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MY FUTURE ENERGY CAREER Activities Inside: • I Can Be a Welder • I Can Be an Architect • I Can Be an Electrician • I Can Be an Auditor

Grade Levels:

Pri

Primary Ele Int

Sec Subject Areas: Careers

Science

Language Arts

Math

Creative Arts

Teacher Information Background These activities encourage students to think beyond the career titles of traditional community helpers (doctor, fireman, police officer, teacher), and introduce a variety of careers that may be found in the energy industry. While learning about each career, students will practice specific job-related skills and soft skills helpful for success in the workforce, as well as build and practice literacy skills.

Follow this Model to Introduce Other Careers While this guide only covers four specific energy related careers, you can use this model to introduce other careers to your students. 1. Choose a career. Learn about it from the U.S. Department of Labor at careeronestop.org, or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, at bls.gov/ooh. 2. Find appropriate videos and children’s books to introduce the career. 3. While previewing the websites, videos, and books, you will likely see specific job-related skills listed. Choose at least one workforce skill and one soft skill to practice. Brainstorm simple activities that practice these skills. Brainstorm a vocabulary word or a set of words related to your career. 4. Gather materials and set up stations for reading career books, practicing specific job-related skills, practicing soft skills, developing vocabulary, writing about the career, etc. 5. Introduce students to the career by watching a video or reading a career book, then let students explore the stations. Finish with a class discussion tying the career’s importance to your community. Consider inviting a speaker to share more about their job with the class.

Scaffolding and Differentiation Students of all ages can benefit from learning about the people who work in your community, types of energy industry careers, and their future vocational opportunities. The children’s book titles and activity suggestions in this guide aren’t one size fits all and don’t aim to adequately cover all readers and learners. Use these ideas as a starting place and scaffold and differentiate as needed for your students.

Extensions If you are using this guide with older students, be sure to check out NEED’s Energy Career Excursion guide, available for free download at www.NEED.org/shop. Students will explore a wide variety of careers within the energy industry, while practicing career-ready skills and soft skills to complete various activities.

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Teacher Information Practicing Soft Skills Soft skills, or people skills, are the personality traits, behaviors, and abilities that make a good worker. They directly relate to how well you can work with and interact with others. Soft skills are important in all industries and professions. Developing your soft skills is a lifelong process, and it is never too early for students to start practicing and honing these assets. NEED’s soft skills checklist includes good communication, strong handshake, good work ethic, motivation, time management, listening skills, flexibility (adaptability), teamwork (collaboration), problem solving, critical thinking, negotiation (conflict management), self-confidence, patience, technology use, motivation, resourcefulness, leadership, and creativity.

Building Literacy Skills Use the following guidance and prompts to help students build literacy skills throughout these activities as they read career-focused books. Before Reading Build background knowledge. Look at the cover of the book. Read the title and discuss the picture. What do you think this book is about? Make a list of what students already know about this career. Take a book walk. Look at the table of contents, photographs, captions, and bold words. Make predictions about the text. What will you read in this book? Build vocabulary. Read vocabulary words. What comes to mind when you see each word? What do you think each word means? During Reading Read for purpose, meaning, and understanding. Encourage students to think about the people doing this career and their role in the community. Think about the setting of the book; where do these people work? Look for details. What is happening? Analyze text features. Have students pay attention to headings, subheadings, photos, captions, textboxes, and diagrams found in the text. How do these features help the reader better understand the information? What is the main idea in each chapter or heading? Analyze the text. Are there any unknown words? Use context clues to determine their meanings. Discuss text-to-text, text-to-self, or text-to-world connections. After Reading Encourage students to pick a partner and reread the book together. Name three things from the book that a person with this career does. Go back and find the pages that describe these things. Write or draw something they learned about working in this career.

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MATERIALS ACTIVITY

MATERIALS NEEDED

I Can Be a Welder

Several nonfiction books and picture books featuring welders at work Box of crayons Safety glasses 2 Wax crayons, paper wrappers removed Votive candle Matches Sheet of wax paper Fireproof surface Chart paper Pencils

Dictionaries Art supplies A couple pairs of adult gardening gloves Pieces to stack, such as dominoes, Jenga® tiles, or decks of playing cards Tangram puzzles 1 Toilet paper tube per student Rulers Scissors Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay

I Can Be an Architect

Several nonfiction books and picture books featuring architects at work; the construction process, or green building, urban planning, or green cities; birds building nests; and architect biographies Chart paper Dictionaries Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay Drawing paper Pencils

Lined writing paper with a picture box Art supplies 3 Apples Knife Plate Adult-sized chair Child-sized chair Wood blocks, plastic cups, or LEGO® bricks Clipboards (optional)

I Can Be an Electrician

Several nonfiction books and picture books featuring electricians at work Energy Ball, Hands-On Lightning Rod, or Energy Stick Metal object Wood block Chart paper Dictionaries Art supplies Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay

Lacing beads and strings kit Tweezers Uncooked rice Clothes pins Cotton balls Plates or letter tracing templates Index cards Twister game

I Can Be an Energy Auditor

Several picture books and nonfiction books about energy auditors, weatherization installers or technicians, home energy use, and animal homes 5 Identical small cups or jars Pitcher of warm water Transparency sheet Scissors 5 Thermometers Bubble wrap Felt Aluminum foil Paper towels Rubber bands Sticky notes

Timer Chart paper Dictionaries Art supplies Cotton balls Glue Tissue paper Tape Unsharpened pencils Sorting sets or attribute block sets Large container of building blocks (wood, Duplo®, etc.) Hallway or floor space Clipboards (optional)

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I CAN BE A WELDER Grade Level

A Career in Welding – Background Information

Primary, K-2

What do welders do? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products. They use welding torches and other equipment to apply heat to metal pieces, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond.” There are over 450,000 people employed as welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in the United States Most work full time, with a median wage of $51,000 per year, or $24.52 per hour (May 2024). To start a career in welding, most employers require a high school diploma or equivalent and some technical training. Technical training may be available through high school technical education classes, community colleges, private welding schools, the U.S. Armed Forces, or employer-based apprenticeships. Entry-level workers receive several months of on-the-job training, too. Training to be a welder may lead to a wide variety of job possibilities. Indeed.com and The American Welding Society list many possible career paths or job titles for welders: Sheet Metal Worker, MIG Welder, Master Jeweler, Tool and Die Maker, Welding Inspector, Master Plumber, Structural Iron and Steel Worker, Pipefitter, Industrial Boilermaker, Fabricator, Auto Body Welder, Oil Rig Welder, Construction Welder, Industrial Maintenance Welder, Manufacturing Welder, Shipyard Welder, Shipfitter, Underwater Welder, Pipeline Welder, Welding Engineer, Welding Educator, Robotic Welding Technician, Welding Supervisor, Welding Technician, Welding Research Scientist, and Technical Sales.

Time 1-5 class periods

Fire Safety Model fire safety: Tie long hair back. Roll up long sleeves. Wear safety glasses. Work in an area with proper ventilation on a fireproof surface. Students should sit at least three feet away from the demonstration and wear safety glasses.

NGSS Connections PS1.A-P1: Different kinds of matter exist, and many of them can be either solid or liquid, depending on temperature. Matter can be described and classified by its observable properties. PS1.B-P1: Heating or cooling a substance may cause changes that can be observed. Sometimes these changes are reversible, and sometimes they are not.

Objectives Students will be able to describe welding as a skilled trade career. Students will practice workforce development skills and soft skills used by welders, such as arm-hand steadiness, spatial awareness, attention to detail, patience, and problem solving. Students will be able to describe properties of solids and liquids, and changes observed during heating and cooling.

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I Can Be A WELDER Materials Several nonfiction books and picture books featuring welders at work Box of crayons Safety glasses 2 Wax crayons, paper wrappers removed Votive candle Matches Sheet of wax paper Fireproof surface Art supplies Chart paper Dictionaries

Pencils 2 pairs of adult gardening gloves Pieces to stack, such as dominoes, Jenga tiles, or decks of playing cards Tangram puzzles 1 Toilet paper tube per student Rulers Scissors Play-Doh®, salt dough, clay Melting Crayons mini book, pages 13-14 Student worksheets, pages 10-12, and 15-18

Nonfiction Book Suggestions: Birdoff, Ariel Factor. Welders (What Makes a Community?). Minneapolis: Bearport Publishing Company, 2022. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Construction People. New York: WordSong, 2020. Petrie, Sean. Welders on the Job (Exploring Trade Jobs). Mankato: The Child’s World, 2020. Rathburn, Betsy. Welders (Community Helpers). Minneapolis: Bellwether Media, Inc., 2020. Sprott, Gary. Welders (Skilled Trade Careers). Vero Beach: Rourke Educational Media, 2020.

