What if you could challenge your fourth graders to create a minimally invasive, highly efficient dam? With this volume in the "STEM Road Map Curriculum Series," you can! "Hydropower Efficiency" outlines a journey that will steer your students toward authentic problem solving while grounding them in integrated STEM disciplines.…

Recognizing the relevance of energy in our lives is essential for ensuring a sustainable future. The lessons offered by education systems could exert an impact throughout the lives of people. This study conducts a review of the content of elementary-level textbooks in Mexico to describe and analyze the scope of these materials and their depth from…

Connections among the mathematics, science, and engineering disciplines have been recognized and affirmed in national standards. For example, the application of mathematical ideas and skills within science has been highlighted in national science standards for over 20 years. More recently, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; NGSS Lead…

This article describes the creation of a university-based cross-disciplinary collaboration with elementary schools to address the challenges faced by teacher preparation programs in providing preservice teachers opportunities to design integrated STEM learning environments. The partnership focused on the design of an electric car unit and…

Artificial photosynthesis is a promising approach to generate commodity chemicals using abundant chemical feedstocks and renewable energy sources. Despite its importance, affordable and effective hands-on classroom activities that demonstrate artificial photosynthesis and teach key concepts, especially for primary school students, are lacking.…

UNESCO has identified education for sustainable development (ESD) as a key factor in the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Education is important in developing awareness of how to preserve natural ecosystems and promote the uptake of renewable energy sources. Ecology education in primary school aims to give students a scientific…

Background: Human behaviour contributes in a major way to global warming (GW), significantly adding to ill-health and disease. As a result, efforts should be made to enlist the support of school-aged children in preventive behaviour. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of a school-network intervention using Reduce, Reuse…

Energy concepts are taught in many schools, but children rarely have an opportunity to grapple with energy problems and work on their own solutions. This study explores the impacts of Connect Science, a service-learning (SL) program developed to enhance elementary students' energy literacy in the United States. Program impacts were explored within…

The purpose of this research is to explore the views of pupils of primary (6th grade) and secondary education (3rd grade of Gymnasium & 3rd grade of lyceum) of the Ionian Islands, about renewable sources and energy saving. In Greece, significant research has been carried out on renewable sources and energy saving. Their findings showed that…

Today, the decrease of bonds established with nature due to the use of technology, the increase in urbanization and the change of daily routines might affect people's attitudes and behaviours towards environment negatively. Considering that attitudes are one of the most important factors affecting behaviours, in the current study, it is aimed to…

Problem-based learning (PBL) involves students solving a problem with multiple solutions over time, like scientists in real-world contexts. This fourth-grade PBL unit had students become part of an endeavor to help their state of Virginia become energy independent. It conceptualized energy independence as becoming self-sufficient for energy…

The aim of this study was to design a digital game that imparts the concept of urban heat island effects to aid in environmental education. Within the play-time limits, gamers must be alert to signs of warning from the environment and keep the balance between economic growth and the temperature of the environment, so they can safely manage the…

This article describes an 8-10 week problem-based learning unit for fifth graders that introduced them to the facts underlying global climate change. This unit was inspired by the lack of awareness in our national population around this clear threat to our global ecosystem and takes on this goal: to provide students (our future advocates and…

The development of energy literacy for all citizens is critical as we face climate change and rapid depletion of existing energy resources. This study explores energy literacy development in fourth grade classrooms. Our team developed a curriculum on energy resources aligned with the Next GenerationScience Standards. We then trained teachers how…

This randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of an elementary school service-learning program, Connect Science (CS), on classroom practices and students' science achievement, civic engagement, and social skills. Fourth grade teachers were enrolled into intervention versus control conditions resulting in 41 classrooms (20 intervention)…