KidWind Educator Workshop - Ashland, WI

The Wisconsin Energy Institute and Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) are excited to bring the KidWind Educator Workshop to Ashland! Join us at the beautiful Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center and learn how to explore the power of wind with your students!

Workshop Description:

In this workshop you will review energy and electricity basics, design and test blades in a wind tunnel, explore related KEEP energy education resources, and preview ready-to-use renewable energy lessons. We will tour the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center's solar array, and we'll visit Ishkonige Nawadide, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's state-of-the-art microgrid. The $2 million project includes a 500 kW solar microgrid with more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours of battery storage. This is a special opportunity to see this advanced energy technology and to learn about energy sovereignty of indigenous nations. Take your real-world experience back to your students and get them excited about the range of jobs and careers in renewable energy. 

Participants will also learn about the Wisconsin KidWind Challenge and gain tips for coaching student teams through the process of designing and constructing small-scale turbines or solar devices. You'll leave with the resources and confidence to use renewable energy as a lens into hands-on science, technology, and engineering exploration in the classroom. (And you'll get a pile of gear valued over $170, to take back to your teaching space!)  

Agenda:

  • 9am – 2:00pm Interactive Workshop at NGLVC
  • 3:00-4:00 pm Tour of Ishkonige Nawadide Solar Microgrid Project 

Who should attend: Recommended for teachers of grades 4-12. Workshops are open to both formal and non-formal educators.

Register today to save your spot

(Registration is done through the WI K-12 Energy Education Program website.) Number of attendees is limited.


Workshop Cost: $25 - Register by Sept 19 for the $10 Early Bird Discount!

  • Substitute reimbursements to school districts up to $150/teacher are available.
  • Certificates of attendance will be provided upon request.

Photo of a beautiful building with yellow sunlight reflecting in the windows. A purple/blue sky arches overhead. The solar array at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center generates energy electricity to power 45% of the Center's yearly needs. Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center
An array of solar panels in the background preceded by a bank of batteries at the Bad River Wastewater Treatment site microgrid. The Bad River Band has installed over 500 kW of Solar and over 1000 kWh of battery storage at three Tribal Facilities. The Tribal Energy Coordinator and Climate Change Specialist will provide a tour of two of these sites at the end of our workshop. EnTECH Solutions

This is one of three KidWind Educator workshops happening Aug-October 2024. Check out the other dates & locations.

Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center
29270 Co Hwy G
Ashland, WI 54806