Fifth graders in Orange and Osceola counties closed out 2023 with the completion of the final Green Roof Design workshop. Delivered as a curriculum component of Project AWESOME (Alternative Water and Energy Supply; Observation, Methods and Education), the Green Roof Design workshop required students to work as teams and design a heat and water-efficient green roof of plant material for an urban apartment building.
These rooftop gardens were intended to insulate their model buildings and capture rainwater in cisterns. Students also learned that vegetation on green roofs helps filter carbon dioxide into fresh air.
The objective of Green Roof Design was for students to understand where our water comes from, how it is treated, and where it goes, as well as what we can do to conserve this important resource.
The last Green Roof Design workshop took place Dec. 22, 2023 at Orlo Vista Elementary School.
Project AWESOME’s new workshop for 2024 focuses on Drip Drop Design, which involves designing and creating a drip irrigation system. The goal is for students to then apply their newfound knowledge in their own community by working together to create a model drip irrigation system for a local city park.
Educators from the Orlando Science Center, as well as members of OUC’s Community Engagement and Marketing teams, led one of the first Drip Drop Design workshops at Lakeview Elementary School.
Project AWESOME is a STEM-based educational program sponsored by OUC and taught by Orlando Science Center Educators. Dedicated towards encouraging conversations about sustainability and conservation of water and energy in our communities, the program delivers 90-minute workshops during the fall and spring school semesters to public school fifth graders in Orange and Osceola counties.
The curriculum, which meets Common Core standards, has been taught in nearly 4,000 classes since 2009 – reaching more than 100,000 students.
