Students Teach Students About Energy

By Tanjua Damon

Newtown Middle School students in the Interact Club became teachers last week, giving a lesson on energy to a sixth grade technology education class at Reed Intermediate School.

Some of the middle school students attended the Connecticut Energy Education Day in late January. Carly Doherty, Carolyn Gingras, Andrea Minor, Jake Rebb, and Margaret Riley talked to the sixth graders about what kinds of energy exist, how they are used, and what needs to be done to conserve energy.

The students learned that energy comes from a variety of sources including solar, electric, petroleum, nuclear power, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass. A game was played to show the sixth graders how little oil is really left in the world and why conservation is important.

 “I went to the seminar and it was cool,” Margaret said. “It really affects everything we do, so I want to make sure everyone knows, too.”

A steam-powered plant operation was displayed for the students. It demonstrated how water can be heated to be used as an energy to provide electricity.

The middle school students hoped that the sixth graders learned the importance that energy plays in their life.

“I hope they learned not to waste energy as much,” Andrea said. “I think now they know how important energy is in life. It’s one of the things you don’t know how important it is unit it’s gone.”

The students explained that Energy Day is March 21. Technology education teacher Don Ramsey was proud of the middle school students for teaching their peers about energy.

“My interest was to see how peers can lead peers,” Mr Ramsey said, “and to experience the highest power of learning, which is teaching.