Picture Book Suggestions: Crozier, Jenny. Jenny - A Jill of All Trades: I Am A Welder. United States: Express Yourself Publishing, 2023. Gilliam, Kelli. Willow Discovers Welding. United States, 2020. Wheeler, Lisa. Someone Builds the Dream. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021.

Preparation Gather picture books and nonfiction books about welders. Preview videos that introduce welding as a career. Two good sources are careeronestop.org, search “welder” and hirepaths.com/cool-careers-videos/welder. Choose which activities you will do. Some activities can be done as stations, in any order, allowing small groups to rotate and try all the activities while sharing supplies. Some activities may be more successful led by an adult. Gather and prepare materials based on how you wish to lead each activity you have selected. Make copies of the student worksheets as needed for each atctivity. Print pages 13-14 double-sided to create a Melting Crayons mini book for each student.

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I Can Be A WELDER Procedure 1.

Introduce students to many skilled trades and professional careers while reading Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler. This picture book shows a wide variety of workers who are needed to build the world we live in. It specifically shows architects, welders, and electricians at work, as well as engineers, scientists, artists, designers, construction workers, plumbers, steel workers, and more. Discuss what it means to work in a skilled trade. As you look at the pictures on each page, talk about the work being done and match it with the name of the skilled trade. Discuss work these skilled tradespeople might do in your community.

An additional way to introduce welding as a skilled trade is using the book Construction People, a collection of poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Each poem is about the different workers and tradespeople who help build a skyscraper. After reading the entire book, go back and reread the specific poem about welders, “Song of the Welders” by Allan Wolf. In the poem, discover new construction-themed vocabulary words such as I-beam, scaffold, and silhouette. Search for words that explain what welders do, such as climbers, bonders, and sculptors. Analyze the poem to find descriptions of safety gear worn by welders, such as harness, steel-toe boots, and tough leather gloves.

Introduce welding by watching a video that shows welders at work, and/or reading one of the suggested nonfiction books, such as Welders (Community Helpers) by Betsy Rathburn or Welders (What Makes a Community?) by Ariel Factor Birdoff. Suggestions for building literacy skills while using your book are included on pages 2-3 of this guide.

Station one is a teacher demonstration that lets students observe crayons melting as they heat and fusing together as they cool, the way a welder uses heat to melt pieces of metal together. It includes a Melting Crayons mini book to record observations. This activity could also be done as a separate science lesson either before or after the other station activities.

If using stations, explain the instructions for each station. Put students into groups and facilitate as they rotate through activities.

Station 1: Teacher Demonstration – Melting Crayons MATERIALS: If you have a document camera, this is a good investigation to do record or project so all students can safely see. This station needs safety glasses, a box of crayons, two wax crayons with the paper wrappers removed, a votive candle, matches, a sheet of wax paper, a well-ventilated fireproof surface, and a Melting Crayons mini book for each student. PURPOSE: To explore the science behind welding, you will demo using heat to weld two crayons together. INSTRUCTIONS: 1.

Give each student a Melting Crayons mini book and a crayon. Observe the crayons. Discuss, is a crayon a solid or liquid? How do you know? What happens if your crayon touches a partner’s crayon? Do they stick together? Draw a sketch in Box 1 and label what is happening.

Put on safety glasses. Place a votive candle on a large sheet of wax paper on a safe surface. Light the votive candle. Hold one crayon over the flame. As the wax melts, tap the crayon on the wax paper so students see the drops of liquid wax. Let students sketch and record observations in Box 2.

Ask, how can we join two solid crayons together, like a welder joins two pieces of metal? Hold one crayon in each hand with ends near the flame. As they melt, carefully lay the crayons flat on your wax paper and press the ends together. After a few seconds, carefully pick up the crayons. Hold one end to show students the crayons are fused together. Sketch and record final observations in Box 3.

CAUTION: Do not press the crayons together in the air over the flame. The crayons can slip and splatter hot wax on your hands and clothing.

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I Can Be A WELDER Station 2: Building Vocabulary – Welding Words MATERIALS: This station needs chart paper, dictionaries, and copies of the Welding Words worksheet on page 10. INSTRUCTIONS: On chart paper, list words students know that mean the same thing as weld (fuse, join, attach, bond, etc.). Use a dictionary to find the definition of welding. Complete the Welding Words worksheet.

Station 3: Researching Informative Text – Welders at Work MATERIALS: This station needs several picture books or nonfiction books about welding for students to read and copies of the Welders at Work worksheet on page 11. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research the prompts and complete the Welders at Work worksheet.

Station 4: Researching Informative Text – Welders Work Safely MATERIALS: This station needs several picture books or nonfiction books about welding available for students to read, art supplies, and copies of the Welders Work Safely worksheet on page 12. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research personal protective equipment—safety gear—worn by welders. Complete the Welders Work Safely worksheet.

Station 5: Workforce Skills Development – Arm-Hand Steadiness MATERIALS: This station needs two pairs of adult gardening gloves, items to stack such as dominoes, Jenga® tiles, or playing cards, and some space. PURPOSE: Welders must have a steady hand to hold a torch in place as they work. This special ability is called arm-hand steadiness. At this station, students will practice their arm-hand steadiness while building towers. INSTRUCTIONS: Designate a spot for students to practice their arm-hand steadiness while stacking a tower of dominoes, Jenga® tiles, or house of cards. Students should also try stacking a tower while wearing safety gear (a pair of gloves).

Station 6: Workforce Skills Development – Spatial Awareness MATERIALS: This station needs one copy of the Welder Says cards on page 15, cut apart and set in a pile. PURPOSE: Welders need to have excellent spatial awareness to hold a torch and control their body as they work. Students will practice spatial awareness as they play Welder Says, a game like Simon Says. INSTRUCTIONS: Students take turns drawing a card and reading the Welder Says command aloud. All players complete the action before reading the next card. There are some blank cards for students to add more commands.

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I Can Be A WELDER Station 7: Workforce Skills Development – Attention to Detail MATERIALS: This station needs several rulers, pencils, scissors, a toilet paper tube for each student, some Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay, and copies of the Attention to Detail worksheet on page 16. PURPOSE: Welders must be skilled at reading and understanding the details on welding blueprints. Please note that real welding blueprints are not pictures or icons; they are complex technical drawings made by engineers that show the welder precisely how to do a job. The blueprint’s welding symbols and codes tell what type of joint to make, how deep to weld, properties of the metal, etc. Welders must pay attention to details to read and follow the blueprints precisely. At this station, students will practice paying attention to details as they measure, cut, and “weld” a pipeline. INSTRUCTIONS: Follow the instructions on the Attention to Detail worksheet. Older students can exchange pipelines with a partner and conduct a quality control check, measuring the weld width and pipe lengths to make sure everything is done correctly. Younger students can cover the end of the tube with one hand and look through the other end to see if any light shines through.

Station 8: Soft Skills Practice – Patience and Problem Solving MATERIALS: This station needs scissors, crayons, and copies of the Tangram worksheet on page 17, or you may use any kind of Tangram or pattern puzzles of your own. PURPOSE: Two soft skills employers are looking for in their workers are patience and the ability to solve problems. Welders need to be able to do both in their daily work. At this station, students will build their patience and problem-solving skills as they solve Tangram or similar pattern puzzles. INSTRUCTIONS: If using the Tangram worksheet, have students color and cut apart the shapes. Challenge students to create something a welder might make, such as an airplane, automobile, bridge, or ship.

Station 9: Career Assessment – Would You Like to Be a Welder? MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Would You Like to Be a Welder worksheet on page 18 and art supplies. INSTRUCTIONS: Read the worksheet statements and color in the emojis. Remind students there are no right or wrong answers. Knowing what you like to do and which skills you have will help you choose a meaningful career one day.

Extension For more activities that teach about heat, melting, or states of matter, download the What is Energy? Teacher Guide from www.NEED.org/shop.

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Welding Words FRAYER MODEL

My Definition

Synonyms (Similar Words)

Picture

Weld

Antonyms (Opposite Words)

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Welders at Work What is welding?

How many people work as welders?

Where do welders work? What are some things made by welders?

As a welder, what would you like to build?

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What is one question you have?

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Welders Work Safely Draw things welders wear to stay safe as they work.

A welder wears

. 12

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solid or liquid

Now the two crayons are ________________.

Welders use ____________ to _____________ heat or cold freeze or melt metal.

We use _____________ to ______________ freeze or melt crayons. heat or cold

Box 3

Name______________________

MELTING CRAYONS

Box 1

A crayon is a ________________________. solid or liquid

Two crayons ________________ stick do or do not together.

Box 2

When a crayon is in a flame it ______________________________. freezes or melts

The dripping wax is a _________________.

solid or liquid

A flame is ________________________. hot or cold

Spatial Awareness WELDER SAYS CARDS

Welder says sit underneath a desk.

