CTI to present bright ideas for teaching about energy

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers will share bright, new ideas for teaching and learning about energy at a Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) event from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the EnergyExplorium at McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville.

This free, public event, a “Teachers as Scholars” program, features CMS teachers who collaborated on the topic “The Nature of Energy: How We Use and Store It to Power Our Everyday Lives.” It will highlight innovative curriculum they developed during a long-term CTI seminar, led by Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science at UNC Charlotte.

Sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy, the program will start with a reception and viewing of the EnergyExplorium’s exhibits from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by presentations and a panel discussion with Trammell and CTI Fellows until 8 p.m. Space is limited, so registration at www.charlotteteachers.org is recommended.

Featured topics and teachers include:

• “The Nature of Energy: How to Use and Store It to Power our Everyday Lives,” Susan Trammell, UNC Charlotte
• “Energy in Our World,” Cindy Woolery, science teacher, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School
• “Cruising Continents and an Awesome Asthenosphere: How Convection and Geothermal Energy Fuel Earth’s Ever Changing Surface,” Julie Ruziska Tiddy, science teacher, Carmel Middle School
• “Mama Did Not Take the Kodachrome Away But Charge-Coupled Devices Did,” Deb Semmler, physics teacher, East Mecklenburg High School

The Sept. 30 event is an outgrowth of an intensive, seven-month-long CTI seminar Trammell led for CMS teachers in grades K-12, where they explored various forms of energy, the science behind its generation and conservation, as well as costs, benefits and concerns.

CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan said, “One of CTI’s strategic goals is to provide opportunities to showcase CMS teachers’ innovative scholarship created in CTI seminars to a wider community audience. This partnership with Piedmont Natural Gas, Duke Energy and the EnergyExplorium will serve as an important step in fulfilling this goal.”

Thirteen sets of extensive, energy-related curriculum units for grades K-12 were developed by teachers in Trammell’s seminar, designed specifically for their own students. “We hope these units inspire other teachers to share their creativity with colleagues in an effort to benefit more students in more classrooms across the district,” stated Gartlan. All 13 are published on the CTI and Yale National Initiative websites.

Trammell’s seminar was one of eight CTI conducted in 2013 on a wide range of topics for a total of 97 CMS teachers from all grade levels and subject areas, led by Davidson College and UNC Charlotte faculty. The units developed in all eight seminars are posted online. Currently CTI is offering another eight seminars for 2014. For more information visit: www.charlotteteachers.org.