Our Mission:
To Enlighten.
We want to assist students to become personally and directly knowledgeable about climate change issues through hands-on experiments and field exercises.
Who We Are
The Minerva Action Group, LLC (MAG) is a small team of highly skilled and experienced professionals whose purpose is development and implementation of hands-on experiments for students to demonstrate and illustrate important aspects of climate science. MAG is independent without affiliation with businesses, political associations, trade groups, or any other organizations.
Student Climate Experiments
#1 Determining Carbon Storage in Local trees
This experiment is to build awareness and interest of the importance of trees in capturing and storing carbon. It is a hands-on exercise involving going outside to actually measure different trees to get their diameters and heights. The experiment involves completing some calculations (preferably by hand) to estimate the amount of carbon that is stored in the trees. Students then compared their results and discuss conclusions. Typically, these take two or three class periods to complete or one longer period. The experiment is suitable for juniors and seniors in high school with some background in geometry and algebra.
#2 Comparison of Carbon Sequestration in Saltwater marshes versus trees
Extension of tree carbon capture experiment to compare sequestration in saltwater marshes with trees. Suitable for coastal regions where students can visit marshlands and as a bonus project for interested, advanced students.
#3 plastic micro-particles in bottled drinking water
Hands-on experiment suitable for high school students that dramatically shows the presence of micro particles of plastics in bottled drinking water. Involves a little chemistry and a few easily obtained materials and instruments. Experiment requires about an hour to complete leaving enough time to be able to observe and compare bottles and discuss results.
#4 Student portable drinking water exercise
This is a companion to the previous experiment on plastic bits in bottled drinking water. Students compare the costs and qualities of transporting and drinking portable drinking water from different types of containers. Requires some research to gather data on costs and conduct calculations to compare results. Experiment makes students more aware of the advantages and disadvantages of different types of water containers. Requires about one hour.
#5 Solar Photovoltaic energy exercise
This experiment is to help make students more knowledgeable of the energy that is delivered by the sun and how it can be productively employed for powering vehicles. To demonstrate this relationship students remotely drive solar powered toy trucks around the class room and even outside in the bright sunlight. The experiment requires an introduction to high-level concepts from electric circuit theory such as voltage, current, energy and power. The experiment is for juniors and seniors in high school and requires about an hour.
#6 ALGAE: CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE AND STORAGE
This exercise is to help students become more knowledgeable and informed about the role that algae play in carbon dioxide capture and storage in our environment. This is done by conducting a hands-on experiment using Chlorella Vulgaris algae – a particularly fast-growing aquatic plant that can be easily and safely monitored in the classroom over several weeks. The exercise also addresses the potential for large, commercial scale, algae farms that not only capture significant quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere comparable to old-growth forests but also produce marketable by-products such as renewable biofuels; food, animal, and aquaculture feed products; fertilizers; textiles; and many other “green” products.