E is for energy literacy
When Calgary elementary school teacher Nick Moskaluk was looking for factual information about energy to meet his curriculum needs, his search fell short.
“I was frustrated that I couldn’t find good, childfriendly material,” he says. “While there’s a great deal of information online, much of it is opinion from which you have to decipher fact from fiction. It’s simply not appropriate for my Grade 4 and Grade 2 students.”
Moskaluk says he believes that learning about energy is a vital component of sciencebased education. “We hear a lot about oil and gas, but there’s so much more to gain by understanding the full energy mix across our country, including hydro, wind and nuclear power, and how it affects the land, water and people.” he says. “At the elementary school level it’s particularly important to talk about these things in a balanced way, then allow children to make decisions on their own.”
Moskaluk turned to a program recently developed by
Canadian Geographic magazine in a partnership with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).
At the heart of program is a gymnasium floor-sized map ( about 11 metres by eight metres) showing Canada’s primary energy production sites and transmission lines by province and territory. Beginning this fall, 10 of these maps will tour schools across the country to help students understand where energy for homes, businesses and vehicles originates, and how it is delivered to their doorsteps. Teachers can borrow a map for their school for up to three weeks at no cost.
“The energy map brings an entirely new element to our teaching, turning the gym into a place where we can learn geography and science together,” says Moskaluk. “It’s a compelling tool that lets us combine kinesthetic movement with auditory and visual learning, allowing each child to learn the way they do best.”
The map is complemented by an activity kit that includes guides and tools to help teachers deliver curriculum-based lesson plans to explore Canada’s energy sector. Two qualified teachers on staff at Canadian Geographic helped to create the teaching materials, which were reviewed by some of its 8,900 teacher members.
The multi-year, multi-platform energy literacy partnership between Canadian
Geographic and CAPP goes beyond schools to reach out to all Canadians: The June, 2013 issue of
Canadian Geographic featured seven pages of surprising facts about energy in Canada and a bilingual poster-sized map insert that tells a geographic story of the country’s energy production and transmission.
Launched in October, the EnergyIQ . CanadianGeographic.ca website lets Canadians dig deeper into Canada’s energy mix. It contains an interactive map with clickable facts and statistics about facilities across the country, quizzes to gauge energy knowledge, a glossary of terms, educational materials for teachers and an energy library complete with info graphics.
“Energy is a topic that can be polarizing,” says Gilles Gagnier, vice-president of content creation at Canadian
Geographic. “For educators we are providing highly accurate, highly effective and highly sought-after material. Through our magazine and Energy IQ website we are providing the same authoritative information for the broader public. The two are complementary, offering food for thought and further discussion.”
These are not the only efforts being used to promote energy literacy, however. The Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation’s (CSTMC) Let’s Talk Energy initiative explores the relationship between energy, the economy and the environment.
In addition to major energy-related exhibitions at its three national museums, the program includes social media campaigns, school programs, virtual exhibitions and interactive kiosks.
“Best practices are shared with a network of 30 museums and science centres across the country with the goal of increasing the quality and quantity of energy-related activities at these locations,” says Ellen Burack, CSTMC’s director general of the energy initiative.
The program aligns with those offered by Canadian
Geographic, adds Burack, and tools can be shared between partners to stimulate thought about energy matters.
Energy literacy is about understanding the concepts and how our use of energy impacts the overall system, Gagnier says.
“Understanding will lead to positive actions and better decision-making in the management of our resources now and for the future — that’s why it’s critical.”