K–12 Activities

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ASHRAE’s Role in K-12/STEM
ASHRAE’s K-12/STEM Subcommittee works to advance the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the K-12 student population.

ASHRAE is a member of The National Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition. The Coalition's objective is to support new and innovative initiatives that will help improve the content, knowledge, skills and professional development of the K-12 STEM teacher workforce and informal educators. They also strive to improve the resources available in STEM classrooms and other learning environments. ASHRAE is dedicated to ensuring quality STEM programs for teachers and students all around the world by encouraging its members to get involved with their local school systems.
A committee of ASHRAE members was dedicated to this topic to research STEM issues as it pertains to specific age groups. Through extensive research, this committee put together a recommended course of action for ASHRAE role in the STEM initiative:
- Relay the importance of member involvement in STEM related activities from the leadership of the Society.
- Tailor our message to fit Gen Y's deep and compelling belief in sustainability and the environment.
- Energize the Society as a whole by launching the STEM program through ASHRAE's student branches.
- Have both YEA and ASHRAE members serve as mentors to the Student Branches.
- Implement an incentive program to inspire and motivate student branches to action.
- Develop a consortium of STEM organizations to take advantage of existing programs and initiatives.
Read the full ASHRAE STEM Report: Building our Future through ASHRAE's Role in STEM Education
Question or Comments? kthomson@ashrae.org
Get Involved
Student Activity Chairs: How to reach your local schools ( fillable version)
Tips on how to help promote STEM to elementary, middle, and high schools in your area

K-12 Stem Leadership Award
The award is earned if each of the Chapters Officers and its K-12/STEM Champion or Chapter Student Activities chair participate in one qualifying K-12/STEM related activity within their Chapters area. Winners are recognized at their CRC and receive PAOE points.

Request materials for your classroom visit here
Brochures, posters and some logo items are free if available. There is a limit of 25 items per request.

ASHRAE STEM Kit
To advance the art and science of HVAC&R, the Student Activities committee has developed three STEM kits which include instructions and materials for activities aimed at K-12 students. The kits are available at no charge to Chapters wanting to lead a STEM activity in a K-12 classroom for approximately ten students. There is a limit of one of each kit per Chapter per year. Various STEM kits include:
- Sling Psychrometer – demonstrates how to build a sling psychrometer and directly measure two properties of air: dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature.
- Pressure Drop – demonstrates pressure loss in a duct system utilizing straws. Students blow into a short piece of a straw and a several long straws taped together to simulate pressure loss in a duct system. Central Arizona Chapter Virtual Pressure Drop Activity
- Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions – demonstrates the principles of endothermic and exothermic reactions using chemical hot and cold packs. Reusable hot packs are also included to demonstrate reversible reactions.
- Hold Your Water STEM Kit – Students design and build a device to safely drop a cup of water, retaining as much water in the cup as possible. Students learn that engineers solve problems under constraints.
- Lego STEM Kit – demonstrate the phases of building construction, the roles involved in a project, and the communication challenges that teams deal with.
- Gamification – demonstrates the STEM subjects with the incorporation of game elements, like point and reward systems, to tasks as incentives for students to participate. Access to gamification website included.
- Thermal Comfort STEM Activity
ASHRAE Recommended Classroom Visits/Projects
They are separated by grade level (some may overlap, this is OK!). Remember you get PAOE points for your activities!

ASHRAE Honorary Student Membership
The Honorary Student Membership card designates student participation in a Chapter sponsored K12/STEM event and does not provide actual member benefit. The card template is designed to work with an AVERY 5390 Name Badge Insert Refills that are available to purchase from major office supply retailers.

Information to share with K-12 Students, Teachers, and Parents
A brief overview of HVAC&R along with age appropriate resources
Resources
Lucy's Engineering Adventure

“How do they work? Why don’t they fall?
What lights them up? Do they need to be tall?”

In the first book of the series, Lucy visits an unfinished building, where her father uses a metaphor of the human body to explain the building's beams and columns, electrical system, and HVAC ducts.

Available for purchase in:

English Arabic Chinese Croatian French Greek Portuguese Serbian Spanish

Lucy Goes Green

In the second book of the series, Lucy goes with her classmates on a field trip to a sustainable farm, where they learn about storing energy using solar panels and windmills and recycling water through rainwater collection.

Available for purchase in:

ENGLISH

ASHRAE Academy

This video features Professors ASH and RAE as they give a brief overview of the climate crisis and the need for decarbonization.

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HVAC&R at the Aquarium

This video follows three students and one HVAC&R engineer as they make their way through the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, learning about the importance of Thermal Comfort and HVAC Building Systems for both animals and people. This video is presented as part of the ASHRAE K–12 Student Activities program.

K–12 Activities

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Lucy's Engineering Adventure

Lucy Goes Green

ASHRAE Academy

HVAC&R at the Aquarium