Renewable Energies Challenge Kit Activities

Craft Overview

• Build a Fire Out of Food
• Build a Spintop
• Build and Fly a Kite
• Build a Wind Sock

Craft: Build a Fire Out of Food

Materials

• Pretzels sticks for the wood
• Twix bar as tree logs
• Marshmallow for rocks
• Orange and lemon peels for fire
• Corn candy for the flames
• Yellow, orange and red M&M’s as hot coals
• Dry papaya chunks for embers
• Chocolate chips for burnt wood pieces (charcoal)

Steps

1. Dispose of the marshmallows on a 5 to 6-inch circle as rocks delimiting a campfire.
2. Place the Twix bars and/ or pretzels as tree logs on top of each other in a star-shaped disposition.
3. Scatter dry papaya and/ or M&M’s around the Twix bars or pretzels as if they were hot coals.
4. You can add chocolate chips to burnt wood pieces.
5. Add on top orange and lemon peels and/or corn candy to make the flames.

Craft: Build A Spintop

Materials

• Thin cardboard circle (2 to 2.5 inches) Can be drawn using a compass or a glass to make a perfect circle
• Scissors
• Matches
• Colour pencils

Steps

1. Draw a 2 to 2.5-inch circle in a piece of thin cardboard. Cut it out. Colour the wheel.
2. Make a small hole in the very middle of that circle and put the match through (head down).
3. Now, spin the match with your fingers. This is a transfer of your energy to the spin top that makes it spin.

Craft: Build And Fly A Kite

Materials

• 2 hard-wood dowel, 5mm in diameter: one 20 inches long (51cm), the other 24 inches (61cm)
• nylon flying line / knitting yarn works too
• Solid garbage bag, tissue paper, crepe paper or newspaper
• 15.75 inches (40 cm) x 2 inches (5 cm) fabric for the tail

Steps

1. Lay sticks down on your workspace in the shape of a cross – one on top of the other.
2. Using a string, tie the sticks together where they meet, making sure to keep them perpendicular to each other.
3. Pull and knot the string tightly.
4. Glue the paper on the sticks.
5. Pierce 2 holes in the diamond-shaped paper. On the inside corner where the two sticks cross, thread a thick string.
6. Do the same at each end of the sticks. Take the two strings attached to each end of the shorter stick and tie in the middle. At this point, the flying line is attached very tightly.
7. Attach the strip of fabric to the bottom of the kite as a tail. This helps the kite fly with added stability.

Warnings

• Do not try flying the kite in the rain, as the paper may tear.
• Pay attention to the weather; you don’t want to get struck by lightning.
• Do not fly close to power lines, as they will damage the kite and possibly even electrocute you if the strings are wet.
• The heavier your materials are, the more wind
• will be needed to get the kite up in the air.

(Reference: wikihow.com/Make-a-Kite)

Craft: Build A Wind Sock

Materials

• 1 US letter-sized construction paper
• 1 to 2 meters of crepe paper
• Glue, tape, or stapler
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• 20 inches (51cm) yarn, wire or string

Steps

1. Paint, draw or add stickers on the construction paper.
2. Roll the paper up, end to end, then tape, glue or staple them together.
3. Cut crepe paper into long strips (15 to 20 inches long) and glue them around the bottom of the windsock. You can also glue the strips before rolling the cardboard together.
4. Punch two holes in the top of the windsock directly across from each other.
5. Feed yarn, wire or string through the holes and tie a knot at the end.
6. Hang it in the wind. It gives you the strength and the direction of the wind.
7. To make it waterproof and last longer, use a can instead of construction paper and cut the long strips from a plastic grocery bag.