Welder says put both arms around a book.

Welder says make bunny ears behind your head.

Welder says tap your left shoulder.

Welder says stand between two chairs.

Welder says lay a pencil horizontally on a desk.

Welder says go low to the ground.

Welder says hold a pencil vertically.

Welder says stand next to a wall.

Welder says reach high in the sky.

Welder says touch the outside of your nose.

Welder says put your hands on top of your head.

Welder says snap once with your right hand.

Welder says clap three times below your chin.

Welder says take two hops forward.

Welder says stand beside a classmate.

Welder says take two hops backwards.

Welder says walk through a doorway.

Welder says

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Attention to Detail Follow the welding blueprint to do your welding job. Step 1

Step 2

4 cm

2 cm

Measure 4 cm with a ruler. Draw a dashed line. Cut the line. Move uncut ends together. Weld with dough. The weld should be 2 cm wide. Check your weld. Cover the end of the pipeline with your hand and peek inside. Do you see any light? QUALITY CONTROL CHECK

Measure the short end of the pipeline. Is it 4 cm?

Yes

Measure the long end of the pipeline. Is it 6 cm?

Yes

Measure the weld. Is it 2 cm?

Yes

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Tangram DIRECTIONS: 1. Color the shapes. 2. Cut them apart. 3. Use all the shapes to build an airplane, rocket ship, car, boat, or bridge.

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Would You Like to Be a Welder? Instructions: Read each statement. Color the emoji that shows how you feel. YES

I’M NOT SURE

I like to build things. I practice being safe. I like to work by myself. I like heights.

I am patient.

I follow directions.

I have a very steady hand. I like being underwater.

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I Can Be an Architect A Career in Green Building – Background Information Buildings can consume a lot of energy. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program covers the design, construction, and operation of all types of buildings. The voluntary program uses a rating system to reward and certify green construction projects for their energy efficiency, water efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, emissions, and building operations and maintenance. LEED®-certified buildings consume less energy, emit less carbon dioxide emissions, use less water, use sustainable materials, are healthier for building occupants, and are environmentally friendly. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, there are many important careers in the green building industry, including architects and landscape architects.

Grade Level Primary, K-2

Time 1-5 class periods

What do architects do? Architects plan and design structures, like homes, office buildings, libraries, schools, and fire stations. Architects are responsible for the overall look of a building and must make sure it is functional, safe, economical, and meets the needs of the people who will use the building. In the United States, there are about 124,000 people employed as architects. Architects earn a median annual wage of $96,690 per year or $46.49 per hour (May 2024). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, becoming a licensed architect requires completing a five-year bachelor’s degree in architecture, gaining relevant experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect Registration Examination®. Many architects also complete a master’s degree in architecture. Landscape architects plan and design outdoor spaces for parks, schools, residential, and commercial sites. They create sustainable spaces through designs that improve energy efficiency, conserve water, use sustainable materials, and increase biodiversity. About 22,000 people work as landscape architects in the U.S., earning a median annual wage of $79,660 per year or $38.30 per hour (May 2024). Becoming a licensed landscape architect requires completing an undergraduate Landscape Architecture degree, internship experience, and passing the Landscape Architect Registration Examination. Architects that specialize in green design, or sustainable design, think about the environment as they design structures. They find ways to conserve energy and water, reduce pollution, and use materials that won’t harm the environment. Exploring careers in architecture gives students an opportunity to practice creative problem solving and design thinking.

NGSS Connections K-ESS3-3: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment. K-2-ETS1-2: Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem. SPQ-P1: Relative scales allow objects and events to be compared and described (e.g., bigger and smaller; hotter and colder; faster and slower). SF-P1: The shape and stability of structures of natural and designed objects are related to their function(s). PS1.A-P3: A great variety of objects can be built up from a small set of pieces. ESS3.C-P1: Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around them. But they can make choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things. ETS1.B-P1: Designs can be conveyed through sketches, drawings, or physical models. These representations are useful in communicating ideas for a problem’s solutions to other people. HE-P2: Men and women of diverse backgrounds are scientists and engineers. ©2026 The NEED Project

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I Can Be an Architect Objectives Students will be able to describe an architect as a professional career. Students will practice workforce development skills and soft skills used by architects, such as design thinking, problem solving, drawing, scale and proportion, written communication, verbal communication, active listening, and creativity.

Materials Several nonfiction books and picture books featuring architects at work; the construction process or green building, urban planning, or green cities; birds building nests; and architect biographies Chart paper Dictionaries Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay Drawing paper Lined writing paper with a picture box Art supplies Pencils

3 Apples Knife (to cut the apple) Plate Adult-sized chair Child-sized chair Wood blocks, plastic cups, or LEGO® bricks Clipboards (optional) Student worksheets, pages 24-29

Nonfiction Book Suggestions: Drummond, Allan. Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2016. Greve, Meg. From Empty Lot to Building (Little World: Communities and Commerce). Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Educational Media, 2015. Hale, Christy. Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2012. Moening, Kate. Architect (Careers in STEM: Blastoff Readers, Level 3). Minneapolis: Bellwether Media, 2023. Sánchez Vegara, Mª Isabel. Zaha Hadid (Little People, BIG DREAMS). Minneapolis: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2019. Walker Harvey, Jeanne. Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2017. Winter, Jeanette. The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2017.

Picture Book Suggestions: Beaty, Andrea. Iggy Peck, Architect. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007. Coote, Maree. Robyn Boid: Architect. South Melbourne, Victoria: Melbournestyle Books, 2017. Kyi, Tanya Lloyd. Our Green City. Toronto: Kids Can Press, Ltd., 2022. Wheeler, Lisa. Someone Builds the Dream. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021.

Preparation Gather picture books and nonfiction books about architects, green building or green cities, and architect biographies. Preview videos that introduce designing buildings and landscapes as a career. Two good sources are www.careeronestop.org, and pbslearningmedia.org. Search for videos using the words “architect” and “landscape architect.” Choose which activities you will do. Some activities can be done as stations, in any order, allowing small groups to rotate and try all the activities while sharing supplies. Some activities may be more successful led by an adult. Gather and prepare materials and copies needed for each activity based on how you wish to lead the activity you have selected.

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I Can Be an Architect Procedure 1.

Introduce students to many skilled trades and professional careers while reading Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler. This picture book shows a wide variety of workers who are needed to build the world we live in. It specifically shows architects, welders, and electricians at work, as well as engineers, scientists, artists, designers, construction workers, plumbers, steel workers, and more. Discuss what it means to work in a professional career. As you look at the pictures on each page, talk about the work being done and match it with the name of each career or trade. Discuss how professional careers and skilled trades are both valuable and require different training and education. Identify other professional careers in their communities.

An additional way to introduce skilled trades and a professional architect’s role in construction is using the book Construction People, a collection of poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Each poem is about the different workers and tradespeople who help build a skyscraper. After reading the entire book, go back and reread the poem “Architect” by Denver Butson. Discuss the architect’s role in the construction process.

Introduce architect as a professional career by watching a video that shows architects at work, and/or reading one of the suggested books, such as Architect by Kate Moening. Suggestions for building literacy skills while using your book are included in this guide on pages 2-3.

Learn about real-life architects by reading a biography, such as Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey, or The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter.

Introduce students to the concepts of city planning, green building, and sustainable living by reading Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future by Allan Drummond or Our Green City by Tanya Lloyd Kyi.

If using stations, explain the instructions for each station. Put students into groups and facilitate as they rotate through activities.

Station 1: Building Vocabulary – Architect Words MATERIALS: This station needs chart paper, dictionaries, books about green cities, and copies of the Architect Words worksheet on page 24. INSTRUCTIONS: On chart paper, list words students know that mean the same thing as design (make plans, drawings, sketches, etc.). You could discuss the word design as both a noun (a design) and a verb (to design). Use a book about green cities to summarize a description of green design/sustainable design. Complete the Architect Words worksheet.

Station 2: Researching Informative Text – Architects at Work MATERIALS: Have several picture books or nonfiction books about architects available for students to read and copies of the Architects at Work worksheet on page 25. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research the prompts and complete the Architects at Work worksheet.

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I Can Be an Architect Station 3: Workforce Skills Development – Design Thinking MATERIALS: This station needs Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay, an (optional) book about birds building nests, such as Robyn Boid: Architect by Maree Coote, and copies of the Designer Bird Nest worksheet on page 26. PURPOSE: Architects must be good at design thinking, a process for creative problem solving. An architect sees a problem as an opportunity to solve it. There is no right or wrong answer, just experimenting and critical thinking. Design thinking involves asking the right questions, creating innovative solutions, testing, experimenting, and prototyping. During this activity, students will practice design thinking, sketch designs, and build a model bird nest. INSTRUCTIONS: If possible, read Robyn Boid: Architect by Maree Coote. Student architects have a client—a bird—who needs a safe nest to hold an egg. Can you design a nest that is safe for an egg but also comfortable, fun, and looks nice, too? Design and sketch the ultimate bird nest on the Designer Bird Nest worksheet. Then use dough to build a model of your design. As an extension, discuss scale and proportion. Could a robin use this nest? A hummingbird or eagle? The size of the nest depends on the size of the bird, just like the purpose and scale of a structure depends on the clients’ needs.

