Introducing our new STEM + Curriculum

Our educational philosophy is, “Involve me, and I’ll master it.” We’ve developed our new STEM + Curriculum with that in mind, focusing on real-world applications and hands-on learning. The instruction adheres to the newly released National Common Core Standards and provides for all of K-12. Many other curricula are only able to teach one or two grade levels, but PicoTurbine’s program is designed to give students a deeper understanding of STEM education topics with each passing year—one that they can build upon consistently up until college.

STEM + at the Pico Playoffs

During the first week of April, PicoTurbine was pleased to give a group of students and educators an opportunity to experience the hands on advantage of the STEM + Curriculum. We hosted a day of experimenting with our newest wind turbine kits that culminated in an exciting playoff competition. We were so impressed by the craftsmanship everyone put into their turbines and the friendly spirit of the day. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we were able to share all kinds of great renewable energy education with all who participated. The event turned adults into kids and kids into adults!

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Developed by a team of educators in accordance with the recently released National Common Core Standards, STEM+ Curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) introduces a unique blend of disciplines to the STEM education world¾one that freely incorporates subjects like geography or English as readily as it does science and technology. Learning takes place in a wide range of environments from mobile labs to online platforms.

STEM+ Curriculum gives students a deeper understanding of STEM education topics with each passing year—one that they can build upon consistently up until college. Not only does STEM+ Curriculum enhance students’ knowledge of green technology, but it facilitates growth in other critical areas of learning like peer interaction and real-world problem solving.

About PicoTurbine International

Founded in 1998, PicoTurbine International has developed high quality green energy education products and curricula for well over a decade. Its mission is to advance green energy science for all ages. Learn more at http://www.picoturbine.com

PicoTurbine’s main goals is to create the most hands on learning materials for teaching about green technology. PicoTurbine incorporates science, technology, communication and history all under the same curriculum.

Check out PicoTurbine International’s YouTube Channel!

Jersey City Public Schools
2011 Science Challenge Fair
For Students in Grades 5 through 8
Friday, January 7, 2011
9:30am to 1:00pm

Jersey City Armory
678 Montgomery Street
Jersey City, NJ 07306

One of the core concepts of PicoTurbine can be stated: Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of it. Involve me, and I will master it. Based on this old tried and true adage, the kits that the company produces come with activity suggestions to get the young people into hands-on learning situations. One suggestion of the company is to demonstrate how heat can be produced by wind energy (the company’s specialty) through using a “picture wire” for the heating element. PicoTurbine has found that people typically think of wind energy as being “cold” energy, and are pleasantly surprised to see how wind can be used for generating heat in the home. Another project suggestion that the company offers is to have different groups split off in the classroom and then compare their respective wind turbines that they have built. They can see which ones produce the most or least electricity; which ones start up with need of the least amount of wind power; and for very young children, which ones have the most aesthetic appeal.

There is a core curriculum that PicoTurbine has in mind for teachers to instill in their pupils. Renewable, alternative sources of energy include solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass in addition to wind-produced energy. When we use more alternative sources of energy, we decrease our nation’s dependence on foreign oil supplies, which often come from nations who cannot really be called our “allies”. Alternative energy is already becoming cost effective when set against the fossil fuels that we are so reliant on currently.

PicoTurbine points out that wind farms and solar arrays are already letting their makers enjoy commercial success. In the last two decades, the cost of photovoltaic cells expressed in terms of per-watt has gone from nearly $1000 to just $4! It has been predicted by analysts that by the year 2015, the cost per watt should only be about $1 (in today’s dollars). Students also need to be taught about the hidden cost of fossil fuels: pollution and environmental degradation. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels has been shown through studies to increase incidences of asthma attacks, heighten the effects of allergies, and even cause cancer. Switching over to clean, green energy found in the alternative forms would prevent air pollution and help bolster the environment.

I have a tip here for the PicoTurbine Company – hoping that someone may read this article. I don’t know how much this campaign cost and how is paying for it, but maybe they also can contact the Philippines about their project?

A teacher on the Philippines must pay for the material to teach the children more at once by their own – and no one has money here. Helping the teacher is helping the kids and families, our world worldwide. Alternative energy is not limited to one country only…

There is a an old adage which states: “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of it. Involve me, and I will master it”, which has been tried and tested. It has become a core concept of PicoTurbine in producing kits which encourage young people to learn hands-on by the activities that are suggested so they can see for themselves. One such suggestion by the company is the demonstration of how wind energy can produce heat (a specialty of the company), which uses a “picture wire” as the heating element. People naturally would think that wind energy would produce some king of “cold” energy as discovered by PicoTurbine, so it comes as a pleasant surprise to learn how in fact the use of wind in our homes can generate heat. The company also offers another suggestion that in a classroom, different groups are made up, so that can build their own wind turbines and then the results compared respectively. This is exciting for young children especially, as they are then able to see which one can produce the most electricity in comparison to the one with the least; the ones that require the least quantity of wind power; and most aesthetically appealing wind turbine of all of them.

