TEACHER TOOLKIT

Central Hudson and NTC invite you to use these e-learning resources to teach your students about energy efficiency. The digital materials below are designed to get your students excited about understanding this important subject.

Want to know the best way to use the related videos, e-books, games and other lessons to educate your class? Watch this short video and learn how to add Energy Endgame to your curriculum!


EDUCATOR INSTRUCTIONS


Educational Standards  

We know your class time is extremely valuable. That’s why we ensure that all of our digital e-learning materials are aligned with state and national educational standards. It’s important that the Energy Endgame digital program adds to your existing curriculum and keeps students on track with their ongoing learning.

See below for details about how each digital activity aligns with educational standards and corresponds with your state’s curricula.

Educational Standards

PROGRAM OVERVIEW  

Energy Endgame is performed by two professional actors who lead your students through an action-packed, hi-tech adventure, all while teaching about energy conservation and resources.

In this 25-minute play, GameCo’s top designer whiz, Hieronyma Tru, has created a cool new video game that’s supposed to come out today … but there’s one small glitch. The company computers aren’t working, all the lights are off – and nobody can figure out why! The irksome Internet Troll may be to blame. Can your students help Hieronyma venture into the grid and resolve the technical difficulties?

The show focus on the following educational points:

  • How we measure energy
  • How energy is wasted
  • How we conserve energy
  • What renewable resources are

During the show, your students will learn important lessons about energy efficiency. You can use the lessons and activities on this page to prolong the engagement for months to come.

Interactive Course Material

Utilize the interactive eLearning materials based on the Energy Endgame program in your classroom. These materials include ready-to-use activities, such as assessments, multiple-choice questions (MCQs), fill-in-the-blank exercises, true/false questions, flashcards, open-ended questions, and games.

Interactive eLearning Material

HANDS-ON LESSONS  

Your students can enhance what they learn from the program with these fun, hands-on lessons and experiments. These lessons can be done in the classroom or easily adapted for students to do at home with their families.

They’re a fun and educational way for students to learn with family members. The materials needed for these lessons are basic supplies that most people have at home. Follow up with your students to make sure they enjoyed and learned from these activities.

Lesson 1:

OBJECTIVE
Students will learn that solar collectors absorb radiant energy, convert it into heat and hold the heat.

PURPOSE OF ACTIVITY
Identify Details, Apply Skills, Define

COGNITIVE LEVEL
Strategic Thinking, Extended Thinking, Skills and Concepts

CLASS TIME
30 minutes

MATERIALS
  • Four plastic containers
  • Black and white construction paper
  • Water
  • Four thermometers
  • Plastic wrap
  • Rubber bands
  • Scissors
PROCEDURE
  1. Cut two circles each of white and black construction paper to fit the bottom of the containers. Place the circles on the bottom of the containers and cover with 100 ml of cold water. Record the temperature of the water.
  2. Cover one black and one white container with clear plastic wrap held in place with rubber bands.
  3. Place the containers in a sunny place so that the sun is directly over the containers. Record the temperature of the water after 10 minutes.
  4. Calculate and record the changes in temperature.
RECORD THE DATA
WHITE NO COVER BLACK NO COVER WHITE WITH COVER BLACK WITH COVER
Original Temperature        
Temperature After 10 Minutes        
Change in Temperature        
How does the color of the bottom of a glass affect how much solar energy is absorbed?
The color of the bottom of a glass affects how much solar energy is absorbed because different colors absorb different amounts of light. Dark colors, like black, absorb more light and heat than light colors, like white.

Why does a glass with a black bottom absorb more solar energy than a glass with a white bottom?
A glass with a black bottom absorbs more solar energy than a glass with a white bottom because black color absorbs all colors of light, while white reflects all colors of light.

Lesson 2:

OBJECTIVE
Students will theorize and explore how thermometers work. Then they will make a working thermometer.

PURPOSE OF ACTIVITY
Identify Details, Apply Skills, Define

COGNITIVE LEVEL
Strategic Thinking, Extended Thinking, Skills and Concepts

CLASS TIME
30 minutes

MATERIALS
  • One clear straw
  • Water at three different temperatures: cold, room temperature and very warm One glass bottle
  • Dark (blue or green) food coloring
  • Two large containers
  • Clay
PROCEDURE
  1. Fill the glass bottle with 400 ml of room temperature water. Add 10 drops of dark food coloring to the water in the bottle.
  2. Hold the straw in the bottle so that its end is in the water. Mold the clay around the top of the bottle to hold the straw. Make a tight seal.
  3. Put the bottle into a container. Pour in hot water until it is almost full. Observe the water in the straw for three minutes.
  4. Put the bottle in the other container and fill it with cold water. Observe the straw for five minutes.
  5. Record your observations.
What do you think will happen to the water in the straw when we put the bottle into hot water?
When we put the bottle into hot water, the water in the straw will move up the straw as the hot water heats the air in the bottle, causing it to expand and push the water up the straw.