Station 4: Workforce Skills Development – Draw Like an Architect MATERIALS: This station needs drawing paper, art supplies, three pieces of fruit, such as apples that can stand upright on a plate, a knife and plate, or copies of the Draw Like an Architect worksheet on page 27. PREPARATION: Keep one apple whole, label it “elevation.” Cut one piece of fruit in half horizontally. Label it “floor plan.” Cut one piece of fruit in half vertically. Label it “cross section.” PURPOSE: Architects need to be skilled in drawing by hand and on the computer in order to communicate their vision to clients and contractors. At this station, students will practice three types of drawings used by architects. INSTRUCTIONS: Fold a sheet of drawing paper into thirds. Draw and label the elevation, plan, and cross section of pieces of fruit. Or, complete the Draw Like an Architect worksheet, making drawings of your school and classroom.

Station 5: Workforce Skills Development – Scale and Proportion MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Scale and Proportion worksheet on page 28, an adult’s chair, and a student’s chair. PREPARATION: Set up the chairs side by side. PURPOSE: Architecture is designed and made for people to use. Understanding proportions and human scale are essential to designing objects, furniture, houses, and buildings. Architects use math to solve problems. Multiplication and division, area and perimeter, and unit conversion between units from the imperial and metric systems, are math concepts that architects use every day. At this station, students will use the Scale and Proportion worksheet to practice the math skills of scale and proportion by measuring objects and distances with parts of their bodies and comparing chairs built for adults and children. INSTRUCTIONS: Complete the Scale and Proportion worksheet.

Station 6: Workforce Skills Development – Written Communication MATERIALS: This station needs lined writing paper with a picture box, art supplies, and books about green building, urban planning, or green cities available for students to read. PURPOSE: Architects need to have good written communication skills, as they prepare presentations and share their ideas with clients, other architects, and workers who help prepare drawings. At this station, students will practice their written communication skills. INSTRUCTIONS: Student architects will design an environmentally friendly home or green building for their community. Draw a picture of the home in the box. Then describe your home’s design, explaining ideas with as much detail as possible. Some design ideas to suggest: a roof garden, a way to catch rainwater and reuse it, a renewable source of energy to power the house, a tiny home, or a home built underground.

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I Can Be an Architect Station 7: Soft Skills Development – Verbal Communication and Active Listening MATERIALS: This station needs drawing paper, pencils, and clipboards (optional). PURPOSE: Architects need to have good oral communication skills to clearly describe and explain their ideas to clients, other architects, and workers who help prepare drawings. Architects also need good listening skills, which means not interrupting someone who is speaking, and asking clarifying questions when needed. At this station, students will practice using verbal communication to convey an idea to a partner and practice active listening as a partner speaks. INSTRUCTIONS: On a piece of paper, draw a new piece of playground equipment for your school. Keep your drawing secret. Find a partner and take turns talking and listening. Describe your piece of playground equipment in great detail to your partner, while they listen and draw what you describe. Then your partner will describe their drawing as you listen and try to draw it. Finally, show each other your drawings to see how well you did communicating your designs to each other.

Station 8: Soft Skills Development – Creativity MATERIALS: This station needs something for students to build with, such as wood blocks, plastic cups, or LEGO® bricks, as well as floor or table space. PURPOSE: Creativity is an important skill for architects, who design the overall look of houses, buildings, and other structures. They must ensure that the final product is both attractive and functional. During this activity, students will practice their creativity as they come up with ideas, build structures, make construction mistakes, and start over. INSTRUCTIONS: Have students design and build structures. If necessary, provide prompts near the supplies, such as to build a bridge, skyscraper, castle, fort, etc.

Station 9: Career Assessment – Would You Like to Be an Architect? MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Would You Like to Be an Architect? worksheet on page 29, coloring supplies, and architect biographies. Some architects to research include Antoni Gaudi, Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright, Maya Lin, Minoru Yamasaki, Paul R. Williams, Philip Freelon, Rafael Guastavino, Thomas Jefferson, Zaha Hadid, and landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmsted. PURPOSE: Knowing what you like to do and which skills you have will help you choose a meaningful career one day. Men and women from diverse backgrounds and cultures have worked as architects. Some have had to overcome racial and cultural barriers to create their famous structures all over the world. INSTRUCTIONS: Read an architect’s biography. Complete the Would You Like to Be an Architect worksheet. Remind students there are no right or wrong answers.

Extensions Get Building! NEED’s Energy House curriculum gives students an opportunity to design and build an energy-efficient cardboard box house, with an investigation to determine the energy efficiency of the building. Download Energy House from www.NEED.org/shop. Reading Poetry Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale uses poetry to introduce famous architectural structures in various styles, tying them together with common children’s activities. For example, a child’s pillow fort resembles the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Information about the architects and their famous structures is included.

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Architect Words FRAYER MODEL

My Definition

Synonyms (Similar Words)

Picture

Design

Antonyms (Opposite Words)

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Architects at Work

How to become an architect:

Where do architects work?

Things architects design:

Tools architects use:

My question for an architect:

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Architects are good at:

Designer Bird Nest The problem: A bird needs a safe nest to hold an egg.

My bird nest designs:

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Draw Like an Architect Architects draw by hand or on the computer. They communicate their ideas to clients and contractors using different types of drawings. ELEVATION An elevation is a drawing that shows what a building looks like on the outside. Draw the elevation of your school.

PLAN A floor plan is a drawing that shows the layout of a room from an aerial view (from above). Imagine your back is stuck to your classroom ceiling and you are looking straight down at the floor of your classroom. Draw the floor plan of your classroom.

CROSS SECTION A cross section is a drawing that shows how tall and wide a building is and what the rooms look like inside. Imagine a dollhouse, which has no front on it so you can reach in to arrange the furniture. Looking into the dollhouse is the cross section of the house. Draw a cross section of your classroom. ©2026 The NEED Project

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Scale and Proportion Instructions: Use your body parts to measure things in the classroom. Use your hand to measure the width of a table. The table is __________________ hands across. Use your arm to measure the length of a wall. The wall is ____________________ arms long. Use your finger to measure the height of a book. The book is _____________________ fingers tall.

Use your body to measure the width of the floor. The floor is ____________________ bodies wide.

Use your hand to measure the height of the desk. The desk is _______________________ hands tall. Use your foot to measure the perimeter of the room. The perimeter of the room is _________ feet around.

Use your foot to measure the length of a hallway. Below, draw the two chairs next to each other. The hallway is _____________________feet The teacher’s chair is a different size because long. .

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Would You Like to Be an Architect? Instructions: Read each statement. Color the emoji that shows how you feel. YES

I’M NOT SURE

I like to draw.

I have neat handwriting. I like challenges.

I am good at math. I pay attention to details. I’m good at solving problems. I am good at explaining my ideas. I like to design things.

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I Can Be an Electrician Grade Level Primary, K-2

Time 1-5 class periods

Additional Resources If you are using this guide with older students, The NEED Project has many activities you can use to teach electrical concepts. These guides are available for free download from www.NEED.org/shop. Science of Energy Station 6 Electroworks The Science of Electricity Model Sidekick Circuits

A Career as an Electrician – Background Information What does an electrician do? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, “electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems in homes, businesses, and factories.” There are about 820,000 people employed as electricians in the United States. Electricians work full time, with a median wage of $62,350 per year or $29.98 per hour (May 2024). To start this career, employers require a high school diploma or equivalent. No work experience is necessary. While some electricians start out by attending a technical school, most electricians learn on the job through a four- or five-year apprenticeship program. Apprenticeships combine paid, hands-on work with classroom instruction. Most states require electricians to pass a test and be licensed. Training to be an electrician may lead to a wide variety of job possibilities. Indeed.com lists several career paths or job titles for electricians, including Avionics Electrician, Commercial Electrician, Maintenance Electrician, Wind Turbine Electrician, Installation Electrician, Marine Electrician, Electrical Assembler, Lineperson, Industrial Electrician, Solar Panel Electrician, Automotive Electrician, and Electrical Designer.

NGSS Connections 2-PS1-2: Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose. SYS-P2: Systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together. INFLU-P3: People depend on various technologies in their lives; human life would be very different without technology.

