Participate in PEAK Week for a meaningful, student-driven way to celebrate Earth Day! _______________________________________________
PEAK Week is an annual event that brings students together to take action to save energy and help the environment! This year’s PEAK Week activities empower students to implement the four PEAK Energy Actions at home and at school. Each day of the week, the class will engage in a short discussion about a different PEAK Action. Students then have a chance to set and track goals to complete energy actions outside of the classroom. At the end of the week, students apply what they’ve learned about the PEAK Energy Actions and compose a song to enter in our 2010 PEAK Week Contest: PEAK’s Got Talent! Students from across the state will participate in the chance to share their musical energy-saving message and win a prize from Bulbman!
All of the materials you will need to celebrate PEAK Week in your classroom, including sample calendars and student pages can be found below.
PEAK WEEK ACTIVITY DIRECTIONS
- Explain that Thursday, April 22, 2010 is Earth Day. Ask the class, “Why do we honor the Earth on that day? Why is it important to keep our Earth healthy and clean?”
- Briefly review each of the 4 PEAK Student Energy Actions with the class. Ask, “How do the 4 PEAK Student Energy Actions help the Earth?” (Click here for detailed information on the 4 PEAK Actions)
- Distribute the “Taking Action! PEAK Week Calendar” template to each student.
- Explain that throughout the week, students will share different ways to implement each of the actions at home or at school, focusing on a different action Monday through Thursday. On Friday, students will have the opportunity to participate in the PEAK’s Got Talent! Contest.
As students share ideas for ways to implement each action, write the ideas on the board. You can refer to the “Taking Action! Sample Calendar” for more ideas.
PEAK ACTION FOCUS FOR THE DAY
MONDAY: Shifting Energy Use Off Peak Demand Time
TUESDAY: Shrinking Energy Use Through Cutting Waste
WEDNESDAY: Exploring Renewable Energy
THURSDAY: Plugging in to New Technology
FRIDAY: PEAK’s Got Talent! Contest
Each day, have students choose four ways that they will implement the action at home or at school and have students write the steps they will take on the calendars. The steps are goals that they should plan to complete by the end of the week.
Have students ask an adult to initial a box once the action step has been completed. Check in with students on their progress throughout the week. Encourage students to complete action steps and have their calendars initialed on a daily basis!
Give your students a sense for the real impact they can make as a class! Calculate the total number of actions accomplished by the class. At the end of the week, add up the total number of actions taken.
PEAK’s Got Talent! Contest
Have students put their understanding of the 4 PEAK Actions to music for the PEAK’s Got Talent! Contest. Entries may be in the form of written lyrics, audio or video recording. Please see the Contest Guidelines on the contest flyer for further details.
Suggested Directions:
- Write the lyrics to a well - known song on the board and examine its structure: Do the lyrics rhyme? How often is the chorus repeated? How long is each verse?
- Next, demonstrate how to write a verse. Provide time in class for students to brainstorm and write lyrics for their PEAK’s Got Talent! Contest submissions.
- Students can work as a whole class, in small groups or as individuals to write a song. You may decide to have each group write one verse to the class song. You may have groups work independently to submit their own songs or have individuals work with someone at home on a song!
Click here for more information on the PEAK Week Song Contest.
