Deeper Learning New York

This session provides a hands-on approach to using design thinking and Project-Based Learning to address renewable energy challenges. Leaders will learn how to create systematic PBL implementation with engineering notebooks that can be used in K-12 in cross-curricular ways. Participants will design wind turbines and explore structured inquiry methods supported by an Engineering Notebook from a Human Impact & Understanding Sustainable Energy curriculum. The session focuses on helping educators integrate STEM learning with problem-solving, collaboration, and innovative teaching strategies.

This session provides a hands-on approach to using design thinking and Project-Based Learning to address renewable energy challenges. Leaders will learn how to create systematic PBL implementation with engineering notebooks that can be used K-12 in cross-curricular ways. Participants will design wind turbines and explore structured inquiry methods supported by an Engineering Notebook from a Human Impact & Understanding Sustainable Energy curriculum. The session focuses on helping educators integrate STEM learning with problem-solving, collaboration, and innovative teaching strategies.

What Attendees Will Experience:
Engineering Notebook Case Study: Work through a detailed example showcasing how students document their understanding of climate systems, renewable energy, and design challenges.
Wind Turbine Design Challenge: Collaboratively design and test wind turbine prototypes, considering environmental, economic, and practical constraints. Redesign for success.
Interactive Brainstorming Activity: Learn a rapid ideation technique that enables students to generate over 46,656 innovative solutions in under 30 minutes.
Phenomena-Based Exploration: Engage with real-world scenarios, such as the trade-offs between electric and gas-powered vehicles and the implications of transitioning to renewable energy systems.

What Attendees Will Learn:
Maker-Centered Learning: Understand how to implement maker pedagogy to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Structured Inquiry and Ideation: Discover how to use the Engineering Notebook to guide students in identifying problems, brainstorming diverse solutions, and documenting their design process.
Climate Education Integration: Gain insights into teaching renewable energy concepts, including wind, solar, and hydropower, and their local and global impacts on sustainability.
Data-Driven Adaptation: Learn strategies to modify instruction and group dynamics based on data collected during ideation and design phases.

What Attendees Will Leave With:
Engineering Notebook Templates: Ready-to-use materials for documenting and guiding student projects.
Comprehensive Design Briefs: Resources for facilitating renewable energy challenges tailored to various grade levels, emphasizing environmental and societal impacts.
Brainstorming Techniques: A step-by-step guide to fostering innovative thinking among students.
Climate Science Resources: Materials linking energy systems and climate change, such as the EPA Climate Science Basics and phenomena-based examples like the Great Energy Debate.
Practical Applications: Insights and best practices derived from employing these techniques with educators across content areas and grade levels.
Participants will leave equipped to inspire students to tackle climate change challenges creatively and collaboratively, fostering critical STEM skills and environmental stewardship. This session blends engineering, sustainability, and innovation into a transformative learning experience.

Participants will identify their ONE WORD - the one word that guides their personal and educational aspirations. Leaders will explore ways their ONE WORD can manifest in their personal and professional lives. By centering on a single unifying purpose, leaders will gain focus and clarity that can be difficult to find in our ever-increasingly busy world. 
This interactive session encourages movement and discussion. Leaders will engage in reflection exercises about their leadership or teaching practices to recognize strengths and areas for growth. This approach can be turnkeyed to leadership development and future professional training, helping educators understand the ways they approach challenges in the classroom.
Leaders and teaching professionals will leave this session with a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection and the power of a singular driving force.