Objectives Students will be able to describe an electrician as a skilled trade career. Students will be able to describe how parts of a circuit work together. Students will be able to summarize properties of objects that conduct electricity. Students will practice workforce development skills and soft skills used by electricians, such as finger dexterity, visual color discrimination, extent flexibility, trunk strength, active listening, and speaking.

Materials Several nonfiction books and picture books featuring electricians at work Energy Ball, Hands-On Lightning Rod, or Energy Stick Metal object Wood block Chart paper Dictionaries Art supplies Play-Doh®, salt dough, or clay Lacing beads and strings kit

Tweezers Uncooked rice Clothes pins Cotton balls Plates or letter tracing templates Index cards Twister® game Circuit mini book, pages 35-36 Student worksheets, pages 37-40

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I Can Be an Electrician Nonfiction Book Suggestions Honders, Christine. What’s It Really Like to Be an Electrician? (Jobs Kids Want). New York: PowerKids Press, 2020. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Construction People. New York: WordSong, 2020. Hord, Colleen. From Power Plant to House. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Educational Media, 2015. Lower, Jan. The Brilliant Calculator: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America. New York: Astra Books for Young Readers, 2023. Sabelko, Rebecca. Electricians (Community Helpers). Minneapolis: Bellwether Media, Inc., 2020. Sprott, Gary. Electricians (Skilled Trade Careers). Vero Beach: Rourke Educational Media, 2021.

Picture Book Suggestions Wheeler, Lisa. Someone Builds the Dream. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021.

Preparation Gather picture books and nonfiction books about electricians. Preview videos that introduce working as an electrician as a career. Two good sources are www.careeronestop.org and www.pbslearningmedia.org. Search for videos using the word, “electrician.” Choose which activities you will do. Some activities can be done as stations, in any order, allowing small groups to rotate and try all the activities while sharing supplies. Some activities may be more successful led by an adult. Gather and prepare materials based on how you wish to lead each activity you have selected. Make copies of the students worksheets as needed. Print pages 35-36 double-sided to make the Circuit mini book.

Procedure 1.

An additional way to introduce electrical work as a skilled trade is using the book, Construction People, a collection of poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Each poem is about the different workers and tradespeople who help build a skyscraper. After reading the entire book, go back and reread the specific poem “Electricians” by J. Patrick Lewis. In the poem, discover electricianrelated vocabulary words like apprentice, technician, hot-wire, watt, and switch. Analyze the illustration to find examples of tools used by electricians, such as rulers, measuring tools, wire, and wire cutters. Analyze the illustration to find examples of safety gear worn by electricians, such as a hard hat, safety glasses, boots, and tough leather gloves.

Introduce a career as an electrician by watching a video that shows electricians at work, and/or reading one of the suggested nonfiction books, such as Electricians (Community Helpers) by Rebecca Sabelko, or What’s It Really Like to Be an Electrician? by Christine Honders. Suggestions for building literacy skills while using your book are included on pages 2-3 of this guide.

Introduce electricity concepts, such as how it is generated and used, and different careers related to generating electricity, by reading a book, such as From Power Plant to House by Colleen Hord. Point out that the lineman in the story is an electrician.

Station one is a teacher-led activity that lets students explore open and closed circuits. It includes a Circuit mini book to record observations. This activity could also be done as a separate science lesson.

If using stations, explain the instructions for each station. Put students into groups and facilitate as they rotate through activities.

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I Can Be an Electrician Station 1: Teacher Demonstration – Open and Closed Circuits MATERIALS: A science toy that lights up and makes noise when the circuit is closed, such as an Energy Ball, Hands-On Lightning Rod, or Energy Stick; a Circuit mini book for each student; a metal object; and a wood block. PURPOSE: During this activity, students will experience open and closed circuits. INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Read and follow the instructions for the specific toy you have available. Handle materials with care, as some are less functional if dropped or handled aggressively. 2.

Begin with everyone standing in a circle. Touch palms with the person on either side.

Choose two students to separate their touching hands and hold the toy between them instead. Each student touches only the metal end in their hand. What happens when the circuit is complete? This is a closed circuit.

Have any two students separate their hands. What happens when the circuit is broken? This is called an open circuit.

Touch hands again to close the circuit. Repeat opening the circuit with different students. As appropriate, have students close the circuit in other ways, such as linking elbows or touching one fingertip. What happens if two students separate hands but hold a metal object (a conductor) between them?

What happens if they hold a wood block (an insulator)? Try other items from around the room. Create a list of the objects that you try, and have students decide if they are conductors or insulators. Then, analyze the data obtained from testing the different objects to determine which materials are best suited for conducting electricity. A chart is available on page three of the Circuit mini book.

Complete the Circuit mini book. Draw and label a model of the toy on the cover. Discuss what students observed when the circuit was closed, and open, on page two. Complete the chart of conductors and insulators tested on page three and summarize properties of objects that conduct electricity. Finally, on page four, draw things in the classroom or home that use electricity, helping students realize they depend on electricity for many things in their lives.

Station 2: Building Vocabulary – Electrician Words MATERIALS: This station needs chart paper, dictionaries, and copies of the Electrician Words worksheet on page 37. INSTRUCTIONS: Write the word CIRCUIT on chart paper and analyze it. Also, write the word CIRCLE and notice how they both start with the same letters. List words students know that mean the same thing as circle (round, sphere, loop, ring, etc.). Explain that an electric circuit is a closed loop electricity follows to give power to something. It is an electrician’s job to place wires in the walls of your home, creating the paths that carry electricity to outlets. What things in your home or classroom plug into an outlet to get electricity? Complete the Electrician Words worksheet.

Station 3: Researching Informative Text – Electricians at Work MATERIALS: This station needs several nonfiction books about electricians for students to read and copies of the Electricians at Work worksheet on page 38. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research the prompts and complete the Electricians at Work worksheet.

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I Can Be an Electrician Station 4: Researching Informative Text – Electricians Work Safely MATERIALS: This station needs several nonfiction books about electricians available for students to read, art supplies, and copies of the Electricians Work Safely worksheet on page 39. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research special clothing and safety equipment worn by electricians. Complete the Electricians Work Safely worksheet.

Station 5: Workforce Skills Development – Finger Dexterity MATERIALS: This station needs Play-Doh®, salt dough or clay, a lacing beads and strings kit, tweezers, uncooked rice, clothes pins, cotton balls, plates, or letter tracing templates. PURPOSE: Electricians must be able to grasp, manipulate, and put together small parts with their fingers. This special ability is called finger dexterity. At this station, students will practice fine motor skills and build their finger dexterity. INSTRUCTIONS: Set up a couple things for students to do based on the materials you have. Suggestions include squeezing and playing with clay or dough; lacing and stringing wood beads; or using tweezers to pick up rice kernels or clothes pins to pick up cotton balls and placing them in a straight line on a plate or on a letter tracing template.

Station 6: Workforce Skills Development – Visual Color Discrimination MATERIALS: This station needs index cards. PURPOSE: Electricians must identify electrical wires by color. They must notice the difference between colors, including shades and brightness. This special ability is called visual color discrimination. At this station, students will play Rainbow Hunt to build their color vision and practice their visual color discrimination. PREPARATION: Write a basic rainbow color name on each index card. For older students, include some additional colors like pink, magenta, lime green, aqua, navy, etc. INSTRUCTIONS: To play Rainbow Hunt, each student draws a card from the pile, and collects an object from the room that matches the color written on their card. Players take turns showing their object and revealing their color card. If matched correctly, the item is added to the group’s rainbow. On a large table or floor, students should place their items in rainbow order. Return all the cards to the pile and mix them. Everyone draws another card and collects another object. Continue building the group’s rainbow of objects as the game continues. Students can also sort all the objects of the same color from darker to lighter. Finally, return the items to where they belong. Alternatively, older students can use a computer to take a free color vision hue test. Two sites to preview are www.xrite.com/hue-test and www.lenstore.co.uk/vc/colour-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/#/game.

Station 7: Workforce Skills Development – Extent Flexibility and Trunk Strength MATERIALS: This station needs a Twister® game. PURPOSE: Electricians have an active, physical job. They often need to move around while running wire and connecting fixtures to the wire. They need to be good at bending, stretching, twisting, and reaching - a special ability called extent flexibility. Electricians need to be strong enough to move heavy components that may weigh up to 50 pounds. Having a strong lower back and stomach is a special physical trait called trunk strength. Students will practice their extent flexibility and build trunk strength while playing Twister. PREPARATION: Find a space to set up the Twister mat. INSTRUCTIONS: Have one student work the spinner and call out the commands. When someone falls, that person takes over spinning and students start a new round. As an alternative, find stretching and/or core strengthening videos for children on YouTube. Have students do the exercises along with the videos. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ©2026 The NEED Project

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I Can Be an Electrician Station 8: Soft Skills Practice – Active Listening and Speaking PURPOSE: Employers are looking for workers who are skilled at active listening and speaking. Active listening involves listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions. Speaking is the way you talk to others. Electricians need to use both these soft skills as they work with customers and alongside teammates. At this station, students will practice their active listening and speaking skills as they play a game similar to I Spy and 20 Questions. INSTRUCTIONS: Sit in a circle. Choose one person to be the spier. The spier looks around the room to find an object that everyone can see. The spier gives a descriptive clue, “I see something…” In turn, each student can ask the spier a descriptive yes or no question, then use the information to take a guess at the object. If they guess correctly, they become the next spier. If not, the next student asks their descriptive question and guesses. If no one guesses correctly, the spier shares another clue. The students continue asking questions and guessing until the object is discovered.