PicoTurbine have a core curriculum for teachers to follow to instill in their pupils minds. Included in these renewable and alternative energy sources are biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric and solar energy as well as wind-produced energy. By using these alternative energy sources, we decrease the nation’s dependence for using foreign oil supplies, that have to bought from nations which are not known “allies”, also making it more expensive for our country. It is seen to be cost effective and is becoming more so to use alternative energy, in comparison to the use of fossil fuels which we currently are reliant upon.

As pointed out by PicoTurbine it is already a commercial success for those in the production of wind farms and also solar energy plants. During the last twenty years, photovoltaic cells have gone from costing almost $1000 down to only $4 per watt. Predictions show that by the year 2015, analysts have the cost per watt down to only $1 (by today’s prices). The hidden costs of fossil fuels should be taught to students, and what can lead to environmental pollution and degradation. There are lots of health risks as the burning of fossil fuels causes a lot of air pollution increasing the cases of asthma, the increase and heightened allergies, and how they cause cancer. The importance of switching to cleaner, green energy is paramount and it should be stressed that by more use we would prevent more air pollution that would improve the environment for all.

One of the core concepts of PicoTurbine can be stated: Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of it. Involve me, and I will master it. Based on this old tried and true adage, the kits that the company produces come with activity suggestions to get the young people into hands-on learning situations. One suggestion of the company is to demonstrate how heat can be produced by wind energy (the company’s specialty) through using a “picture wire” for the heating element. PicoTurbine has found that people typically think of wind energy as being “cold” energy, and are pleasantly surprised to see how wind can be used for generating heat in the home. Another project suggestion that the company offers is to have different groups split off in the classroom and then compare their respective wind turbines that they have built. They can see which ones produce the most or least electricity; which ones start up with need of the least amount of wind power; and for very young children, which ones have the most aesthetic appeal.

There is a core curriculum that PicoTurbine has in mind for teachers to instill in their pupils. Renewable, alternative sources of energy include solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass in addition to wind-produced energy. When we use more alternative sources of energy, we decrease our nation’s dependence on foreign oil supplies, which often come from nations who cannot really be called our “allies”. Alternative energy is already becoming cost effective when set against the fossil fuels that we are so reliant on currently.

PicoTurbine points out that wind farms and solar arrays are already letting their makers enjoy commercial success. In the last two decades, the cost of photovoltaic cells expressed in terms of per-watt has gone from nearly $1000 to just $4! It has been predicted by analysts that by the year 2015, the cost per watt should only be about $1 (in today’s dollars). Students also need to be taught about the hidden cost of fossil fuels: pollution and environmental degradation. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels has been shown through studies to increase incidences of asthma attacks, heighten the effects of allergies, and even cause cancer. Switching over to clean, green energy found in the alternative forms would prevent air pollution and help bolster the environment.

PicoTurbine devices work on several concepts; for instance, they actively incorporate the knowledge on alternative energies and make sure people are remembered once in a while, of this approach. The company receives a lot of feedback from customers, thus modifying its solutions to traditional energies in a way young people seem to find fit. Therefore, young people get to put their hands directly on real life situation and be able to make a change. A suggestion the company has received was to conduct experiments on wind energy production, by using the common known picture wire necessary for the heating elements. PicoTurbines has also noted that when people think about wind energy, they generally conjure up the image of cold energy and therefore, are surprised to see in reality the benefits of this technology. A suggestion for the projects was to give the opportunity to young people to engage into group based projects and thus, conduct their own discoveries and pose their own questions to lead them to the creation of their own, virtual energy plant, capable of producing real time energy. The groups will then be able to see whether the experiments were efficient and which one of them was able to produce the biggest amount of electricity or the smallest amount of electricity. They could be then able to modify the projects once again and come up with revised versions of what they are working on.

PicoTurbine has even been implemented in school curricula; teachers are now starting to instill in the senses for their pupils the appreciation for the environment and the awareness for alternative energies. Children are being taught that alternative means solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric or biomass energies that can produce considerable quantities of electricity under given conditions .when combining alternative energies we are decreasing the dependence that countries have our traditional energy derived from fossil fuel. Foreign oil supplies are getting more expensive by the day, therefore it would be much less costly to produce the nation’s own importer and if possible, then become the importer of energy. Judging from long terms effects, alternative energies are certainly less expensive that fossil fuel energies.

The company has also encouraged the sales of wind farms as well as solar arrays; these products are penetrating the market at growing rates and they are already becoming best sellers. To give you one example of how time has helped reduce the total cost for certain things, tale photo voltaic cells. Twenty years ago, they were evaluated at one thousand dollars per cell; now, each one of those cells costs only four dollars. Therefore, economists and specialists in alternative energies have denoted that it is possible to have the kilowatt being sold at one dollar, in 2015. thus, one needs to imagine the extraordinary impact that alternative energies would have on the entire world. Fossil fuels are starting to use their popularity, mainly because they damage to a large extent the environment and the air we are breathing. Thus, many cases of asthma attacks and pneumonias have been reported recently and the risks of developing allergies is extremely elevated. Such long term effects can even lead to cancer, therefore, it is advisable to switch to the alternative because this would mean no pollution, more protection to the environment and less money spent on energy costs.