CORE Europe 2010-2012

The aims of the project >>

The aim of the project is to enhance the environmental awareness of pupils, teachers and the wider community by increasing their level of knowledge about renewable resources of energy, how they function and their potential value.

The project includes the design, construction and installation of a wind generator and the selection, purchase and installation of a solar panel at each of the four participating schools (in France, Germany, Italy and Scotland).  Pupils will thus be enabled to strengthen their technological competences by carrying out hands-on experiments and analyses.  

On a series of days (at least one per season) pupils will measure the amount of energy generated by each method, and to what extent it can be used e.g. for charging batteries, heating water etc. and analyse the overall implications of using these sources of energy on a larger scale.

The results of these experiments in each school will then be compared.   It may be possible to feed the energy generated into the schools electricity supply, thereby reducing the school’s carbon footprint.

Pupils will also research the use of other renewable resources of energy globally and nationally and compare the results of their research.  In addition, they will also visit sites particularly relevant to their region/country, e.g. hydroelectric power plants, wind farms, and video` their tour of the plant and carry out a related survey of the school community or the wider public.  

The results of these activities will then be presented on a dedicated web site, combining video presentations with voice-over explanations, statistics and interactive maps.

An online Moodle course on renewable energy in different languages will also be set up. This course will cover the relevant curricula (e.g. Geography/Science/Economics) for the participating schools.

Finally, the pupils will give a presentation of their work to the school community and an extended audience at a conference to be held in Dollar Academy in June, 2012. This conference will involve staff and pupils from all four schools.