult Night Explora Museum Albuquerque, NM

250 (adults)

10/1/2015 Santa Fe HS Innovation Academy

Santa Fe High School Santa Fe, NM

100 (5 groups of 20 students)




10/8/2015 NM MESA Middle School NM Highlands University Las Vegas, NM




10 (teachers)

3/21/2016 Farming For Fuels Outreach Corrales Library Corrales, NM


3/30/2016 Farming For Fuels Spring Break Camp

Explora Museum Albuquerque, NM

17 (students)

Totals 7 events with multiple groups of participants at most events

All over NM including urban centers and rural communities

577 total 317 students 10+ teachers 250 adults


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Future Events/Activities

Date Event/Activity Location Number of Participants (type)

5/12/2016 Outreach Anton Chico, NM 117 (students expected)

Unknown Experiment Bar Explora Museum Albuquerque, NM

1000+ (museum visitors)

6/6/2016-8/5/2016

Summer Camps Explora Museum Albuquerque, NM

Unknown (students)

Unknown/ Many

Family Science and Outreach Events

NM Unknown (students and adults)

Unknown/ Many

Teacher Development Seminars NM Unknown (teachers)

Specific Objectives

Develop a deployable modular program that teaches about sustainability and renewable

energy

Include a diverse audience, specifically children grades K-12

Generate curriculum related to PARC and DOE missions which include sustainability

and renewable energy

Significant Results and Outcomes

Modular program developed which included the fish sustainability game (Appendix 1),

coke can calorimeter to measure energy in different renewable and non-renewable

resources (Appendix 2), and making something out of corn plastic (Appendix 3)

Nearly 600 participants since July 2015 far exceeding the goal of 100-200 participants.

At least 10 teachers (SF Innovation Academy) plus many others at Explora Adult Night

(unknown number of teachers) were given the knowledge and tools to teach parts of the

modular program in their own classrooms

Impact reaching across New Mexico including in rural Las Vegas, NM, urban centers of

Albuquerque and Santa Fe

Modules of the program will be taught in the future at Explora museum during summer

camps (summer 2016), at the Experiment Bar inside Explora Science Museum (rotating

experiments for all museum visitors), during professional development seminars for NM

educators, and during family science events and outreach events (similar to events done

in 2015/2016 so far)


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What opportunities for training and professional development has

this provided?

Dr. Nesia Zurek – leadership, outreach, collaboration, and networking

Allison Brody – contributed program modules to Explora’s education and outreach

Who contributed to the project?

Name Designation Role Nesia Zurek Postdoctoral Fellow

PARC University of New Mexico

Primary coordinator

- Grant writer - Program design - Generated contacts at partner

organizations

- Facilitated learning

Andrew Shreve Director Center for Biomedical Engineering University of New Mexico

PARC sponsor

- Grant contributor

Gabe Montano Staff Scientist Los Alamos National Labs

PARC sponsor

- Grant contributor

Allison Brody Education Director Explora

Explora Coordinator

- Program design - Facilitated learning - Maintains and promotes program at

Explora

Andres Barrera Guerrero

Educator Explora

Educator - Facilitated learning

Kevin Dilley Educator Explora

Educator - Facilitated learning

Tara Henderson Education Services Manager Explora

Outreach Coordinator - Scheduled outreach events

Kristin Leigh Deputy Director & Director of Community Engagement Explora

Explora Contact

Eric Meyer STEM Learning Coordinator Explora

Program design

Matt Makofske Director of Administration and Special Projects Explora

Explora Contact

Erin Plut Administrative Coordinator PARC

Support - Grant support

Kaslina Love Mosley Manager, Research Administration and Operations PARC Washington University

Support - Grant support

Rachel Ruggirello Education & Outreach Coordinator PARC Washington University

Support

- Grant support


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Appendix 1: Sustainability Fishing

Game

Goals

Participants define sustainability and

carrying capacity

Reinforce basic math skills: Addition,

subtraction, percentages, and counting

Learn cause and effect on the environment

due to resource use/overuse

Materials

60 fish cards per table

1 copy of the Replenishment Rate Cheat

Sheet (See page 8) per table

1 copy of the Fishing Game Instructions (See page 6) per table

3-4 Daily Tally Sheet (See page 7) per table

Pens/pencils

Procedure

1. Seat 4-5 participants per table

2. Briefly explain instructions to the fishing game (See Fishing Game Instructions,

on Page 6)

3. Round 1 – no rules

4. Round 2 – government comes in and only allows each person to take 1 fish from

the pond each day

5. Round 3 – replenishment rate downgraded to 10% per day

6. Debrief

a. Ask students what they thought the object of the game was?

i. Possible answers: to get the most fish by the end of the game, to

get to day 10 with fish still in the pond

b. What happens when one person or group of people use more than their

fair share?

i. Rest of society suffers (eg. if one person got 3 fish one day another

person maybe didn’t get any, in real life they might starve)

c. Ask students to define sustainability based on what they learned during

the game?

Figure 1: Prototype Fishing Game

used at Explora’s Adult Night

7/17/2015.


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i. The resource (in this case the fish) replenishes at least as fast as

we use it up

ii. Our actions do no harm on the environment (eg. if the great blue

heron eats the fish and there are no more fish in the pond, what

happens to the heron?)

iii. Cost per unit is reasonable

Modifications/Comments

More or less rounds of the game can be played depending on time allotted

References

"The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education - The Fish Game." The Cloud Institute

for Sustainability Education - The Fish Game. The Cloud Institute for Sustainability

Education, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.