Station 9: Career Assessment – Would You Like to Be an Electrician? MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Would You Like to Be an Electrician? worksheet on page 40 and art supplies. INSTRUCTIONS: Read the worksheet statements and color in the emojis. Remind students there are no right or wrong answers. Knowing what you like to do and which skills you have will help you choose a meaningful career one day.

Extension EDITH CLARKE BIOGRAPHY Electricians must be good at math and know how to use tools to make measurements. Electricians use arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications to solve problems. Edith Clarke was the first female electrical engineer in America and the inventor of the Clarke Calculator. Her mathematics work in the electrical industry laid the foundation for today’s smart grid technology. Read The Brilliant Calculator: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America by Jan Lower.

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I use electricity to

Things that use electricity.

Electricity

Name ______________________

Toy observation:

CIRCUIT

When the circuit was closed, I heard ______________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ and I saw ___________________ ___________________________. When the circuit was open I heard ______________________ ___________________________ and I saw___________________ ___________________________.

CONDUCTOR

INSULATOR

CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS OBJECT

Objects that conduct electricity ____________

________________________________________

Electrician Words FRAYER MODEL

My Definition

Synonyms (Similar Words)

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Picture

Circuit

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Antonyms (Opposite Words)

Electricians at Work

How many people work as electricians?

How do you become an electrician?

What does an electrician do?

Where do electricians work?

What do you want to ask an electrician?

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Electricians Work Safely

Draw things electricians wear to stay safe while they work.

Electricians wear________________________________

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Would You Like to Be an Electrician? Instructions: Read each statement. Color the emoji that shows how you feel. YES

I’M NOT SURE

I am good at seeing the difference between colors. I have steady hands. I am good at solving problems. I like small, cramped spaces. I can use my fingers to put small parts together. I follow directions.

I like math.

I like heights.

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I Can be an Energy Auditor A Career as an Energy Auditor or Weatherization Installer/Technician Background Information According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, CareerOneStop, “Energy auditors and weatherization workers help customers use less energy, lowering their bills and reducing their impact on the environment.” What does an energy auditor do? According to the U.S. Green Building Council, Inc., “energy auditors help homeowners and business owners examine their buildings to understand how energy is being used and get a measure of efficiency.” First, an energy auditor reviews their customer’s utility bills and conducts an on-site inspection of the home or commercial building, measuring the building’s heating, cooling, electrical, and natural gas consumption and looking for trends. They inspect surfaces and equipment. Energy auditors conduct blower-door tests to measure how airtight the structure is, and they use thermal infrared cameras to find energy leaks. Finally, energy auditors meet with building managers or homeowners to share a list of potential improvements that will improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. There are about 148,000 people employed as energy auditors in the United States. Energy auditors work full time, with a median wage of $72,120 per year or $34.67 per hour (May 2024).* According to the U.S. Green Building Council, Inc., starting this career requires vocational school training, related on-the-job experience (such as working as a building, home, or construction inspector), an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree in engineering. It is helpful to take courses that demonstrate common building inspection techniques, basic construction and insulation techniques, and energy management principles. Some energy auditors are employed by utility companies that offer energy audits as a service to their customers. Others are self-employed and hired directly by homeowners and commercial building owners.

Grade Level Primary, K-2

Time 1-5 class periods

 Additional Resources For hands-on investigations, school energy audit lesson plans, and informational text covering home and school energy consumption, energyefficient technologies, and ways to save energy at home and school, download one of NEED’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation guides from www.NEED.org/shop.

What does a weatherization installer or technician do? According to CareerOneStop, weatherization workers, “improve the efficiency of heating and cooling system ductwork. They repair windows and insulate attics, basements, walls, and other areas. They also prepare bids and contracts for weatherization work.” There are about 35,000 people employed as weatherization installers and technicians in the United States. Weatherization workers work full time, with a median wage of $48,120 per year or $23.14 per hour (May 2024). According to CareerOneStop, starting this career requires a high school diploma or equivalent and up to a year of on-the-job training. Weatherization workers are typically employed by utility companies, engineering firms, or construction companies. *Wages for Construction and Building Inspectors, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have wage information for Energy Auditors.

NGSS Connections K-ESS3-1: Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live. 2-PS1-2: Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose. SPQ-P1: Relative scales allow objects and events to be compared and described (e.g. bigger and smaller; hotter and colder; faster and slower). SYS-P2: Systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together. PS1.A-P2: Different properties are suited to different purposes. ESS3.C-P1: Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around them. But they can make choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things. INTER-P2: Science and engineering involve the use of tools to observe and measure things. INFLU-P3: People depend on various technologies in their lives; human life would be very different without technology. ©2026 The NEED Project

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I Can be an Energy Auditor Objectives Students will be able to describe an energy auditor as a professional career. Students will be able to describe a weatherization installer or technician as a skilled trade career. Students will be able to describe how insulation is used to make a house comfortable to live in. Students will be able to list places where air can leak into or out of a building. Students will practice workforce development skills and soft skills used by energy auditors, such as problem sensitivity, mathematics and number facility, information ordering, critical thinking, decision making, and oral comprehension.

Materials Several picture books and nonfiction books about energy auditors, weatherization installers or technicians, home energy use, and animal homes 5 Identical small cups or jars Pitcher of warm water Transparency sheet Scissors 5 Thermometers Bubble wrap Felt Aluminum foil Paper towels (layered) Rubber bands Sticky notes

Nonfiction Book Suggestions Butterworth, Chris. How Does My Home Work? (Exploring the Everyday). Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2020. Crotts, Andrew. How Does Heating & Cooling Work? How the World Works. Cleveland: Independently published, 2025. Crotts, Andrew. What’s Inside the Walls? How the World Works. Cleveland: Independently published, 2025. Lock, David. Animals at Home (DK Readers Level 1). New York: DK Publishing, 2007. Oxlade, Chris. Heating. How Does My Home Work? Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2013. Packham, Chris. Amazing Animal Homes. New York: Sterling Children’s Books, 2018. Tekiela, Stan. Whose House Is That? Cambridge, Minnesota: Adventure Publications, 2021.

Picture Book Suggestions Barnaby, Hannah. Home Is… New York: Beach Lane Books, 2021. Ward, Jennifer. Mama Dug a Little Den. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2018. Wheeler, Lisa. Someone Builds the Dream. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021. Wise, Bill. If Animals Built Your House (Wildlife Picture Books). Naperville, Illinois: Dawn Publications, 2021.

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I Can be an Energy Auditor Preparation Gather picture books and nonfiction books about energy auditors, weatherization workers, home energy use, and animal homes. Preview videos that introduce working as an energy auditor or a weatherization worker as a career. One source is www.careeronestop. org; search for a video using the words, “energy auditor” or “weatherization.” Another resource is NEED’s YouTube Energy Career Spotlight Video of an Energy Manager. Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVURZ-c3ojA. Choose which activities you will do. Some activities can be done as stations, in any order, allowing small groups to rotate and try all the activities while sharing supplies. Some activities may be more successful led by an adult. Gather and prepare materials based on how you have chosen to lead each activity. Make copies needed for each activity.

Procedure 1.

Introduce a career as an energy auditor or weatherization installer or technician by showing a video that demonstrates energy auditors and weatherization workers at work.

Introduce ways a home uses energy by reading a nonfiction book, such as Heating. How Does My Home Work? by Chris Oxlade, or How Does My Home Work? by Chris Butterworth. Suggestions for building literacy skills while using your book are included in the My Future Energy Career Teacher’s Guide.

Station one is a teacher-led investigation that lets students explore the concepts of insulation and heat transfer. This activity could also be done as a separate science lesson.

If using stations, explain the instructions for each station. Put students into groups and facilitate as they rotate through activities.