Recipe Overview

• Apple maple pancakes
• Local fruit pie
• Pumpkin apple smoothie
• Local berry jam
• Lemon cranberry scones
• Solar S’Mores
• Savory carrot scones

Recipe: Apple Maple Pancakes

Ingredients 

(Makes 5 servings)

• 1 apple (from a pick-your-own-fruit orchard or farmer’s market), peeled, cored and cut into small cubes, previously quickly pan-baked with maple syrup and cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg and/or ground cloves

Steps

1. Quickly roast the apple with maple syrup and cinnamon in a pan.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
3. Whisk milk, egg, vegetable oil, maple syrup and spices together in a separate bowl. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until blended.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil on a griddle over medium heat, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles begin to form on top of pancakes, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown, 2 to 4 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Recipe: Local Fruit Pie

Ingredients

(makes one 9-inch pie)

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 pre-made pastry pie crust for a 9-inch double-crust pie
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cups of chopped fruits (from a pick-your-own-fruit orchard or farmer’s market), peeled, cored and sliced

Steps

Take your group to a local orchard and make them pick their own fruits (rhubarb, apple, pear...), or get some fruits from the farmer’s market.

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220°C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the apples. Cover with a lattice work of crust.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 425F (220°C). Reduce the temperature to 350F (175°C) and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Recipe: Pumpkin & Apple Smoothie

Ingredients

(makes 2 servings)

• 1 banana, chopped
• 1 6oz. Greek yogurt (vanilla or apple cinnamon flavoured)
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup apple puree
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup milk

Steps

1. Place chopped banana in a blender.
2. Add yogurt, pumpkin and apple puree, spice and maple syrup.
3. Pour in milk and blend for 1-2 minutes (until smooth and well mixed).
4. Share into two glasses and enjoy!

Recipe: Local Berries Jam

Ingredients

(makes 5 cups of strawberry jam)

• 2 lb fresh strawberries, hulled, cut in half
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Sterile glass jars with lid

Steps

Take the group to a local pick-your-own-fruit farm and have them pick up their own fruits (Saskatoon berries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries - the last two have spikes, so just be careful). You can also make this recipe with rhubarb.

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix together strawberries, sugar and lemon juice.
2. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil.
4. Boil, stirring often, until the strawberries get soft (from 1 to 2 hours).
5. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, just refrigerate.
6. If you want to keep it for later, transfer it to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace and seal. Screw the lid on and flip the jar upside down.

Recipe: Lemon Cranberry Scones

Ingredients

(makes 8 scones)

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 2 lemons – get about 2 tablespoons of zest and ½ cup of juice
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 stick butter, melt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180°C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt.
3. Stir in the cranberries.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice together with the melted butter. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.
5. Pour the liquid mix into the dry ingredients and mix until it comes together as a dough.
6. On a lightly floured surface, place dough on a baking sheet and form into a circle, flattening the top until the dough is an inch thick. With a knife dipped into flour, cut the dough into eight pie-shaped pieces.
7. You can sprinkle the top with granulated sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until scones are lightly browned.

Recipe: Solar S'mores

Ingredients

(makes one serving)

• 1 large marshmallow (or 4 small)
• 1 graham cracker
• 1 chocolate bar

Steps

1. Break the graham cracker in half and put it in the bottom of the glass baking dish of the solar oven.
2. Place a chocolate bar on one half of the graham cracker. Place the marshmallow on the other half.
3. Cover the pan with the clear glass lid, and place it outside where it will be in direct sunlight.
4. Wait for the marshmallow and chocolate to melt.
5. Put the chocolate and the marshmallow crackers together and enjoy!

Recipe: Savory Carrot Scones

Ingredients

(makes 8 scones)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 stick butter, melt or 3 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180°C).
2. Mix flour and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Add cumin seeds, salt, carrot and cilantro.
3. Combine milk, lemon juice and egg in a separate bowl.
4. Pour it into the scone mixture until it comes together as a dough.
5. On a lightly floured surface, place dough on a baking sheet and form into a circle, flattening the top until the dough is an inch thick. With a knife dipped into flour, cut the dough into 8 pie-shaped pieces.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until scones are lightly browned.
7. Better served warm.

Games and Activities Overview

• Which objects need electricity to work?
• What do people think about renewable energies?
• Visit a wind farm or a hydroelectric plant
• Spot the 10 mistakes
• Colouring energies colouring boards
• Transfer of energy: ride your bike
• Flying scarf
• Pictionary
• Air, Water, Fire, Earth
• Light up a bulb with citrus
• Make a solar oven out of a pizza box

Fun Fact!

