Scratch

I am brand new to this "SCRATCH" stuff, i too taught physics and astronomy.  I am looking at using this as a way for my  Utah's Electronic High School astronomy students to express themselves in term projects that deal with energy literacy and evolution.  Yes, I am completely re-inventing this introductory 9-12 astronomy  course.  My goal is to teach energy/science literacy and make them relevant to students so they can begin to be the voices that generate new Energy Policy  as an energy literate community in our democracy that will begin to solve the real problems they will face as voters.  We can "teach" "Global Climate Change" 'til we're blue in the face, they don't care nor do they see the very real issues, but $$$ at the gas pump or $$$ to fill their tummies with twinkies.  They get that, when they can't DRIVE, or they're hungry well... they all of a sudden care!   How about this for a project, an energy exchange game where they have to determine a series of energy exchanges and account for it all from the beginning to the end of the "simulations."  Like they want to go skiing in Utah, how to get there, fly, drive, bus, play with other variable like fuel prices, masses, time, time off work, maybe go to Colorado instead, meals, how many Cals do they need, food costs, grains vs meats, trace all the energy exchanges like in a specific ecosystem.  Determine the amount of energy an certain area on earth gets form the sun's luminosity account for all EM energies, those blocked by our atmosphere, absorbed by plants, eaten by consumers, anon...    Or maybe they build an energy efficient roller coaster that is as close to 99.9% efficient as possible  playing with variables like mass, height of track, beginning and ending heights, an electric generator that is fueled by gasoline, a wind turbine, a small fission reactor etc.  just a couple of thoughts, maybe we could collaborate.  Do Your Dreams, Curty