For Schools

Conte School fourth graders learn the importance of reuse and recycling.

At CET, we believe that today's inquisitive child is tomorrow's environmentally sensitive citizen.

Classroom Presentations

CET offers age-appropriate classroom presentations on solar energy, recycling, composting, and global warming to grades K-12 in schools primarily in western Massachusetts. These topics come to life through interactive, hands-on activities designed to engage students in thinking about how individual actions can make a difference in protecting our environment. Presentations apply concepts identified in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

Technical Assistance to Set-up Recycling and Composting Programs

Children at Williamstown Elementary School learn the basics of separating out compostable materials.

CET assists schools in developing and implementing school-wide recycling and composting programs. Services can include waste assessments, waste disposal/recycling contract revision, system design, staff and student training and CET involves students, teachers and staff in the process to ensure a successful and lasting program.

In collaboration with the Southern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District, CET worked with the Becket Washington School to set up a paper-recycling program. From the kick-off assembly program to distributing bins for paper collection, CET ensured that each student understood what paper is acceptable for recycling. Fifth graders collect and weigh the recycled paper and calculate the total number of trees saved each week as a result of the school’s recycling efforts. The success of the school recycling program has inspired the Central Berkshire Regional School District to implement paper recycling districtwide.

The Junior Solar Sprint

Every spring, middle school students from across the region, race and display model solar cars that they have designed and built at school. In constructing their cars, students learn how solar panels create electricity and how that energy can be used to perform important tasks.

CET is amazed at the new ideas students develop and create during the annual Junior Solar Sprint.

At this teacher training, educators learn about solar energy and designing model solar cars. CET offers professional development opportunities to educators ranging from half-day in-service sessions to a full-day workshop that could include field trips. The workshops are interdisciplinary, provide hands-on activities and can be tailored to meet the needs of the school or district.

CET has introduced hundreds of students to wind energy through providing tours of the Searsburg Wind Farm. Students experience wind turbines up close, Searsburg, VT.

Resources and Materials

CET's resource library contains activity and curriculum guides, publications, books and videos. These materials can be viewed in CET's Pittsfield office by appointment. Some materials may be available for loan.

Special Initiatives

CET staff members also work with schools on special initiatives, such as the Junior Solar Sprint, the Earth Stewards After-School Program, and educational tours to a local wind farm. If you have an idea, please contact us for additional information.

CET assisted schools with the removal of products that contain mercury. Together with school staff, CET safely identified products that contain mercury and developed safe storage, recycling or disposal plans. The vulnerability of school children and the challenges and high cost of clean-up in the event of a mercury spill makes removal an important goal.

CET developed a curriculum to guide teachers from 4th to 8th grade in ways to introduce mercury to their students. This curriculum: Mercury (the element) in Our Environment: Problems and Solutions offers interactive, hands-on activities, assignments and follow-up activities for students at a variety of levels with links to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. (The curriculum is a pdf file.)

Other projects we have worked on include:

A model recycling and composting program at the Highland Elementary School in Pittsfield. As part of this project CET developed a "Green Kit" that other schools can use to initiate recycling programs. Over the past 8 years, CET has successfully set up recycling and composting at dozens of schools in the area.
A paper waste reduction program at the JFK Middle School in Northampton. The project included curriculum development, student-led planning and implementation and a paper use tracking and evaluation system.
Educational activities as part of the Junior Solar Sprint. Middle school students learn about alternative transportation, air quality, electricity, technology, renewable resources and the environment. They test out ideas by designing and building model solar cars.
CET developed air quality curriculum tailored for Massachusetts students in grades K-6.