Classroom Activities

What can I do to follow-up after ATCO Energy Theatre has gone?

ATCO Electric and ATCO Gas are pleased to offer schools within its service area access to  curriculum-based resources.

Power Game with the Blue Flame! Show and Collector Cards

After each performance, ATCO offers schools a set of educational “collector” cards for each student. The cards provide easy-to-read information that reinforces key concepts presented in the play. Each seven-card set describes a character in the play as well as curriculum-based information on electricity and natural gas. After watching the play, the cards are a tool for teachers to use for follow-up with their students in the classroom and reinforce learning.

As well as discussing/reviewing the collector cards as a follow-up activity, you may also consider:

• Asking students to write a newspaper-style review of the performance

• Writing letters to the local ATCO Gas/ATCO Electric office about the experience

• Drawing scenes from the performance or workshop and giving captions to the illustrations or photographs of the event.

• Recreating parts of the performance, “hot-seating” (role play) the characters and/or discussing the safety issues which may be relevant/arise.

• Extending the story of the performance — what happened next? What happened just before? Invent other adventures involving Rocket Socket, Carmen Monoxide or the Blue Flame in a different scenario (e.g. flying a kite, moving a grain auger on the farm, digging in the back yard).

•  Give students research projects based on one aspect of the subject area covered:

  • What electricity, natural gas and energy are

  • How electricity is made, where natural gas comes from
    and how it all gets to your home

  • Some of the special properties of natural gas and electricity

  •  Identifying dangerous situations in the home specific to natural gas and electricity

  • Staying safe around electricity and natural gas in the home

• Asking students to write in their daily journals either describing one of the fictional characters or writing about the performance.

Interactive Website:

ATCO Gas and ATCO Electric children’s safety websites also provide interactive games and activities that help to build students’ computer skills

• ATCO Electric – Electricity: http://www.atcoelectric.com/Community/Teach/web/index.asp

• ATCO Gas – Natural Gas: http://www.atcogas.com/kids

Teaching Power Resource:

ATCO Electric also offers schools within its service area Teaching Power -- curriculum-based teaching material providing lesson plans and activities, a "Louie the Lightning Bug" safety video (VHS or DVD) and access to an in-class safety presentation by AE employees (e.g. Low-Voltage Display). Contact your local ATCO Electric office for additional information.