Tapestry of Faith: World of Wonder: A Program on the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism for Grades K-1

Introduction

Part of World of Wonder

Question: How do energy conscious people think about wind power? Answer: They're blown away! — United States Energy Information Administration

Energy is used to do work. Energy gives us the ability to do things such as climb a mountain, play soccer, and even think. And there are many types of energy—some stored in our muscles and brain cells to help our bodies move around and play, other types of energy we use to light a street lamp, heat or cool our homes, cook our food, and power buses, planes, and cars. Children learn that we get much of our energy from burning nonrenewable fuels—coal, petroleum or oil, or natural gas. But green energy comes from sources that are cleaner and less-polluting than most nonrenewable fuels. In this session, we introduce the concept of green energy and its importance in the interdependent web.

Goals

This session will:

  • Introduce the concepts of energy and "green" energy
  • Tell the story of the Danish island of Samso and the community problem-solving that helped achieve energy independence
  • Teach ways to conserve energy.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Learn definitions of energy and "green" energy
  • Consider a "real-life" story about green energy and community problem solving
  • Understand ways to conserve energy and demonstrate leadership by encouraging others to conserve as well
  • Make pinwheels or bookmarks, as a reminder of wind power
  • Perform leadership roles.