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Sustainability Fishing Game Rules

1. Sit as a group of 4-5 people per table.

2. Choose 1 person to track number of fish on Daily Tally Sheet.

3. Place 20 fish cards in the center of the table.

4. Each round of the game will go on for 10 “days.”

5. Each “day”, every person fishes 0-3 fish from the pond.

6. At the end of the “day,” write down on the Daily Tally Sheet the number of

fish left in the pond.

7. “Overnight” the fish replenish at a rate of 25%. Round up to the nearest whole number of fish. The total number of fish in the pond can never be more than 20 fish. Use the Replenishment Rate Cheat Sheet to determine how many fish to add back to the pond.

8. Write the number of fish added back to the pond on the Daily Tally Sheet.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 for 10 “days” total.

10. When you finish the round let the facilitator know and ask for “rules” for the next round.


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The Fishing Challenge Rules You have 10 days to catch as many fish as you can.

Each day, you will choose whether to catch one, two, or three fish for the day. There are two other

fisher folk also trying to catch as many fish as they can. At the end of each day, record the totals.

The lake can only support 20 fish total. Every night, the fish in the lake will reproduce at a rate of 25%.

Daily Tally Sheet

Day Number of Fish Left Number of Fish

Replenished

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10


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Replenishment Rate Cheat Sheet

Number of Fish If replenish at 25%, then

add

16-19 Up to 20 fish

15 4

14 4

13 3

12 3

11 3

10 3

9 2

8 2

7 2

6 2

5 1

4 1

3 1

2 1

1 1


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Appendix 2: Amount of energy in different resources using a coke can

calorimeter.

Goals

Determine amount of energy in different renewable and non-renewable

resources

Discover why some sources of energy are not equal

Using tools such as a scale, ring stand, and thermometer

Basic math including addition and subtraction and making comparisons (greater

than or less than)

Materials

2 empty coke cans

2 probe thermometers

2 ring stands with wire mesh supports

Bunsen burner/lighter

Scale

Measuring cup

Water

Different sources of energy (eg. coal,

wood, corn chips, corn nuts)

Temperature Tracking Sheet (See

page 11)

Procedure

1. Set up ring stands holding the coke cans closely above the wire mesh

2. Put equal amounts of water in each coke can [for calculation of actual amount of

energy (in calories) use 100mL of water]

3. Put probe of thermometer in each coke can

4. Mass out 1 gram of different energy sources to be tested and place on the wire

mesh

5. Write down starting temperature of water on the Temperature Tracking Sheet

6. Light the energy sources on fire and place below the coke cans

7. Wait until energy source is completely burned and record final temperature on

Temperature Tracking Sheet

8. Subtract starting temperature from the final temperature to get change in

temperature and record difference on Temperature Tracking Sheet

Figure 1: Nesia Zurek helping with

the coke can calorimeter at Explora’s

Adult Night 7/17/2016.


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9. Compare changes in temperature from different energy sources to compare

amount of energy per gram of each source (larger temperature change = more

energy)

10. Repeat for different energy sources

Modifications/Comments

This experiment requires use of an open flame and produces smoke

o Preform in a fume hood or outside to prevent turning on smoke alarms

o Keep a fire extinguisher close by in case of fire

o Do not preform outside with high winds

As part of a modular program, this experiment can be included or excluded

depending on the safety of the conditions

Get creative and choose a variety of energy sources

To calculate actual number of calories (unit of energy) use the following equation

o Q = mCpΔT

o Q = heat absorbed by water, m = mass of water in grams, Cp = 1 cal/g °C,

∆T = change in temperature (Celsius)

o For 100mL of water m=100g

References

"Food Calorimetry." Food Calorimetry. Carolina Biological Supply Company, n.d. Web.

07 Apr. 2016.


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Temperature Tracking Sheet – Coke Can Calorimeter

Energy source Starting Temp Ending Temp Change in Temp (ending temp – starting temp)


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Appendix 3: Making Corn Plastic

Goals

Learn about bio-products and how they are

replacing products made from non-renewable

resources such as oil

Explore properties of biodegradable products

made from corn

Learn about measurements and ratios

Participants make corn plastic to take home (Figure 1)

Materials (Figure 2)

Corn starch

Water

Corn oil

Food color/watercolor

Measuring spoons

(teaspoons and/or

tablespoons)

Small cups

Plastic pipettes

Small silicon baking molds

Microwave

Procedure

1. Measure 1 tablespoon corn starch into small cup

2. Measure 1.5 tablespoons water into cup

3. Add a couple drops of corn oil into cup

4. Add a couple drops of food color/water color into cup

5. Stir well

6. Pour mixture into small silicon baking mold

7. Microwave for 20-30 seconds on high

8. Remove (Warning: mixture will be hot)

9. Let corn plastic cool before removing from mold

Modifications/Additional Comments

For introduction and speaking portion of this module talk about the following:

Figure 2: Materials used A) Corn starch, B) Corn

oil, C) Food color/watercolor, D) Small cups, E)

Plastic pipettes, and F) Silicon baking molds. Photo

taken 3/21/2016 at Farming for Fuels outreach in

Corrales.


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o Most plastic we use today is made from non-renewable sources such as

oil

o Corn plastic is renewable

o Corn plastic is biodegradable

o Other potential sources of bio-products include algae, trees, other plants,

and insects

o Other bio-products made from renewable resources include biodiesel,

building materials, adhesives, textiles, and biomedical applications such

as tissue scaffolds and drug delivery vehicles.

This learning module can get messy

o Best done on non-porous surfaces such as lab benches and floors that

can easily be cleaned such as tile

o Facilitator can wear an apron but the color does wash out of clothing

o No PPE necessary

References

"Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center." Biomass Energy Kit. PARC, n.d. Web. 07

Apr. 2016.

parc final report compiled

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