What do you think will happen to the water in the straw when we put the bottle into cold water?
When we put the bottle into cold water, the water in the straw will move down the straw as the cold water cools the air in the bottle, causing it to contract and create a vacuum that pulls the water down the straw.

EDUCATOR ASSESSMENTS  

Follow-up, formative assessments for you to gauge the learning of your students are especially important with e-learning. Below are some suggestions for how you can assess your students’ performance quickly and effectively.

These assessments are easy for you and your students to complete and help ensure your class is getting the maximum educational value, retention and engagement from the related digital activities.

Elementary Educational Assessments
Livestream
Hands-on lessons
Digital games
E-book
Graphic novel
Interactive activities
PDFs & Print materials
Ask students to reflect on the topic and draw their thoughts on paper
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X
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Write one or two sentences identifying the main point
X
X
 
X
X
   
Think-pair-share
X
   
X
X
   
One-question quiz    
X
   
X
 
Journal reflection
X
   
X
X
   
Have students discuss three things they learned, two things they still want to learn, and one question they still have
X
   
X
X
   
Hand in completed activity  
X
       
X
Submit screenshot of completed activity    
X
   
X
 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES  

Energy Endgame student activities page features games, e-books, videos, educational lessons, downloadable PDFs, a smart speaker app and more. Access in the classroom or at home to learn more about energy efficiency and have fun exploring Energy Endgame!

Access Student Activities

Student Playbook

This downloadable PDF features colorful artwork, entertaining games and activities, and expanded information to complete your understanding of energy efficiency. Read on your own, with your class or with friends and family and get to know the characters of Energy Endgame.

Explore the Student Playbook

E-book

Dive into this colorful, illustrated e-book in the classroom or at home with friends and family. Students can read to themselves or with others, and younger students can use the read-along option.

Access the E-book

Graphic Novel

Flip through this colorful graphic novel for a new and engaging story. With fun artwork, entertaining characters and expanded information, the Electrana graphic novel offers a page-turning experience.

Access the Graphic Novel

ELECTRANA!

A digital breakout game based around human reliance on energy and resources. Unlock all the locks to win the game.

Game Story

You enter the in the offices of The Energized Guyz, a league of superheroes who track down and eliminate energy waste. One of these heroes, Electrana (AKA Ella Hollinsworth), has gone missing, leaving behind nothing but a few digital clues. So, with Electrana missing, The Energized Guyz’ arch nemesis, Professor Ohm, can get busy wasting energy all over the community. You must use your wits to solve the clues to find Electrana and stop Professor Ohm’s shenanigans, before all the energy in our town is wasted!

EVALUATION

We take your feedback and suggestions very seriously. Hearing from educators with firsthand experience with our programs ensures that we continue to improve our digital resources, making them as beneficial as possible for you and your students.

Please complete this brief, two-minute evaluation to let us know what you thought. Enter the code you received on the Teacher Instruction Card or call us for your access code.

Thank you for your time and valuable input.

EXPANDED INFORMATION & ADDITIONAL RESOURCES  

You’ve covered the basics of energy and conservation. If you really want to dig deep with your class, explore the expanded information and additional resources below.

These materials provide even more insight into the history, science, usage and importance of energy. There are also helpful links and tips for saving energy in your community.

Expanded Information 1:

Switching to all-electric appliances, heating and transportation is an important step toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. When combined with the use of renewable resources, such as solar and wind power, the benefits are even greater.

Electric appliances, heating and transportation have many benefits for the environment. They are much more energy-efficient than their gas-powered counterparts, which means that they use less energy to do the same job.

However, relying on electric power alone can still have an impact on the environment. That’s why it’s important to also switch to renewable resources such as solar and wind power. These sources of energy are much cleaner and more sustainable than traditional sources like coal and oil. They produce zero emissions and have a minimal impact on the environment.

Renewable energy is also becoming more affordable, which makes it a more viable option for many households and businesses. This means that more people than ever before can switch to renewable energy and make a positive impact on the environment.

Switching to all-electric appliances and heating is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Electric heating systems are much more efficient than gas heating systems. This can lead to significant savings on your energy bills over time.

Electric cars produce zero emissions, which means that they do not contribute to air pollution or climate change. This is a big contrast to gas-powered cars, which produce a lot of harmful emissions that contribute to global warming.

When combined with the use of renewable resources, the benefits of electrification are even greater. By relying on electric power and renewable resources, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, cut our carbon footprint and make our world a better place for future generations.

Central Hudson wants you to have fun and remember: Save a watt, save a lot!

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