LEXINGTON, Ky. — A new educational program from Bluegrass Greensource is teaching local students to understand energy concepts through hands-on, interactive activities designed to engage learners from preschool through middle school.

The initiative, titled "All Things Energy," incorporates practical experiments that transform abstract scientific principles into tangible learning experiences. Bluegrass Greensource, a Lexington-based nonprofit providing environmental education to Central Kentucky schools, developed the program to help students investigate renewable and non-renewable energy sources while building critical thinking skills.

The curriculum includes several interactive activities tailored to different age groups. Preschool and primary students observe the effects of sunlight through a lesson on "Sunlight and Shadows," comparing and measuring shadows while creating color-changing bracelets. Middle-grade students participate in "Cookie Mining," an activity that demonstrates the environmental impacts of mining while encouraging them to explore mitigation strategies. Older elementary students design and test wind turbine blades to understand kinetic and potential energy, while others build solar ovens to learn how thermal energy can be harnessed for practical applications like cooking.

The organization, which has served Central Kentucky schools since its founding in 2001, continues to expand its environmental education offerings. The All Things Energy program aligns with broader state efforts to integrate energy and environmental learning into Kentucky classrooms. Kentucky's Office of Energy Policy has supported several grant-funded projects that foster excellence in energy and environmental learning in schools.

Teachers working with Bluegrass Greensource's curriculum report that the interactive nature of these lessons helps students retain complex concepts more effectively than traditional textbook instruction. The hands-on activities make energy science accessible and engaging, helping students understand why energy conservation and renewable resources matter for their futures.

Bluegrass Greensource provides environmental education resources and outreach to schools, community groups, local governments and citizens throughout Central Kentucky. Schools interested in bringing the All Things Energy program to their classrooms can contact the organization for scheduling and program details.