This slidedeck accompanies the Student Guide.*

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SUGGESTED MATERIALS:

Digital/paper copies of the Student Guide

Alternatively, the slide deck can be used with just blank paper

Educator Note:

*Page numbers mentioned match the Student Guide

You will become an energy advocate in this program, inspiring others to take action on sustainable energy. The lessons will guide you to learn, create, and share your message.

To kickoff the I Am EmPowered Program, view this video from PSEG Long Island.

Welcome, Future Energy Advocates!

You will:

PREPARE BY LEARNING about energy efficiency, renewable energy and the importance of sustainable sources of electricity. Look at what other young people like you are already doing to take action in these areas.

SELECT A TOPIC AND CREATE AN INSPIRING VIDEO message to educate and encourage others to seek ways to use sustainable energy.

BE EM-POWERED TO SHARE YOUR MESSAGE with your community and educate others to utilize renewable energy resources.

Your job now is to inspire others to recognize the importance of using sustainable energy now and in the future. In this lesson, you will learn important information that will be your tools to accomplish this successfully. First, you will prepare so you are better informed.

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Lesson One: PREPARE

Three Areas of Focus

There are many things that can be done to help the environment, but you are going to focus on three main areas:

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 1: GATHER INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE

Review one of these websites and consider:

NOTICE – What did you see?

WONDER – What were your thoughts?

Energy Kids

A World Without Energy

How We Waste Energy

Non-Renewable Resources

Renewable Energy

PSEG Long Island Commercial

PSEG Long Island YouTube Channel

It is important to be familiar with the appropriate vocabulary.

Define in your own words:

Energy Efficiency

Energy Conservation and Sustainability

Renewable Energy

Non Renewable Energy

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Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 1: GATHER INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE

Create a summary of what you discovered and learned. Your summary can be in the form of a written paragraph, tables or graphs or even a creative drawing.

Remember to keep the focus on renewable energy and sustainability.

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 1: GATHER INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE

There are two types of energy — renewable (solar power) and nonrenewable (coal).

Renewable energy comes from sources that are naturally restored. These sources do not run out because they are constantly being renewed. However, in 2023, about 84% of the energy used in the United States was from nonrenewable sources. These are sources that have a limited supply and if we keep depending on them for our energy, we could one day run out.

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Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 2: IMAGINE THE FUTURE

Brainstorm ways you use energy every day.

For example- Energy powers your cell phone, heats the water for your hot shower, and runs the stove to cook your breakfast.

Did you know?

PSEG Long Island offers Time-of-Day (TOD)

rates where electricity costs more during Peak

hours, less during Off-Peak hours, and the

least during Super Off-Peak hours.

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Peak Hours: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays

Off-Peak Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays,

and all day on weekends/holidays

Super Off-Peak Hours: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 2: IMAGINE THE FUTURE

Ways to Save with Time-of-Day (TOD)

Customers can find their specific rates and compare them to their current flat rate using the Rate Comparison Tool in their online account.

Check out PSEG Long Island’s website for more information and videos.

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 2: IMAGINE THE FUTURE

Run appliances in the morning or evening.

Turn on pool pumps during off-peak hours.

Charge electric vehicles overnight.

Pre-cool your home before peak hours.

What would your day look like without using electricity?

How would you do these tasks without using without electricity?

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 2: IMAGINE THE FUTURE

• Communicate with Someone Who Lives Far Away
• Alarm Clock
• Taking a Long Road Trip in Your Car
• Listen to Music
• Cook Food
• Keep Food Refrigerated

It may be strange to think about a day without power, but that is one of many concerns that make people want to work hard to come up with more available options for alternative renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power.

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Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 3: LEARN THE ISSUES

In Lesson Two, you will dive deeper into the terms mentioned in Activity 1.

ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONSERVATION

Conservation is about making choices as individuals, families, companies or even governments to change behaviors to use electricity more efficiently. This can include turning lights off when leaving a room or air-drying clothes. Solar panels can be a example of an environmentally safe way to utilize the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity. Some large organization and governments are making changes to conserve energy like:

• Reducing the need for energy
• Placing taxes on high energy use
• Requiring “green” building design

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These are big energy conservation moves, but individuals and communities can make smaller changes to help the effort too. Make a list of some things you and others in your community can do to be more energy efficient.

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Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 3: LEARN THE ISSUES

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Efficiency involves using technology that needs less energy to do the same work. Smart thermostats and energy-saving light bulbs are examples of energy efficient technology. Just like energy conservation, governments and companies are working to become more energy efficient.

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 3: LEARN THE ISSUES

What are some things that could be changes to make your home, school and community more energy efficient?

RENEWABLE ENERGY

There are many sources of renewable energy that are already being used around the world. Every day, new things are being learned about these sources.

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 3: LEARN THE ISSUES

List some renewable energy sources and the ways they are being used to help the environment.

Renewable Energy Source

Hydropower

How it is used to generate power

The use of fast running water to produce electricity.

EXAMPLE

Lesson One: PREPARE

Activity 3: LEARN THE ISSUES

Now that you have explored these concepts, focus on how energy efficiency and renewable energy positively impact the environment as you prepare to create your video.

Create a list of possible issues to share in your video. Include how energy efficiency and utilizing renewable energy positively impacts the environment.

When listing video ideas, remember to provide evidence to support your message. You will use these ideas to inspire others to be stewards of energy sustainability.

