The Energy

ExplorerThe Energy

ExplorerActiv ity Book

alliantenergykids.com

1 2

Energy-smart houseThis picture shows six ways you can save energy. Place the letter next to the correct description.

______ If you’re the last person to leave the room, turn off the television.

______ Make sure to close the door behind you so the cold or warm air doesn’t escape outside.

______ A dishwasher uses six gallons less of hot water than washing by hand.

______ Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs.

______ One well-placed shade tree can reduce cooling costs by 25 percent.

______ Forget the screen saver, let your computer monitor go to sleep or turn it off to save the most energy.

Emery Generating Station in Clear Lake, Iowa

Rhyme TimeSolve the rhyming riddles to fill in the crossword puzzle. Here’ some news: energy safety or conservation is part of the clues!

ACROSS

2. A conductor of electricity, you know … not for an orchestra, just good ole H2O

6. Room in your home to be especially aware, because electrical hazards and water are everywhere

7. Here’s some really good news: you conserve energy when you ______ .

11. Part of the natural gas rig — the reason you call before you dig!

12. Turbines powered by wind, water, biomass (you get the gist) use reusable energy that is often called this.

DOWN

1. After they let you surf the web and learn something deep, turn them off, or at least let them sleep!

3. When working on a line above, this insulator is the material for a line person’s glove.

4. Be bright! Make sure your bulbs use this kind of light.

5. Too many plugs in an outlet should never be promoted; it means that a circuit is sure to be _________.

6. Pedal power to get you there and leaves no pollution in the air!

8. Natural gas flames should have a certain hue, meaning their color should always be _____.

9. Always be on the lookout for these when flying a kite or climbing in trees.

10. If the stench of rotten eggs fills the air, this natural gas danger may be present there.

Title: ______________________________________________________________________________

Even though there are no words in it, the cartoon below has a message. Can you figure out what it is saying? Think about what the message could be, and then write it in the thought bubbles. Then come up with a title for your cartoon!

What’s the scoop on poop?What’s one of the newest energy sources? Poop.

No kidding! Manure from farm animals is collected

in tanks. In the tanks, bacteria breaks it down which gives off methane

gas. Like natural gas, methane can be burned to generate electricity.

The electricity produced often stays right on the farm where it powers

lights and machinery. But in some areas, the poop is powering whole

neighborhoods. A company called Clear Horizons

in Dane County, Wisconsin, uses manure from

three area farms to generate electricity for

up to 2,500 homes. In a similar way, trash

can also be used to generate electricity. When trash rots, it gives off methane. The methane is then burned to produce electricity.

3 4

(Answers:)

1. Climbing a tree with power lines running through them. 2. Flying a kite near power lines. 3. Power cord running over a swimming pool. 4. Standing on a ladder near power lines.5. Climbing a substation wall. 6. Standing on a pad mount transformer. 7. Playing with underground utility flags.

Can you find safety dangers in the picture? Circle seven activities below that you should never do.(Answers below)

5 6

The path to saving energyAlliant Energy has a whole network of pipes underground to get natural gas into homes. Don’t worry; the network isn’t as mixed up as the drawing of pipes below! We just drew them that way for this activity.

On the left side of the pipes below, are the beginnings of 8 sentences. To the right of the pipes, there are ends of the sentences in a mixed up order. Together, the beginnings and ends reveal something important about energy safety or energy conservation. Before you start on the path, read a sentence beginning and then read the options on the right to try to figure out how the sentence should end.

Rebus puzzleA rebus puzzle uses letters, numbers and picture clues to

represent words or sounds. See if you can figure out the puzzle below to uncover an important safety rule to remember.

Answer: Stay away from power lines, substations, and transformers!

– d

– fl

– i + 4 +

+ – quo

st +

f +

p +

a +

— — — —

— — — —

— — — —

__ __ __ __ __

— — — — —

— — — — — — — — — — — &

— — — — — — — — — — — — !

– h

– maid

3

No reason to keep the house warmer in the winter if no one is home...

Be a “watt watcher” when you leave the room...

Your refrigerator uses more electricity when...

If you ever see a substation or a transformer unlocked you should...