Station 1: Teacher Demonstration – Exploring Insulation MATERIALS: This demonstration needs five identical small cups or jars, a pitcher of warm water, a transparency sheet, scissors, five thermometers, bubble wrap, felt, aluminum foil, layers of paper towels, rubber bands, sticky notes, a timer, and copies of the Exploring Insulation worksheet on page 47. Other materials you could try include wool, cotton, fleece, can cozy, leaves, cardboard, and newspaper. PURPOSE: Heating and cooling buildings uses a lot of energy. To make a home more energy efficient, energy auditors and weatherization technicians look for places where heat is escaping the home (in winter) and entering the home (in summer). Adding insulation to walls and attics creates a barrier that slows thermal energy transfer. During this activity, students will investigate how different materials make a barrier to slow heat transferring out of a cup of warm water. Some materials are better insulators than others. PREPARATION: Cut insulation materials to 12”x12”. Cut transparency into small squares to serve as lids for each cup. Fill a pitcher with warm water, about 35 degrees Celsius. INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Explain that you are going to investigate different materials to find out which one keeps a cup of water the hottest. 2.

Show students the different insulating materials. Pass them around so everyone can touch them.

Leave one cup unwrapped as the control. Have students choose one material they want to test. Wrap a cup with the material and secure with a rubber band. Repeat until all cups are wrapped. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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I Can be an Energy Auditor 4.

Next, have students predict which material they think will insulate the best and record their prediction on their worksheet. Which material will be the worst? Arrange the cups in prediction order from best to worst.

Put one thermometer into each cup. Pour the same amount of warm water into each cup. Place the clear transparency lids on each cup.

Read the thermometer in each cup and write down the temperatures on sticky notes in front of each cup. It is ok if they are not exactly the same. Explain that the thermometers may read differently.

Start the timer. After 15 minutes, read the thermometer in each cup and write down the temperatures. Repeat after 30 minutes.

Complete the Exploring Insulation worksheet.

Discuss the results as a class using the prompts below. Answers are listed to help lead and drive discussion. What happened to the warm water over time? Heat naturally moves from warmer objects to cooler ones. The warm water cooled down as heat moved into the surrounding air. How did wrapping a cup change how fast it cools? Wrapping the cup slows heat loss by trapping air around the cup. Air is a poor conductor of heat. It is a good insulator, so these trapped air spaces help keep warmth close to the cup. When we wrap something warm in insulating material, we slow how quickly heat escapes into the air. Why does one material work better than another? Some materials trap more air, which helps slow heat loss and keep warmth in longer. Thicker materials or materials that trap more air usually work better as insulators. What does insulation do? Insulation prevents the transfer of heat. What does our experiment have to do with buildings? It takes a lot of energy to heat and cool homes and buildings. One way to conserve energy in a building is to put insulation in attics and walls to slow heat transfer. This helps keep hot air inside the building in the winter and helps keep hot air outside the building in the summer. Why should we conserve energy in our homes? It takes a lot of energy to heat and cool homes and buildings. This energy comes from natural resources like natural gas and coal. Burning these natural resources causes pollution and releases harmful chemicals into the environment. Choosing to use less energy in our home (by installing insulation) helps protect the environment.

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I Can be an Energy Auditor Station 2: Building Vocabulary – Energy Auditor Words MATERIALS: This station needs chart paper, dictionaries, and copies of the Energy Auditor Words worksheet on page 48. INSTRUCTIONS: Ask students to close their eyes and picture themselves getting dressed to play outside on a cold/snowy day. What do they wear? On the chart paper, list items students wear to stay warm and dry, such as boots, a hat, a scarf, mittens, and a warm coat. Explain how these items help keep us warm by trapping in body heat, so the heat doesn’t escape into the cold air. Explain that a building uses insulation in the walls and attic like a warm coat and hat, to keep heat from escaping. Complete the Energy Auditor Words worksheet.

Station 3: Researching Informative Text – Homes at Work MATERIALS: This station needs several nonfiction books discussing ways homes use energy, copies of the Homes at Work worksheet on page 49, art supplies, cotton balls, and glue. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research how homes use energy, and how insulation in walls and the attic keep a home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Have students draw their bedroom in the empty room of the house, and glue cotton balls inside the walls and attic to represent insulation. Complete the sentences on the worksheet.

Station 4: Researching Informative Text – Animal Homes MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Animal Homes worksheet on page 50, art supplies, and several picture books and nonfiction books describing various kinds of shelters built by animals. INSTRUCTIONS: Use the books to research how animals build homes that provide protection from the weather and keep them safe. Choose your favorite animal home. On the worksheet, draw a picture of the animal’s home, what it is called, and describe how it keeps the animal safe and warm.

Station 5: Workforce Skills Development – Problem Sensitivity MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Air Leaks worksheet on page 51 and several air leak testers. PURPOSE: Energy auditors and weatherization workers must be able to notice when problems happen. This special ability is called problem sensitivity. At this station, students will practice Problem Sensitivity as they investigate if the classroom’s windows and doors are leaking air. Energy auditors and weatherization workers determine the amount of air leakage in a building using a tool called a blower door machine. During this activity, students will use a simplified tool, a strip of tissue paper, to test for air leakage around the doors and windows. PREPARATION: To make an air leak tester, cut a 1” x 12” strip of tissue paper and tape it to the barrel of a pencil near the eraser. Make one air leak tester per student at the station. INSTRUCTIONS: Take an air leak tester to a window in the classroom. Hold the pencil parallel to the floor, so the tissue paper hangs loosely from the pencil. Place the air leak tester near the bottom of the window frame. Observe if the tissue moves. Record observations on your worksheet. Place the air leak tester near a different side of the window. Observe. Use your air leak tester to investigate the edges of other windows and doors in the classroom. Complete the Air Leaks worksheet.

Station 6: Workforce Skills Development – Mathematics and Number Facility MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Classroom Audit worksheet on page 52 and clipboards (optional). PURPOSE: Energy auditors and weatherization workers must be able to use math to solve problems, and they must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. These special abilities are called mathematics and number facility. At this station, students will practice mathematics skills and number facility as they count and tally places where air could leak in or out of the classroom and create a bar graph of their data. INSTRUCTIONS: Remind students to look for pictured items in the classroom with their eyes only. They should not touch electrical outlets, holes in the wall, doors, windows, or light switches. Have students complete the Classroom Audit worksheet by investigating around the room to find pictured items, adding a tally mark for each item found. Then transfer data to the bar graph. If you have time, allow students CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ©2026 The NEED Project

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I Can be an Energy Auditor to use the air leak tester tool to investigate if air is in fact leaking around the locations they counted.

Station 7: Workforce Skills Development – Information Ordering MATERIALS: This station needs a few different sorting sets or attribute block sets, so each student has a set of materials to work with. Use whatever sorting boards, kits, or boxes you have on hand. Or create your own sets with cookie sheets or plastic containers to sort into, and sortable objects like counters, buttons, pompoms, or plastic utensils. PURPOSE: Energy auditors and weatherization workers must be able to sort and arrange things in order. This special ability is called information ordering. At this station, students will practice information ordering as they sort and order various items by their attributes. INSTRUCTIONS: Have each student choose a set of materials to sort by one attribute. If students are using materials that can be sorted in several ways, such as by color and shape, encourage them to sort their objects a second time in a different way. If objects can be sorted by size, encourage students to arrange them in size order.

Station 8: Soft Skills Practice – Critical Thinking and Decision Making MATERIALS: This station needs a large container of building blocks (wood, Duplo, etc.), floor space, and copies of the Think Like an Energy Auditor worksheet on page 53. PURPOSE: Energy auditors and weatherization workers have a physically demanding job. They must be able to work on their hands and knees, and crawl around in tight spaces. Employers are looking for workers who are skilled at thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem, a special skill called critical thinking, and workers who are skilled at thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one, a special skill called decision making. At this station, students will test their crawling ability as they practice both critical thinking and decision making skills while gathering blocks to build a tower. INSTRUCTIONS: Place a large container of building blocks at one end of the hallway and mark out a building area at the other end. Explain that students will be building a tall block structure. To collect the blocks, they will crawl on their hands and knees to and from a container of blocks across the room. They have two choices for how to collect the blocks. The team should think about the pros and cons of each option before starting the task. Once the blocks are brought to the building area, the team can start building as tall a structure as possible. If the tower falls over, the team must pick up all the blocks, return them to the container, and begin crawling to collect blocks again. RULES: Blocks cannot touch the ground. If a block touches the ground, it must be picked up, and returned to the container before it can be used again. Everyone must remain on their knees during the entire activity, even while building the structure. No standing.

Station 9: Soft Skills Practice – Oral Comprehension MATERIALS: This station needs one set of cards cut from the Energy Conservation Telephone Game worksheet on page 54. PURPOSE: Employers are looking for workers who are skilled at listening and understanding what people say, a special skill called oral comprehension. At this station, students will practice oral comprehension while playing an energy conservation themed version of the Telephone Game. INSTRUCTIONS: Have students sit in a circle around the stack of Energy Conservation Telephone Game cards. The first student draws a card and silently reads it. The student whispers the sentence on the card into the next person’s ear, who turns to the next person and whispers into their ear, until the sentence has gone all the way around the circle. The last student to hear the whisper should say the mangled sentence out loud. Then, the first student should read the card out loud for everyone to hear the original sentence. The last person draws the next card to play again.