To inspire others is to help them discover a desire and ability to do or feel something. You've been inspired before; now you have the chance to inspire your community to begin their own journey toward sustainable energy.

Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Activity 1: FIND SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

When you inspire others, you encourage them to be enthusiastic about new ideas. Many young people, just like you, are working to make a difference now! Click on the names to see their stories.

1. What do you remember most from these stories?
2. What are some things these young people have done to help their community through energy innovations or other positive contributions?
3. How have they inspired others to join their causes?
4. What messages are they trying to share?
5. How are they getting their message out to others?

Abbie Weeks helped supply solar energy for an orphanage in Uganda.

Hannah Herbst founded BEACON (Bringing Electricity Access to Countries through Ocean Energy).

Robert Sansone’s goal was to change electric car motors using non-renewable resources.

If you want to inspire people, it is important to pick a topic that you want to focus on and share with others.

Pick a Topic: Choose a topic from your Lesson One list that you believe is important to share with your community.

Focus on Energy: Your chosen topic should address the overall concept of electrical energy use and energy efficiency.

Research: After you select a topic, work with your classmates to research it.

Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Activity 2: SELECT YOUR TOPIC

• Why is this topic important to you?
• Why are renewable resources necessary for energy sustainability?
• Be specific, what is the focus of your video? (Examples: renewable energy vs non renewable, ways to harness energy, wind turbines, electric cars, etc.)
• What are the three most important points about this topic? Include evidence.
• What impact will sustainable energy have on the future?

Use these questions to gather more information:

Now that you have your topic and research, you will work in groups of 1 to 4 students to create a message about energy efficiency and sustainability to inspire your community.

Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Activity 3: CREATE YOUR MESSAGE

As you prepare to create your PSA, you may choose to plan your ideas by creating a Storyboard.

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Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Activity 3: CREATE YOUR MESSAGE

RESOURCES

Teacher Storyboard Lesson

Student Storyboard Lesson

Storyboard Graphic Organizer

While creating a storyboard is an optional activity, we would love for you to send us your Storyboard so we can share it with PSEG Long Island!

Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Activity 3: CREATE YOUR MESSAGE

As a group of 1 to 4 students, you’ll create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to share your message with others. PSAs are like commercials because they are short videos and they are often seen on television. But, unlike commercials that sell products, PSAs are designed to educate people about a cause or an issue. You’ll use your PSA to inspire people in your community and bring people together to take initiative to make changes now for long term energy sustainability.

Like a commercial, PSAs are very short, so you have to communicate your information quickly and with maximum impact. Most PSAs are about 30 seconds long, and you should aim for the same length (official submissions must be 45 seconds or less).

Lesson Two: INSPIRE

Activity 3: CREATE YOUR MESSAGE

• What is the problem we are addressing?
• What is the evidence to support that there is a problem?
• What is the solution we are offering?
• What is the action we want people to take?

When creating your PSA, you can think about the following questions to guide you.

PSA Resources

• Refer to the video, “How to Create a Winning PSA” for tips of how to create, film and submit your PSA.
• Refer to slides 27-29 for: Creating a Public Service Announcement Guide
• Refer to the rubric that is used by the judges.
• Use the Official Contest Rules to answer your questions.
• Print and complete the School Release Guide for the contest submission NEEDS LINKED WHEN READY
• View for inspiration: Top 10 PSAs of 2024

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Additional Resources

• Print and complete a Participant Certificate for each student
• PSEG Long Island video: Electrify Everything
• PSEG Long Island video: 66 Ways to Save Energy

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Helpful Resources

Steps for PSA Submissions

1. Students work in team of 1 to 4 to create their PSA.
2. All PSAs are sent to the teacher for review.
3. Each teacher submits:
1. One School Release Form*
2. Three best PSAs per class

*We need one School Release Form per teacher. This form assures the school has given the teacher permission to enter the competition for all classes, and to share the contents of the submission with outside organizations for the purpose of judging.

In lesson two, you picked a topic that is important to you. You could use this topic for your video. Keep your focus narrow and to the point.

Pull all of your research together. You may want to do some additional research such as talking to experts. Including statistics can also get people’s attention, especially if it directly relates to them, your audience.

Creating a Public Service Announcement Guide

Creating your Public Service Announcement (PSA) can help you bring your community together around a subject that is important to you. In this guide, you will learn hot to create a PSA to help you spread your message and help us become more energy efficient.

Before you start filing your PSA, think about your content and message you are trying to send to your audience. Will someone hold up notes for you?

Create a script with a few key points. You could use an index card to write your top three talking points.

Before filming your PSA, make sure you are “camera ready”.

• Plan your appearance
• Review your shooting location
• Check all of your equipment to ensure it is charged and ready
• Practice your stance and posture and if you will sit or stand

Who are you targeting — parents, teens, teachers or someone else? You want to make sure you know who you are talking to through your PSA and make sure that your message is clear.

TIP: When it comes to your message, short and sweet is the key!

• Grab your device for recording video
• Find a good place to record
• Review your notes
• Prop up your camera so the camera is not shaking
• Do a test video to make sure everything is working and the sound is good
• Speak slowly, clearly, and loudly with good energy

Tips:

• Keep your video between 30-45 seconds
• Ensure you have good lighting and sound
• Ensure your key points are clear
• Use hand gestures to add energy
• Make eye contact with the camera