About Co-ops in the Classroom

Your local Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives of eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota are pleased to announce an exciting new opportunity to energize your students.  With buzz words such as “green power”, “global warming”, “carbon footprint” and “energy efficiency” making their way into everyday conversation, Co-ops in the Classroom aims to promote awareness and understanding of these issues to children through classroom instruction and demonstrations at no charge to you.  We believe that by instilling these concepts in children from an early age, they will be better prepared to make wise energy decisions now and be conscientious consumers of energy in the future.

To support this instruction, four modules focusing on separate energy issues have been developed.  The curricula have been designed to align with statewide academic content standards.  Presentation time for each module is 45 minutes long and can be presented to a single classroom or assembly style.  All four also incorporate supplemental materials that may be used to extend the lessons in the classroom and at home.  The courses available are:

  • Respect Electricity
    • Electricity enables us to do many things that make our lives better, more convenient and fun.  But it also has the capability to seriously injure or even kill us.  Students will learn how stay safe around electricity and its many applications by identifying indoor and outdoor electrical hazards.
    • Best for K-3rd grades
  • The Energy Patrol
    • With the increasing cost of fossil fuels and declining supply of natural resources, it is now more important than ever to make wise energy decisions.  This module enlists students to join the “Energy Patrol” as they identify ways to conserve energy at home and in their schools.
    • Best for K-6th grades
  • Energizing Our Lives
    • What is energy and where does electricity come from?  This module explores the energy sources that fuel our electrical needs, with special emphasis on renewable energy and emerging technologies.
    • Best for 2-6th grades
  • What’s a Kilowatt?
    • In this module, students will learn how much energy it takes to produce a kilowatt, what a kilowatt hour is and how many kilowatt hours it takes to power common household appliances. 
    • Best for 4th-6th grades

Jenny Wolff, Education & Outreach Specialist for East River Electric Power Cooperative will facilitate the sessions.  For more information or to schedule a visit, please fill out our contact form.