Before the great expansion of fossil fuel use (with coal in the late 1800’s), wood was the primary fuel used in Canada. In Florida, wastes from sugar cane farms manage to provide electricity for an entire neighbourhood (60,000 homes). In Wisconsin, a company uses manure from three farms to generate electricity for up to 2,500 homes. The natural degradation of manure produces methane gas that can be burnt to generate electricity.

Game: Which Objects Require Electricity to Work?

Materials

• Pen
• Printout of eight objects

Instructions

Draw circles around the objects that require electricity to work.

Game: What Do People Think About Renewable Energies

Materials

• Pen
• Printout of statements

Instructions

Draw a happy face in front of the statements that are pro-renewable energies or a sad face next to those that are against renewable energies.

Statements:

• Photovoltaic cells look ugly on my roof.
• Wind turbines make a lot of noise.
• Wind and sunlight are free.
• Wind and sunlight are not reliable every day.
• Hybrid cars pollute less.
• Renewable energies are more expensive than fuel.
• Fuel availability leads to political and economic fights.
• Hybrid cars are more expensive.
• The materials used to harness sunlight or to build a windmill are expensive and can largely not be recycled yet.

Activity: Visit a Wind Farm or a Hydroelectric Plant

Materials

• None required

Instructions

Visit a wind farm or a hydroelectric plant if you have the opportunity.

Game: Spot the 10 Mistakes

Materials

• One coloured pencil
• Printout of the Renewable Energies and Fossil Energies colouring boards (See pages 49 and 50)

Instructions

Compare the Fossil Energies and Renewable Energies colouring boards and draw a coloured mark (such as an X or a circle) on each of the 10 dissimilarities between the two drawings.

The 10 Differences Are:

• fumes from a car
• no windfarm on a mountain
• motor boat
• regular roof
• waterfall
• tumble dryer
• a traffic jam with cars
• one person car
• freight plane
• a lot of regular garbage bins
• hybrid car, no fumes
• a wind farm on the mountain
• sailboat
• photovoltaic cells on the roof’s solar panels
• dam on the waterfall
• outside drying line
• buses
• bikes and pedestrians
• farmer’s market
• recycling bins

Game: Colour The Energies Colouring Boards

Materials

• Crayons
• Printout of the Renewable Energies and Fossil Energies colouring boards (see pages 49 and 50)

Instructions

Colour every renewable energy and the method used to harness it on the Renewable Energies colouring board, and every non-renewable energy and the method used to harness it on the Fossil Energies colouring board.

Game: Transfer of Energy: Ride Your Bike

Materials

• One coloured pencil
• Solar, dynamo, or mechanically powered flashlight
• Go before it’s night

Instructions

Show them what motion energy is: your legs are making your bike move, and the wheel spinning is making energy that is used to power the dynamo light. Solar or hand-powered flashlights work with electricity made out of solar energy conversion or manual motion.

Game: Flying Scarf

Materials

• One scarf or large and colourful piece of fabric

Instructions

1. Make the group sit in a circle.
2. The leader stands in the middle of the circle and throws the scarf in the air while saying one of the person’s names (A).
3. That person (A) has to stand up, run in the middle of the circle and catch the scarf before it touches the floor.
4. Then that same person (A) calls one other name (B), whose person has to stand up, run and catch the scarf. (A) goes back to sitting in the circle. And so on.

Game: Pictionary

Materials

• Paper or paper board
• Pencil
• Timer (1 minute)
• List of words

Instructions

1. Split the group into 2 competing teams.
2. One person from each group comes to draw on the board. Show these 2 persons the word to be drawn.
3. Without a word (spoken or written by the two persons), the teams have one minute to discover what word is that their teammate is drawing.

List of Words

• Energy
• Light Bulb
• Wind Farm
• Sail Boat
• Hot-air Balloon
• Bike
• Sunlight
• Local Food
• Dam
• Tide
• Recycle
• Pollution
• Turbine
• Flashlight
• Steam
• Wind
• Water
• Battery
• Steam Boat
• Photovoltaic Cell
• Electricity
• Fossil Energy
• Renewable Energy
• Heater
• Air Conditioning
• Kite
• Parachute
• Biomass

Game: Air, Water, Fire, Earth!

