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Jordan High School

600 Sunset Dr. , Jordan, MN 55352
Environmental Science Classes

Our team is made up of 11th and 12th grade students (and staff) in our 2 Environmental Science classes. Throughout the year we work on many projects to help the environment such as: sampling for B.M.I’s in our local creeks (to estimate water quality), sampling for invasive earthworms as part of the Great Lakes Worm Watch, collecting recycling for the entire school, running the second chance paper program for our entire school, teaching elementary students about the environment, testing our home drinking water for contaminants and removing invasive Buckthorn from our school woods. We hope that MN Schools Cutting Carbon will help us plan and implement even more projects to help us reduce our carbon footprints!
Kerry Giesen, kgiesen@jordan.k12.mn.us

Lights Out

Energy efficiency

At the end of our energy unit, students applied stickers to the light switch plates in all of the classrooms in our school. Even though our school has a very modern lighting system that shuts off lights after 10 minutes of no movement in the room, many staff and students are guilty of not actually turning off the switch when they leave classrooms. Ten minutes here and there quickly adds up to MANY hours every year.

To get staff and students to turn off lights when they leave the room.

Second Chance Paper

Other

This year we placed a “Second Chance Paper” Box in every classroom. They were placed next to recycling bins. The boxes are used to collect printer paper that is clean on one side (and would normally go in the recycle box). Our school is using this paper in 2 different printers.

Reduce the amount of printer paper used by our school.

Wind Project

Wind power

As part of our energy unit, students researched the pros and cons of wind energy, visited St. Olaf College to learn about, and see their wind machine, researched other MN schools who have put up wind turbines and put together power point presentations on their research. Student research was combined into 1 power point, which was presented to our school board at the April 13, 2009 board meeting. Board members were very receptive to learning more about a wind turbine project for our district.

To put up a wind turbine on district property (to decrease our school’s use of fossil fuels) AND save our school money on energy costs.