10-05-05
Contact Maria Samot 803-936-4409
For More Information

From Petroleum Gas to Biomass: SC Teachers Learn About Alternative Fuels from Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom Program and the SC Energy Office

Columbia, SC -  South Carolina middle and high school teachers have a greater appreciation for potential energy sources from agricultural products and are better equipped to teach students about food, fiber, and forestry products after receiving complimentary lesson plans entitled “Biomass – Lesson Plans on Alternative Fuels.” The plans, as well as a teacher workshop on the topic, were co-sponsored by the SC Farm Bureau Federation (SCFB) and the South Carolina Energy Office (SCEO) through a grant provided by the U. S. Department of Energy’s Special Projects Program.

Each lesson, authored by South Carolina teachers, focuses on environmentally-friendly energy resources derived from agricultural by-products known as biomass.  Lesson plans are aligned to the South Carolina Curriculum Standards, and activities and extensive background information are included.  The packet is designed to be used by teachers of 7th through 12th grade students.

SCFB President David Winkles, who represents a 130,500 member agricultural advocacy organization, said, “With soaring fuel prices the time is right to teach about alternative fuel sources. South Carolina farmers stand at the cutting edge of technology that will help sustain our nation’s economy and security by helping reduce this nation’s dependency on imported oil and fossil fuels.  Biomass products also benefit the environment through the use of recycling, producing less waste.”

Dr. John Clark, director of the SCEO, noted, “South Carolinians spend more than $10 billion a year on energy.  It is time we shift some of our energy expenditures away from Kentucky coal mines and Middle East oil fields, and put more of our energy dollars into the pockets of South Carolina farmers, South Carolina timber owners, and South Carolina entrepreneurs.”

A limited number of the lesson plan packets are available to South Carolina teachers while supplies last.  The entire packet is also available for download at the South Carolina Ag in the Classroom website, www.agclassroom.org/sc, and also at the SCEO website, www.energy.sc.gov (click on “K-12 Public Education”).

SCFB’s Ag in the Classroom program offers cost-free grade-specific lesson plans, related materials, and year-round in-service workshops to South Carolina teachers, schools and school districts.  For more information or to schedule an in-service workshop, call Ag in the Classroom Director Maria Samot, 1-800-628-4571 ext. 4409. 

The South Carolina Energy Office offers 12 energy lessons, taken from the Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow curriculum supplement.  These K-12 lessons and many other materials are available from the SCEO or can be downloaded from their website at www.energy.sc.gov. For more information, call Renee Daggerhart at (803) 737-8030.

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