Lesson Overview

Students practice their reading skills by reading and illustrating a story about the importance of energy conservation. They then answer questions to demonstrate reading comprehension.

Target Grades: K-2

Set Up Time: 10 minutes

Class Time: 45-60 minutes

Lesson Resources

Objectives

1. List ways that energy is used. 

2. Identify actions to save energy at home and at school.

3. Answer who, what, where, when, why, and how questions about the text.

Guiding question: What does it mean to waste energy?

Educational Standards

ALASKA ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS: K-2 RSL.KI.1-3; K-1 RSF.PC.1; 1-2 RSF.PW.3; 1-2 RSF.F.4; K-2 W.TT.3; K-2 W.RB.8; K-2 SL.CC.1,2,3; K-2 SL.PK.6

ALASKA CULTURAL STANDARDS: B4

NGSS: K-ESS3-3

ENERGY LITERACY CONCEPTS: 6.6

Lesson preparation:
  • If time permits, do the Energy Collage AK EnergySmart lesson first.
  • Read the Background section below.
  • Review the two versions of the story and decide which one you want to use: just the text, or text and room for drawing. The version with space for drawing should be printed double sided.
Materials:
  • One copy of the Emily the Energy Saver story per student (from “Lesson Resources” drop down above).
  • For older students, one copy of the Emily the Energy Saver worksheet for each student.
  • Crayons, or colored pencils for students to draw.

Using energy wisely means conserving and being efficient. We use energy in many ways each day.

Transportation: We use energy to get to school, whether we walk, take the bus, ride in a car, snowmachine or ride a 4-wheeler. 

Home: We use energy at home every time we turn on a light, cook, watch TV, listen to music, or wash our clothes. 

School: We use energy throughout the school day. When we turn the lights on, we use energy. When we use the computer, we are using energy. Even announcements over the loudspeaker use energy!

However, there are many ways that we can use less energy, which helps us save the world’s energy resources, save money, and be responsible individuals. Below are several ways that we can save energy. 

1.  Turn off the lights and television when you leave the room. 

2.  If you are not going anywhere, turn off your car, snowmachine, or 4-wheeler so that it is not idling and wasting gas.  

3.  During daylight hours, open the curtains and take advantage of natural sunlight instead of turning on lights. 

4.  Don’t leave windows or outside doors open when the heat is on. 

5.  When it is sunny, hang clothes outside to dry instead of using the dryer. 

6.  When you are done working on the computer, turn it off.

7.  Replace conventional (incandescent) light bulbs with LED light bulbs.

Conserve – To save, protect, or use carefully; to avoid wasting or destroying.

Energy – Energy makes change. Energy makes things move, grow, heat up, or light up.

Waste energy – To use energy unwisely by using more energy than is needed to do something, or by leaving things running or turned on when not needed. 

Gear Up:
  • If time permits, do the “Energy Collage” AK EnergySmart lesson first for an introduction to everyday which  use electricity and other types of energy. If you do so, before this activity, review some of the concepts learned in that activity such as what we use every day that uses energy. 
  • Have the students identify and describe items in the classroom that use energy. Guide them to things that use electricity, heat, and transportation. If they are stuck, ask questions like, “How did you get to school today?” “Why is it a different temperature in here than outside?”
  • Discuss how we use energy throughout the day.
  • Ask the students how energy is wasted or how we can conserve energy. Write these ideas on the board.
Activity
  • Read Emily the Energy Saver to the students. Older students can read the story on their own. 
  • In order to make the activity more interactive, if there is a question asked in the story, give students an opportunity to volunteer an answer. 
  • When you have finished reading the story, ask students the following questions: (This is an informal assessment for the younger students. Older students can use the worksheet)
    • Who was the main character in the story?
    • Where did Emily live?
    • In the beginning of the story, what did Emily waste?
    • What types of things did Emily do that wasted energy?
    • According to Peter, where does most of the energy we use come from?
    • What energy-saving tips did Peter tell Emily?
    • What can you do at your home to conserve energy? 
    • What can you do at school to conserve energy?
  • As the students answer the questions, write the answers on the board. Then compare and discuss how their thoughts about energy might have changed by reading the story.
  • Review the terms “conserving” and “wasting energy” with the students. Use examples to assist and refer back to the story.  For example, you may ask the students whether Emily was wasting or conserving energy when she left the lights on in the house while she was outside.
  • If time permits, give students copies of the story and have them draw illustrations in the blank spaces to match what is happening in the text.
  • Wrap Up: 
    • Ask students if there was anything that reminded them of things they do, and how they could save energy.
    • Have students share their story drawings with the class.
Extension
  • Do the “Phantom Load Detective” AK EnergySmart lesson to identify items that could be turned off when not in use.  
  • Take the students on a tour of the school (or the classroom) and have them point out all of the things that use energy.  When they return to the classroom, make a list of ways to save energy, and create a class job for a student to do one or two of those things (like turn off lights when class leaves). 
Evaluation
  • As an exit ticket, ask students to explain what conserving energy means in their own words.