Classroom and Family Activities

Thunderstorm

BertThe DirtExpert

NikkiNeutron

U.R. Fired The Sneaker

© The National Theatre for Children 2013

THE STORY Nikki Neutron has been called to save the day. Again. This time, his boss, Mr. U.R. Fired, orders him to defeat The Sneaker, who has been wasting energy and even some water! It’s up to Nikki to fi nd him and catch him! Not knowing much about electricity or energy, Nikki enlists the help of his friends Thunderstorm and Bert the Dirt Expert. They teach Nikki what energy and electricity are, what renewable resources are and how we can save energy and water.

Finally, it’s time to face The Sneaker. Will Nikki fi nd him? Has Nikki learned enough to keep the world safe from The Sneaker?

Have you?

Here’s What to Learn!• How electricity and energy are made• The uses of energy• Ways energy is wasted• How to conserve energy

© Th N ti l Th t f Child 2013

Vocabulary Words

AeratorA device that reduces the amount of water that comes out of a faucet

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb

A light bulb that uses less energy than a regular one

Conserve To save or use wisely

Effi cient Producing very little waste

ElectricityA source of energy that runs our appliances

Energy The ability to do work

Low Flow Showerhead

A device that reduces the amount of water you use in the shower

ResourceSomething that can be used to create electricity

Shut-off NozzleA device that fi ts on the end of your garden hose to conserve water

WasteTo use more than necessary

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE! 1

Here are 2 great ways to save water every day. Color the picture.

ONON

TURN OFF THE WATER WHILEBRUSHING YOUR

TEETH AND WASHING YOUR HANDS!

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!2

Find the two Bert the Dirt Experts that are exactly the same. Circle

them and color the picture.USE A

LOW FLOW SHOWERHEAD

TO SAVE WATER!

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS WHEN

YOU LEAVE A ROOM!

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS

SAVE ENERGY!

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS

SAVE ENERGY!

TURN OFF THE FAUCET

WHEN BRUSHING YOUR TEETH TO

SAVE WATER!

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS WHEN

YOU LEAVE A ROOM!

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE! 3

Turning off lights and appliances when you are done using them saves energy. Turning off the faucet when we are brushing our teeth saves water. Connect the dots to

find out what you are saving when you do these easy things! Color the picture.

START

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!4

END

START

OPEN YOUR EYES,

!

FIND THE ONE WAY THROUGH

THE MAZE. WRITE THE LETTERS, IN THE ORDER THEY APPEAR, ON THE

LINES BELOW.

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE! 5

1 2

DON’T WASTE

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!

STARTSaving energy is easy! Go around your classroom

and see if you can spot any ways to save energy at

your school.

FINISH You’ve made sure your classroom is energy efficient.

Energy Saving Tip: Open the windows on breezy

days instead of using the air conditioning.

Windows Are there any drafts in the windows letting out heat or air conditioning?

• Hold a thread or piece of dental floss near the edges of the window. If it moves, you may have a draft!

Energy Saving Tip: If devices have power buttons

that stay lit even when the device is off, plug them into a power strip to turn them

all the way off.

Light Switches

• Does someone turn off the lights every time you leave the classroom? • Do you shut down any computers or electronic devices before you leave for the day?

6 OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!

Energy Saving Tip: CFLs use ¼ the energy of an

incandescent light bulb. Tube-shaped fluorescent bulbs

use less energy as well.

Lights What kind of lights do

you have in your classroom?

A. Incandescent light bulbs

B. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs)

C. Fluorescent lights in long tubes

Where Does It Come From?Is your school heated by gas?

Propane? Electricity? You may have to ask the

custodian to find out.

Heating and Cooling

Where are most of the heating vents in your

classroom? • On the ceiling? On the floor? • How many can you find? • Be sure to check in the corners of the room!

Energy Saving Tip: By simply raising your thermostat

2 degrees in the summer and lowering your thermostat

2 degrees in the winter, you’ll save your school energy!

Thermostat Is there a thermostat in

your classroom? • Is it programmable? • What is the temperature set at today?

7R EYEOPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!8

a

FIND AND CIRCLE ALL THE WORDS IN THE PUZZLE

FROM THE LIST BELOW.

AERATOR

CONSERVE

EFFICIENT

ELECTRICITY

ENERGY

LOW FLOW

SAVE

WASTE

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE! 9

8 + 8 =

9 x 2 =

4 16 =

7 x 6 =

35 - 6 =

17 - 3 =

2 + 6 =

10 + 11 =

22 - 11 =

2 x 3 =

10 x 2 =

21 - 6 =

9 + 3 =

3 6 =

1 1 =5 x 5 = H

DO THE MATH FIRST AND THEN

FILL IN THE CORRECT

SPACES TO SOLVE BERT’S

HIDDEN MESSAGE!

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!10

Nikki’s

Find the answer for eachclue and write it In the correct space.

AERATOR

CONSERVE

EFFICIENT

ELECTRICITY

ENERGY

WASTE

ACROSS:1. A source of energy that runs our appliances.

4. To use more than necessary.

5. The ability to do work.

DOWN:1. Producing very little waste.

2. A device that reduces the amount of water that comes out of a faucet.

3. To save or use wisely.

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE! 11

MAKE YOUR OWN NEWSPAPER. Write a headline under the Energized Times masthead. Next, draw a picture in the box and color it. Finally, think about everything you learned about conserving energy and write a story using at least five of the vocabulary words at the bottom of your newspaper. Use another piece of paper if you need it. Be creative and have fun.

TIMESENERGI I EDENERGI I ED

AeratorCompact Fluorescent

Light BulbConserveEfficient

ElectricityEnergy

Low Flow ShowerheadShut-off Nozzle

Waste

OPEN YOUR EYES, BE ENERGY WISE!12

FACTSRead the paragraphs and then answerthe True/False questions below. Be sure

to ask an adult if you need help!

T / F 1. Electricity comes from power plants.

T / F 2. Power plants only use non-renewable resources.

T / F 3. We should turn off the lights when we leave the room.

T / F 4. Saving water is not important.

T / F 5. You can save a lot of water by fixing leaky faucets.

Answ

ers: 1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T

Saving Energy and WaterThe electricity we use in our homes and schools comes from power plants. These plants use non-renewable and renewable resources to make the energy that runs our lights, computers and appliances. There are many ways we can all save energy. Getting into the habit of turning off lights when you leave a room, switching off electrical appliances when you’re done and replacing old light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs are all great ways to save energy.

Saving water is important, too. Turning off the water when brushing teeth and washing hands is a great way to start saving. Plus, using a shut-off nozzle on your hose and asking parents to fix leaky faucets will save a lot of water.

Remember: Open Your Eyes, Be Energy Wise!

Thanks to our sponsors, these shows are provided FREE to schools. All we ask is that you go to www.playworks.com and look for the “Hey Teachers!” icon. There you will fi nd a short evaluation so you can let us know how we’re doing!

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• How electricity and energy are made • The uses of energy • Ways energy is wasted • How to conserve energy

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