DEER Program Teaches About Energy, Environment

Local students are getting an education on subjects as diverse as surviving the winter to harvesting energy from the sun as part of a long-running program at the Visitors’ Centre. 
 

Since 1998, more than 15,000 students, teachers and parents have taken part in the Discover Energized Environmental Resources (DEER) Program, which Bruce Power runs in partnership with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority. 

“Saugeen Conservation continues to appreciate the great working relationship we have with Bruce Power through the DEER Program,” said Nancy Griffin, Education Coordinator. “What participants learn here will help them make informed decisions in the future, both for energy and environmental concerns.” 
 

Recently, Grade 5 and 6 students from Walkerton took part in the program, which features a variety of energy and science-based crafts, activities and experiments. In the morning, they learned about energy pathways. Through videos, they learned how hydroelectricity, coal-based fuel sources and nuclear energy systems operate, while through a variety of experiments, they experienced the operations of different energy systems first-hand. They also crafted their own solar cooker using Styrofoam plates and tinfoil, demonstrating how energy can be captured from the sun.

In the afternoon, students learned winter survival techniques from Nancy, who showed them how to use everyday household items, like socks and garbage bags, to effectively warm a person. Garbage bags, she told students, can also be used to signal for help. Sandpaper and matches can be stored inside a camera’s film container while shiny material, twigs and old thread can be used to catch fish, she said. As well, pine needles, snow, old coffee containers and candies can be used to create team to warm a person. Students also learned about the symptoms of hypothermia and how to help a victim.
 

The end goal of the program, Nancy said, is to teach students “the basics of working together towards problem solving in emergency situations.” As well, the program aims to encourage students to think of using household items in a different way. 

DEER is cross-curriculum based and is intended to compliment subject materials explored in the classroom. Subjects explored within the program do not just focus on science – they also focus on health, safety and geography. Program goals are to help students further their education through hands-on learning.