Gas stoves have an open flame, so don’t let...

Natural gas is really odorless but it has a smell because...

When turned on, DVD players, televisions, and laptops...

To make sure there is hot water for everyone in the family...

...use electricity even if you are not using them.

...flammable objects like newspapers gather near the stovetop.

...you leave the door open.

...use a shower timer. That way everyone is happy in the morning and the utility bill is lower.

... set the thermostat down to 55 degrees to save energy.

...call Alliant Energy so a professional can lock it and make it safe.

...in the event of a leak, the escaping gas can be detected.

...by turning off the lights to save electricity.

7 8

Help your family plant a tree. It helps clean the air we breathe and saves energy too. Place leafy shade trees to the south and west, and evergreens to the north. One well-placed shade tree can reduce the cooling costs by 25 percent.

Remember to have your parents call 811 before digging in the yard to make sure they don’t hit utility lines underground. It is also important not to remove the utility flags as they mark where adults can and can’t dig

underground. It could be very dangerous if those flags are moved!

It’s hot inside the sun! It’s hot with words ... words that help shine light on energy conservation. See if you can peer into the sun and find them all. Words can be found across, up and down and diagonally.

Now, get going before the sun sets!

Biomass Coal CFL CPTConservationEfficiencyEnergyHydro

LEDRenewableSolarTreesTurbineWindGeothermalGreen

Spotted in the sun9 10

Before you goSometimes trying to get outside can seem like a maze, especially when you have to make sure that everything is turned off before you go! It’s very important, however, to turn off lights, and TVs, and video games when you’re not using them or when you’re leaving home. On the way out of this house maze you’ll see light switches and other electronic equipment that you should “turn OFF” as you pass by.

➚

Bent Tree Wind Farm, in Freeborn County Minnesota, has 122 wind turbines that can produce up to 200 megawatts of wind energy. That’s enough energy to power almost 50,000 homes.

Finish

Start

11 12

Geothermal Energy: heat, hot water, or steam from within the Earth that is used to create electricity and for heating and cooling

Green: the term used to describe something that is friendly to the environment

Hydropower: electricity created using energy that comes from moving water

Light Emitting Diode (LED): a type of light bulb that lasts longer and uses less energy than a CFL

Mercaptan: the substance that utility companies add to natural gas to give it a bad smell, like rotten eggs to help detect leaks

Phantom Energy Loss: the constant draw of electricity by appliances and electronics, even when they’re not being used

Renewable Resources: energy sources that can be replaced naturally, such as the sun, wind, and water

Shower Timer: a timer that can be used in the shower to help you know when it is time to get out

Solar Energy: energy that comes from the sun’s rays that reach the Earth

Turbine: a machine with blades or rotors that are turned by a force, such as wind, water or steam, to create mechanical energy

Wind Energy: energy that comes from the power of moving air

Biomass: a renewable energy source that comes from material made from plants and animals, such as wood, crops, and even garbage

Carbon Dioxide: a colorless, odorless gas that is present in the atmosphere – it is formed by the combustion of fossil and other carbon-based fuels, by respira-tion, and by the decomposition of organic matter

Clock Programmable Thermostat (CPT): a thermostat you can set to raise and lower the temperature automatically that helps save energy.

Compact Florescent Light (CFL): a type of light bulb that uses up to 75 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb

Electric Shock: the passage of electricity through the body that can cause serious burns and even death

Energy Conservation: the act of using less or saving energy

Energy Efficient: a term that describes products and actions that use less energy due to advanced technology and equipment

ENERGY STAR®: a label given to a product or appliance that shows it meets tough government standards for energy efficiency

Glossary Don’t ever climb the walls of a substation. If your ball or pet goes inside, call Alliant Energy. We’ll come and get it for you.

Speed racersIn a race between electricity and light, which would win? Electricity travels at the speed of light. (That’s 186,000 miles

per second!) The race would be a draw. This is why you should never touch electrical equipment or any type of exposed wiring. Electricity travels so fast that you will not be able to pull away before getting shocked. That shock can be deadly.

13 14

© 2012 Alliant Energy 201552 4/12 MJ