Materials

• Just yourself!

Instructions

1. Allow the group to get an idea in their head on how to represent each element. Discuss how each one of the elements is essential and can be used as energy.
2. The group walks around the room until the leader calls, “Begin,” and you must pair up with the person closest to you.
3. Each person decides which element they will be without telling his partner.
4. The leader counts out loud, “One, Two, Three, GO!” and on “GO,” everyone should strike a pose.
5. Air beats water; water puts out fire, and fire grows with air and, therefore, beats it.
6. The winners continue to move in the room; the others have to sit down.
7. If the leader shouts “Earth” instead of “Go,” all players should lie down as quickly as they can. The one that lies down last must sit out.
8. Keep going until only one player is left.

Game: Light a Bulb with Citrus

Materials 

Makes 1 LED and 3 Lemons.

• Minimum 3 big lemons (the LED will shine brighter with more lemons; best one lemon per person)
• 1 LED
• 3 Canadian pennies (they are covered with 4.5% copper) to make the anode (negative pole of the battery)
• 3 Zinc cut washers or zinc galvanized bolts to make the cathode (positive pole of the battery)
• 4 (or number of lemons +1) insulated lead wires with “alligator clips” on each end

Instructions

1. Gently roll the lemons back and forth on the table with your hand flat. This liberates the lemon juice with citric acid (the electrolyte) inside the lemon.
2. Cut 2 small slots at least 1 inch apart on every lemon. Insert a penny in one and a bolt in the other. Insert them as deep as possible to have the largest contact area inside, but keep just enough to attach the clips.
3. Attach the clips as follows: one wire needs to touch a penny on one end and a bolt on the other end. The two clips at the extremities are going to be connected to the LED. On the side where a bolt is last, plug the clip into the short leg of the LED; on the side where a penny is last, plug the clip into the longest leg of the LED.

Game: Build A Solar Oven Out Of A Pizza Box

Materials

• 1 Large, recycled pizza box
• Ruler
• Black marker
• Cutter
• Glue 
• Scissors
• Tape
• Aluminum foil
• Clear plastic wrap
• Black construction paper

Instructions

1. Draw a square on the pizza box lid, 1 inch away from the edges of the box. Cut through 3 sides of the square, leaving the line at the rear of the box attached. Fold to the back so it stands up when the pizza box lid is closed.
2. Cover the inner side of the flap with aluminum foil, which would reflect sunlight into the oven. Glue the aluminum foil and flatten out wrinkles. It has to be a totally flat, smooth surface.
3. Glue a layer of aluminum foil to the inside bottom of the pizza box for insulation.
4. Cover the aluminum at the bottom with a sheet of black construction paper and glue it. The black piece will absorb sunlight and generate more heat inside the pizza box/ oven.
5. Cut 2 square pieces of clear plastic wrap, one inch larger than the opening. Open the pizza box and tape one piece of plastic to the inner side of the hole. Now close the lid and tape the second plastic sheet over the outer side of the hole. This creates a window that keeps the sun's heat in the box.
6. Close the lid, and you’re ready to start cooking.
7. Put your s’mores inside the box, directly on the black paper or on plastic wrap. Close the box and leave the window open.
8. On a bright day, place your solar oven in direct sunlight. Orientate the flap to the best reflective angle; use a straw or a ruler to keep it open.

Puzzle Overview

• Labyrinth: The path to renewable energy and energy saving
• Jigsaw puzzle: What is Energy?
• Crosswords
• Word search

Fun Fact!

What happens during the night? What happens on a day without wind?

Renewable energies like Wind and Sun are not always available, but when they are, we can collect enough energy to use when the wind stops blowing or on rainy days. It is possible to stock that energy in batteries to use it later.

Extra Activities and Supplementals

Once you have finished this challenge kit, use code ECK020 for 20% off the Renewable Energies patch.