CANTON -- The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has scheduled three free professional development workshops for teachers in St. Lawrence County providing information and resources to help them teach students about energy.

The workshops are on Oct. 27 and 28 in SUNY Canton's Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies.

• For teachers of kindergartners through sixth graders, a workshop introducing basic energy content promoting an understanding of energy’s relationship to the environment, our economy, and education, is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27. Teachers will get lesson plans that are up to state standards, posters, and other classroom materials.

• A free workshop on teaching sustainable living concepts to sixth through 12th graders will be held from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. Participating teachers will engage in hands-on activities and receive a classroom tool kit to explore sustainable practices in energy, water, transportation, food, and the consumption of goods. They will learns ways to measure home energy use and make informed energy-wise decisions. Following the workshop, teachers and students can qualify for incentives and prizes based on the implementation of sustainable actions.

• Also on Friday, Oct. 28, seventh to 12th grade teachers can attend a workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on the relationship of the energy trilogy -- economics, efficiency, and the environment -- to the energy challenges we all face.

Hands-on experiments will help students understand the impact of energy choices and actions. Teachers will get lesson plans, posters and classroom materials.

In addition, NYSERDA will provide a stipend to cover the school district’s cost of a substitute teacher for workshops taking place during school hours.

To register for a workshop, call the Energy Smart Students Program at (877) 697-6278 and choose option 6, visit www.GetEnergySmart.org, or e-mail info@nyess.org.