King Middle School science teacher Marina Peñalver shared the following account of an “Engineering Our Energy Future,” expedition that King eighth-graders are engaging in:

"In this expedition, Matinicus Eight students become authorities on one of our planet’s major dilemmas, human energy usage and its connection to global climate change. We guide our research to answer the questions, 'What energy sources will most sustainably take us into the future?' and 'What combination of energy sources should Maine utilize to become carbon neutral by 2040?'

Throughout the experience, students learn about the many forms of energy, and how each is transformed for human use. For fieldwork, students learn from professionals who work in various fields, and who present their technologies. We travel to a local solar farm, and tour facilities like the University of Southern Maine’s campus to learn how a combination of sustainable technology and thoughtful human actions can conserve energy and resources, and save money in the process. Students also did field work with the WindowDressers group at the First Parish Church in October, helping to build inexpensive window inserts that trap heat indoors and can lower bills during the winter—to help low-income community members and aid in conserving energy.

In social studies, students are assigned an energy source to research, and uncover its economic, environmental and ethical pros and cons through extensive research using Noodle Tools. They then use that information in energy debates. In science classes, students investigate the history of energy use, the carbon cycle, physical causes and impacts of climate change as well as how energy moves and transforms. In ELA students read “The Omnivore's Dilemma” by Michael Pollan, to focus on the connection between climate change and food miles. Finally, students use their research to write an argument essay titled “Letter to the Editor” that is sent to many publications throughout Maine, to argue their energy claims in response to the guiding questions."