Back Ruediger Elementary School and Gilchrist Elementary School

Molab, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to provide on-the-go dynamic hands-on and inquiry-based science experiences through a mobile laboratory that promotes discovery. Molab's philosophy is based on equal access to hands-on science education and expertise -creatively and positively impacting those we serve. Molab's goal is to enhance student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in a fun, interactive setting that allows students to realize career paths in STEM related fields. Molab's programs assist in developing 21st Century learning skills through project-based education and help promote digital literacy with curriculum that enable youth to think, create, and communicate effectively. Molab proposes to present a six week Investigation Workshop entitled, Tomorrow's Energy Auditors at both Ruediger and Gilchrist Elementary. Investigation Workshops are inquiry-based, hands-on exploration experiences that allow students to gain firsthand knowledge in the sciences. These programs promote collaboration and enhance critical thinking skills. tomorrow's Energy Auditors will learn what items in their home use energy, practice graphing and statistically analyze data, and brainstorm ways to decrease energy consumption as they enact a plan to save energy. The plan will help decrease pollution, decrease climate change causing carbon emissions, and decrease their home's energy bills. Through in-kind partnerships with Independent Green Technologies, LLC (IGT) and possibly the City of Tallahassee, students will gain knowledge about our community's green initiatives, resources available locally, and advance their collective understanding about environmental sustainability. Utilizing Molab Mac technology and state-of-the-art technologies provided by Molab partners, students would work collaboratively in groups to compile their real-world findings into a comprehensive presentation. This promotes cross-disciplinary instruction and increase student communication and verbal skills. The final outcome will have both Ruediger and Gilchrist students conducting their presentation at IGT's Clean Energy Technology Center as they share what they have learned to a broad community base.

Tomorrow's Energy Auditors is an innovative project as it promotes community collaboration and allows students to solve a real-world problem, within their own home and at school. Students apply what they learn and help inform parents of ways in which true !environmental change can be implemented in a cost-effective and easy manner. Students are empowered with the knowledge that everyone can do a little more to help save energy and the environment by formulating a plan that can be easily followed. Working side-by-side with Molab educators and green business entities, students will gain first-hand knowledge of the technologies being utilized today, learn how those technologies can be implemented, and understand the value of doing their part. This project promotes the next generation of science standards and assists teachers to move toward Common Core objectives. Utilizing cross-disciplinary instruction in science, mathematics, comprehension and language arts students will focus on the following subject areas specific to the 5th grade level: energy and the environment; problem-solving; real-world application; investigation and experimentation; observation and data collection; statistics, data analogy and probability; as well as hone in on critical thinking and presentation skills. ~Tallahassee has a multitude of green initiatives and prides itself in being a green community. Molab's Tomorrow's Energy Auditors Investigation Workshop brings the energy crisis close to home. Through this project, students will be positively affected, change their mindset, and will reemphasize the notion that it "just takes one" to make a difference. Students will learn easy ways to apply energy change and learn how they can continue to make advancements in their everyday lives alongside their parents, families, and peers. I working with our partners, students would see real change makers in their own community, be mentored by these professionals, and be inspired to continue these long-lasting environmental practices. Molab's partner, Independent Green Technologies' mission is "to lead Florida from the Sunshine State to the Solar State ethically and profitably through assessment, installation, and financing of innovative clean energy solutions to every individual, business and government entity seeking energy independence. To build public/private partnerships with education institutions and workforce boards to implement innovative, common sense applications of clean energy solutions and to create a replicable education/training model that will increase an industry certified clean energy workforce." Independent Green Technologies, LLC has opened a one-of-a-. kind "Clean Energy Technology Center" (CETC) in partnership with Tallahassee Community College (TCC). The purpose of the CETC is to be North Florida's one-stop sustainable resource center which will provide answers to residential, commercial and 9overnment clients on how to "zero out" their current and future energy usage. IGT's goal, in partnership with TCC, is to lead and transform the Sunshine State to the Solar State through education, training and job creation. IGT's mission and initiatives assists to further reinforce the projects real-life application and inspire career paths in STEM. students will utilize Molab's Maclab applications for the graphing, data collection and statistics portion of the project. Molab partners will highlight unique technologies that will be presented to the students such as infrared cameras, solar panel technology, biodiesel, and other green programs. Maclab technology presentation tools will be used to assist the groups in creating scientific-based, entertaining demonstrations of their project and findings. Molab will create a pre-test, post-test, and a post-post-test to access knowledge gained through Tomorrow's Energy Auditors Investigation Workshop. Pre-test materials will gauge student understanding of energy and sustainability issues. Post-tests will help Molab grasp the student's achievement after the completion of the project. Post-post-tests will be conducted six months after the project has been finished to yield improvement and retention on the scientific information originally presented. This data will be !Provided to TERRA for future use. To ensure strong participation after the project has been completed, Molab educators will use ~online tools to conduct the post-post-tests. Information such as parents' emails will be gathered to keep the lines of communication 1 pen between the parents, students, Molab, and its partners. In addition to the students' final presentations at the Clean Energy Technology Center, which will take place in front of community-based individuals and organizations, Molab will utilize its different mediums to promote Tomorrow's Energy Auditors. Molab enjoys partnerships with many media outlets that will have access to this project, in particular, Molab will work with the local CBS station, local ABC station, local National Public Radio Station, as well as other media groups to help spread the word. Molab will also utilize its social media as a grass-roots approach to help further spread the message regarding the Tomorrow's Energy Auditors Project, green initiatives in our community, and the environmentally friendly leadership activities occuning in our area.