Lessons in saving energy for primary school pupils
Tue, July 03, 2018
Children in the Borough have accepted a special mission from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to spy on energy wasting appliances in the home.
The Energy Detectives programme has seen fun-filled activities taking place at three local primary schools over recent months. The aim is to provide practical learning around energy use in the home. Pupils become members of an ‘Energy Detectives’ team to uncover ‘energy thieves’ in their home. This allows them to see where energy is being wasted and ultimately help their families save money.
‘Energy thieves’ are uncovered by counting how many electrical devices they have in their home. They then create a line-up of suspects and grill family members to see what devices they use the most. The final three suspects are subjected to an energy monitor to see which one is stealing the most energy. The Energy Detectives share their notes with classmates and provide a ‘Detective Report’ on their mission findings.
The programme included a celebration event which allowed young participants to learn more about energy with fun quizzes and renewable power challenges. It provided an opportunity to not only celebrate success but for the Energy Detectives from participating schools to share their findings more widely.
The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor Brenda Chivers said: “I would like to thank all of our schools who took part in this programme. It was great to see their enthusiasm at the celebration event. There’s a hugely important lesson behind the fun and interactive learning and I know this will make a real difference for our local families by helping them to cut down household bills and save money.”
“The initiative was developed by Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid and East Antrim Borough Councils through funding provided by the Public Health Agency.”
If your school is in the Causeway Coast and Glens area and you would like to accept the mission contact your local council office and ask to speak to the Energy Efficiency Adviser.
