Pistes d'exploration

Begin a class list of the ways we use energy in our lives. Add to it as you read.

Discuss and define any new words from the book. Create a class Energy Glossary; add illustrations to enhance the definitions.

The book outlines some of the consequences of both running out of energy and saving energy. Create a graphic organizer comparing these scenarios.

Design a bookmark outlining one way to save energy. Print and distribute your bookmarks to other classes.

Begin a class list of the ways we use energy in our lives. Add to it as you read.

Discuss and define any new words from the book. Create a class Energy Glossary; add illustrations to enhance the definitions.

Sort the objects illustrated in the book by the type of energy they use.

Make a poster that illustrates and describes five activities you and your family like to do that require little or no electricity. Determine the class’s top five most popular energy-saving activities.

In the Tree House, Blackout, Buried Sunlight: How Fossil Fuels Have Changed the Earth

Mots-clés

Non-fiction , conservation , electricity , energy , making a difference , pollution , protecting the environment

Commentaire descriptif

A young girl learns that energy is not an infinite resource and changes her wasteful ways after her friend Robert warns her that if the whole town behaved that way, “Buses and trains wouldn’t run . . . and nothing would reach the stores,” causing terrible shortages. It ends with the suggestion that saving energy could result in exciting new discoveries. Readers will relate to this short but enlightening story written in a simple style that explains the consequences of wasteful energy consumption. It provides practical suggestions (e.g. turning off the lights when you don’t need them and closing windows and doors when the heat is on) to help readers understand some practical ways they can save energy. The book features lively—sometimes humorous—cartoon illustrations with plenty of fun details. Even comical images have impact, such as the one of a depleted grocery store where a woman lunges at another shopper, trying to grab the last can of food off a shelf. Part of the “Why Should I?” series, the book ends with meaningful follow-up activities for readers, notes for parents and teachers, and an annotated bibliography.