Station 10: Career Assessment – Would You Like to Be an Energy Auditor? MATERIALS: This station needs copies of the Would You Like to Be an Energy Auditor worksheet on page 55 and art supplies. INSTRUCTIONS: Read the worksheet statements and color in the emojis. Remind students there are no right or wrong answers. Knowing what you like to do and which skills you have will help you choose a meaningful career one day.

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Exploring Insulation Prediction: I think the because

is the best insulator .

Observations:

The

was the best insulator.

How do you know? Explain your evidence. . You are drinking a mug of hot cocoa on a cold winter day. Describe how you can keep it warm. . Draw a picture of your mug:

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Energy Auditor Words FRAYER MODEL

My Definition

Synonyms (Similar Words)

Picture

Insulation

Antonyms (Opposite Words)

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Homes at Work Draw your bedroom. Add insulation.

A house needs insulation in the

and .

Insulation keeps your home

(warm or cool) in the summer.

in the winter and

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Animal Homes A ___________________________________ builds a safe home. It’s called a _____________________________. Draw the animal home.

How does this keep the animal safe and warm?

. 50

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Air Leaks Draw the air leak tester tool:

Observations next to the window frame:

Observations next to another window frame:

I __________________ find air leaking around the . (did or did not) (window or door) I ___________________ find air leaking around the _____________________. (did or did not) (window or door)

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Classroom Audit An Energy Auditor looks for places where air could leak in or out of a building. Look for these items in the classroom. Make a tally mark for each one you find.

ITEM

TALLY MARKS

Create a bar graph using the data. Color one square for each item counted.

PLACES WHERE AIR COULD LEAK

WHERE COULD AIR LEAK IN THE CLASSROOM?

NUMBER OF ITEMS

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Think Like an Energy Auditor

ONE TRIP ONLY

Everyone crawls to the container together. Bring back as many blocks as you can carry in one trip. PROS

CONS

MANY TRIPS

One person at a time crawls to the container. Bring back one block per trip. PROS

CONS

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Energy Conservation Telephone Game

Turn the light switch off when you leave the room.

Put on a warm sweatshirt if you are cold.

Recycle cans and bottles.

Take a quick shower instead of a long, hot, bath.

Add insulation to the walls and attic.

Repair or reuse items instead of throwing them away.

Turn the faucet off while brushing teeth.

Open the blinds to let the sunshine in.

Fix air leaks around windows and doors.

Ride the bus or carpool to school.

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Would You Like to Be an Energy Auditor? Instructions: Read each statement. Color the emoji that shows how you feel. YES

I’M NOT SURE

I like being physically active. I am good at listening to what others say. I am good at solving problems. I can crawl on my hands and knees. I like saving energy. I am good at making decisions. I like math.

I am not afraid of attics or crawl spaces.

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b Glossary c

air leaks

uncontrolled drafts or air escaping through gaps in windows, doors, or ducts. This forces heating and cooling systems to work harder, significantly decreasing energy efficiency

apprenticeship

a combination of classroom lessons and paid on-the-job training where one person learns a trade from an experienced professional by working alongside that person

architect

highly trained designer who plans, designs, and oversees a building’s construction

blueprints

detailed plans

builders

group of trade workers who work in construction

circuit

a complete path of electricity

construction

the business of building permanent structures

contractors

people responsible for the day-to-day activities on construction sites

cross section

a drawing that shows how tall and wide a building is and what the rooms look like inside

design

artistic plan or pattern

designers

a group of creative workers who plan and design a building

energy audit

a comprehensive inspection and evaluation of a building’s energy use. The process identifies where energy is being wasted, uncovers structural inefficiencies (like air leaks or poor insulation), and provides a tailored roadmap for reducing utility costs and improving overall comfort

electrical blueprints

maps of buildings that tell electricians where wires are located

electrician

tradesperson who installs, repairs or maintains wiring systems in machines or buildings

electricity

energy that travels through wires and makes lights work

elevation

a drawing that shows what a building looks like on the outside

floor plans

diagrams of the arrangement of rooms in a building

green design

environmentally friendly design emphasizing the efficient use of resources

insulation

anything that slows down heat transfer

personal protective equipment (PPE)

equipment that includes gloves, worn to keep safe while welding

skilled trade

occupation that requires a specific skill set, knowledge, or ability

sustainable

able to go on into the future; sustainable construction uses renewable materials and does not damage the environment for future generations

technician

a skilled worker, typically the hands-on “doers” responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing specialized equipment, systems, or software

trade school

an educational program offering training for a specific skilled trade job, such as welding

weatherization

the process of modifying a building to protect its interior from the outside elements, reduce energy consumption, and optimize energy efficiency. It creates a tighter thermal barrier to keep heated air inside during winter and cool air inside during summer

welder

tradesperson who uses hand-held tools to apply heat to join or cut metal pieces

wires

thin, bendable threads of metal; wires carry electricity

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b Bibliography c

Architect. U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. https://www.usgbc.org/professionals/green-careers/architect Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Architects. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/architects.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Electricians. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electricians.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm Career Paths in Welding. American Welding Society. https://www.aws.org/Career-Resources/ Energy Auditor. U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. https://www.usgbc.org/professionals/green-careers/energy-auditor Landscape Architect. U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. https://www.usgbc.org/professionals/green-careers/landscape-architect Liming, Drew. Energy Auditor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. March 15, 2012. https://www.bls.gov/green/energy_auditors/energy_auditors.htm Moiz, Abdul. April 18, 2024. 18 Types of Welding Jobs. Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/types-of-welding-jobs Paul, Eugene. April 18, 2024. Careers: What Are the Different Types of Electricians? Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/types-of-electricians Petit Architect Design for Kids Ltd. May 28, 2021. How to Introduce Architecture to Your Kids and Why It’s Important. https://petitarchitect.com/blog/2021/5/introduce-architecture-to-kids U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. CareerOneStop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Architects,%20Except%20 Landscape%20and%20Naval&location=United%20States&onetcode=17101100

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Electrician. CareerOneStop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile. aspx?keyword=Electricians&onetcode=47211100&location=UNITED%20STATES

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Energy Auditor. CareerOneStop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Energy%20 Auditors&onetcode=47401101&location=UNITED%20STATES U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers. CareerOneStop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Welders,%20Cutters,%20 Solderers,%20and%20Brazers&onetcode=51412100&location=UNITED%20STATES

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Weatherization Installers and Technicians. CareerOneStop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Weatherization%20 Installers%20and%20Technicians&onetcode=47409903&location=UNITED%20STATES ©2026 The NEED Project

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Youth AWards Program for Energy Achievement

Youth Energy Conference & Awards

NEED’s annual Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement rewards students for their efforts in energy outreach and student leadership.

The NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards gives students more opportunities to learn about energy and to explore energy in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

The Youth Awards Program is great for all schools—new to energy education, or veteran. Projects and outreach completed for the program provide opportunity for enrichment and engagement, as well as an opportunity for your students, classroom, and school to shine. Youth Awards projects can be completed by afterschool/out-of-school time programs, community groups, and even families!

The annual June conference has students from across the country working in groups on an Energy Challenge designed to stretch their minds and energy knowledge. The conference culminates with the Youth Awards Ceremony recognizing student work throughout the year and during the conference.

What’s involved?

For More Info: www.NEED.org/youthenergyconference

Students and teachers set goals and objectives and keep a record of their activities. Students create a digital project to submit for judging. In April, digital projects are uploaded to the online submission site.

Check out: For more information and project submission details, we invite you to visit https://youthawards.NEED.org. Be sure to explore the site to view past winning projects and garner inspiration!

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My Future Energy Career Evaluation Form State: ___________

Grade Level: ___________

Number of Students: __________

1. Did you conduct the entire unit?



Yes



2. Were the instructions clear and easy to follow?



Yes



3. Did the activities meet your academic objectives?



Yes



4. Were the activities age appropriate?



Yes



5. Were the allotted times sufficient to conduct the activities?



Yes



6. Were the activities easy to use?



Yes



7. Was the preparation required acceptable for the activities?



Yes



8. Were the students interested and motivated?



Yes



9. Was the energy knowledge content age appropriate?



Yes



10. Would you teach this unit again? Please explain any ‘no’ statement below



Yes



How would you rate the unit overall?



excellent



good



fair



poor

How would your students rate the unit overall?



excellent



good



fair



poor

What would make the unit more useful to you?

Other Comments:

Please fax or mail to: The NEED Project

8408 Kao Circle FAX: 1-800-847-1820 Manassas, VA 20110 Email: info@need.org

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