‘Energy Waster’ Assembly
Outline:
A huge electricity bill arrives and the speaker asks for help from the audience to save energy.
They watch the Wasteometer and shout ‘Energy waster’ when it goes into the red, as the
speaker uses small electrical appliances in a wasteful way.
Age range:
Primary school, age 4-11 (although a junior school without younger children might think it is
beneath them). Works well as a whole school assembly.
Points to get across:
We need to use less energy as using energy causes pollution and climate change
Energy can be saved by being careful and not wasting it
Ways in which energy can be saved
Equipment:
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Wasteometer
Coat, scarf, cardigan
Electric heater, extension leads
2 lamps with tungsten bulbs in
2 low energy bulbs, cloth
Iron and clothes
Kettle, jug of water, mug
Small TV and remote control
Book (‘101 Ways to save the Earth’ or another energy saving one)
Egg timer – (something that beeps to say the tumble drier is finished)
Big envelope (A3) with bill in it – ‘Electricity Bill £300’ written on a large piece of paper
Sheet to cover wasteometer until it is revealed
FoE banner and tablecloth
Camera and photo consent form (on this page
http://www.foeyouthandeducation.co.uk/child-protection/ )
You will also need small tables for appliances, a higher surface for the iron and chairs to
sit in to watch TV, and to read from in the dark/light. You should be able to find these in
the school.
Set-up:
This assembly needs 2 people; one to do the introduction and work the Wasteometer (Helen);
the other to be the person who wants to save energy (Rachel). Give yourself plenty of time to
get set up before the assembly starts, arranging things so the action flows from one place to the
next.
 Check if you can open a window
 Cardigan handy
 Chair, 2 lamps (plugged in) and book in dark corner. Low energy bulbs hidden but
nearby. Cloth to hold hot bulb when take out
 Chair by window
 Coat and scarf, clothes to iron just outside room
 Iron plugged in (switch obscured so it cannot be seen if on or off), surface to iron on
 TV plugged in, chair to watch it from with remote (could be one of the above chairs)
 Kettle plugged in (plug obscured), jug of water and mug next to it
The Assembly:
Helen
We talked about renewable energy last week, because it is better for the Earth and
our environment if we get our energy from renewables – wind, waves and sun instead of from power stations running on coal, oil or gas. Renewables do not
cause pollution, they do not run out, and we do not have to keep putting anything
into them to make them work. [Or even better, ask questions to get this information
from the audience]
But it is not enough for us all to use renewable energy instead of coal – we can’t
make enough renewable energy for everyone to carry on using as much energy as
we do. We all need to use less energy
Rachel will be here in a minute – she has just had a shock as she got her electricity
bill this morning
Rachel comes in with hat and scarf on and big bill
Rachel
I got a bill for my electricity this morning and I can’t believe it! Look at this - £300!
I’m sure I don’t use much electricity. I mean, I know using lots of energy is bad for
the environment so I try to be careful.
I wonder if you could help me save energy? If I show you what I usually do at home,
could you help by telling me when I go wrong?
Helen is going to help as well, by looking after this ‘Wasteometer’. At the moment,
the meter is on green because we are not wasting energy – the lights and heating
are on but we are using them, so that’s okay. But if I start to waste energy this
pointer will go round until it gets to red.
Helen
Now, Rachel might be so busy showing you what she does at home that she might
not notice the meter going round. So could you help by keeping an eye on the
meter? When it goes into the red, I want you to all shout as loudly as you can
”Energy Waster!”
Do a few practices – “I can’t hear you” Try it again (panto-style)
Rachel
Okay, are you ready? I’ll show you part of my day
Well, I must say it’s very stuffy in here, so I’m going to open a window
Rachel opens window, takes off coat and scarf
Rachel
Brr, it’s a bit chilly
Rachel puts on heater Wasteometer red If at any point, the audience don’t notice, Helen
waves at them and points to wasteometer until they do!
Audience
shouts
Energy Waster!
Rachel
What did I do wrong?
[Prompt and ask more questions to reach similar answers to these]
Hands up
It’s wasteful to have a heater on and a window open.
Put on a jumper if you are cold
Turn off heater, at least until the room has freshened up and the window is closed
again.
Rachel
Okay, thanks everyone. Let me show you the next thing I did
Wasteometer green
Rachel sits and reads book in dark corner
Rachel
I can’t see what I’m reading
R turn on both lamps Wasteometer red
Audience
Hands up
Energy Waster!
Turn off lamps
Move into the light
Wasteometer green
Rachel
Hands up
But what if it really is too dark to see properly?
Put only one lamp back on, wasteometer orange
Low energy bulb
Swap bulbs (use something to hold bulb as it will be hot – say why) Turn on. Wasteometer
green
Rachel sits down to read again Wasteometer creeps up to red
Audience Energy Waster!
Rachel
Why – what am I doing?
There is a beeping from outside the room Wasteometer goes gently back down to green
Rachel
Hands up
Ah, that must be my tumble drier finished – I must go and get my clothes out. The
wasteometer has gone down now, so I don’t need to worry about it any more, do I?
Use the washing line instead next time
R go to get washing, leaving lamp on Wasteometer red
Audience
Helen
Hands up
Energy Waster!
What has Rachel done?
Turn lamp off when you leave the room
Helen turns off the lamp Wasteometer green
Rachel comes back in, plugs in iron, turn on (noisily, then turn off quietly so it appears to be on).
Layout first clothes, start to iron.
R
Oh look, it’s time for my favourite TV program. I’ll do the ironing after.
R leave iron on, turn on TV Wasteometer red
Audience
Energy Waster!
Hands up
Iron off
Wasteometer green
Rachel
The TV is not working properly / not the right program. I’ll turn it off like you’ve just
told me
R turn off with remote – onto standby Wasteometer red
Audience Energy Waster!
Hands up Turn off at the switch and the plug Wasteometer green
Rachel
I think I need a cup of tea
R fill up kettle to top and (pretend to) turn on Wasteometer red
Audience
Hands up
Energy Waster!
Only put in as much as you need (pour some back out). Wasteometer green
Rachel
I feel so much better, now I can see where I am wasting energy. I can do something
about it. Can you just please remind me of all the things I have to remember to do?”
Everything covered
Hands up
Rachel
Hands up
Can you think of anything else I could do to save energy that I haven’t shown you?”
e.g. Turning off other things, not leaving things on charge, shorter baths/showers,
drawing curtains, draught proofing, etc.
Rachel
Hands up
How could you save energy in school?
Any ideas...
Rachel
It’s not hard to save energy, and saving energy means less pollution and less gases
which cause our climate to change
If using, show the A4 energy challenges and explain what to do. Show the energy challenge
sheets for them to take home and say everyone who returns it completed will get a certificate
and one will be picked for a small prize.
Rachel
You’ve done lots of shouting about
me being an energy waster. Now I
want us to see if we can shout what
we are all going to be from now on –
Energy savers.
When Helen does the countdown, I
want you all to shout “Energy saver”
Rachel
Helen
Audience
What are you going to be?
3,2,1
Energy Saver!
Might need a few goes, “can’t hear you” panto style again
Rachel/
Thanks everyone!
Helen
Give energy challenge take-home sheets (with parent letter on the back) to teachers for children
to take home. The school will probably print these for you if you send them the file.
You will just need to pop back a week or so later to pick a winner, write names on certificates
and give out the small prize
Props:
The Wasteometer is simply a box with the flaps cut off and laid on its side, so the open side is
towards Helen. A dial is painted on the front facing the audience, coloured from red to orange
to green. A pointer that moves along the dial is attached to a stick/straw on the front of the box
with the end of it sticking through to the inside of the box so it can be twisted from the back.