Itron and Discovery Education Launch “Week of Resourcefulness”

SILVER SPRING, Md. – April 22, 2019 – In celebration of Earth Day, Itron, Inc., a technology company innovating the way cities and utilities manage energy and water, and Discovery Education, the leading provider of standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, today announced the first annual Week of Resourcefulness – a virtual event dedicated to introducing new STEM investigation activities in K-12 education daily during the week of April 22-26. Students, educators and communities are invited to explore the relationship between energy and water, and how unexpected connections at the heart of the energy-water nexus can conserve our world’s most precious resources.

“Itron is committed to inspiring future generations to help create a more resourceful world, and we are excited to collaborate with Discovery Education to ignite students’ passion for global conservation,” said Marina Donovan, vice president of global marketing and public affairs, Itron. “This Earth Day, we are thrilled to launch a dedicated week of digitally immersive educational activities to help us propel 21st century STEM learning for youth. By engaging young people in learning pathways that help them ideate solutions for the most pressing resource challenges of our time, we are driving a real shift for the future of sustainability.”

During the Week of Resourcefulness, students will discover how to harvest school energy, analyze global energy consumption, improve water efficiency and utilize smart technology to create more resourceful communities. Additionally, a school-to-home companion activity will empower families to work together to create a blueprint of their living space that highlights methods for energy and water conservation. Conservation Station: Creating a More Resourceful World resources are available at no-cost at learntoconserve.com and within Discovery Education Streaming Plus. An award-winning comprehensive digital service supplementing instruction across all K-12 curricular areas, Discovery Education Streaming Plus empowers educators to create dynamic learning environments that mirror students’ use of technology outside the classroom.

Join the ‘Week of Resourcefulness’ for a new activity each day of the week:
MON., 4/22: Create a Global Energy Infographic
TUES., 4/23: Harvesting Energy in Your School
WED., 4/24: How Much Water Does it Take?
THURS., 4/25: Improving Water Efficiency
FRI., 4/26: School Energy Use Mapping
FAMILY ACTIVITY: Smarter Home Benefits

“As global leaders in technology, Discovery Education and Itron are proud to lock arms to promote accessible resources that cultivate an appreciation for energy-water literacy in classrooms, homes and communities nationwide,” said Lori McFarling, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer, Discovery Education. “The ‘Week of Resourcefulness’ will give educators practical, digitally immersive ways to integrate exciting content into daily classroom instruction, and STEM lesson plans will inspire students and communities to find innovative ways to be resourceful in their everyday lives.”

Launched in 2018, Itron and Discovery Education partnered to create the Conservation Station: Creating a More Resourceful World program, to spark a national dialogue about the importance of students’ understanding of current and future energy needs, resource utilization and conservation. Program materials dive into the relationship between energy and water, and how innovative technologies are working to conserve both resources through the core pillars of resourcefulness: effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability.

“Itron and Discovery Education’s effort through ‘Conservation Station’ to connect students and teachers to resources and technologies that move us toward a more energy-efficient future is vital. I am dedicated to teaching my students the values of committing to a sustainable future,” said Brandon Wislocki, Stonegate Elementary school educator, Irvine Unified School District. “It’s exciting to engage my students through resources that inspire them to use STEM to build a better world. In celebration of Earth Day, we’re thrilled to participate in the ‘Week of Resourcefulness’ to explore how we can do our part to conserve water and energy at school and at home.”

Conservation Station: Creating a More Resourceful World resources help students build the important critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills needed for success beyond the classroom and support student achievement. Learn more about these no-cost tools at www.learntoconserve.com and at discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @DiscoveryEd.