Using Energy and Meter Reading
Using Energy
Lesson Overview – Using Energy
This lesson helps Girl Scouts understand how we use energy every day in our lives and how to read an electric
meter.
Someone from Consumers Energy may be available to come to your troop meeting and conduct a brief presentation
on energy use and conservation. For more information, send an e-mail to
education@consumersenergy.com. However, if someone is not available, here are some things for the leader to
know before beginning this assignment.
Things for the Leader to Know
Make sure scouts understand that energy costs money. Using energy efficiently may result in paying less
for energy.
Energy use is measured using a gas or electric meter, which is usually found on the outside of your home
(some are inside homes).
Materials Needed for the Lesson
Copy of How Electricity Gets to Your Home
Copy of How Natural Gas Gets to Your Home
Copies of Home Energy Use Practice Sheet
Simple calculators
Procedures
Review with the Girl Scouts How Electricity Gets to Your Home and How Natural Gas Gets to Your
Home diagrams.
Ask the troops:
1. Guess when we use the most electricity in Michigan, summer or winter? Answer: Summer
2. Why do we use more electricity in the summer than the winter? Answer: Air conditioning and fans
are used more, and they run on electricity. Also, school is not in session resulting in a greater use
of TVs, computers, etc. throughout the day.
3. Guess when we use the most natural gas in Michigan, summer or winter? Answer: Winter
4. Why do we use more natural gas in the winter than we do in the summer? Answer: This is the
season when furnaces are used more often, and most furnaces in our state use natural gas.
5. How can we use electricity or natural gas more wisely in our homes? Answer: Turn off the lights,
TV, etc. when you’re not using them, dial down the thermostat 2 or 3 degrees in the winter, etc.
Distribute the Home Energy Use Practice Sheet and help the scouts complete the formulas for some of the
appliances. While each individual appliance may not cost that much per day or week, if you add up the costs
for each one, it may be very expensive!
Once the work sheet is completed, have the scouts talk about each appliance and list ways that they can
conserve energy. Discuss their ideas and have them take this sheet home and try to incorporate their
conservation ideas with their family.
HOW ELECTRICITY GETS TO YOUR HOME
Meter Reading
Lesson Overview – Meter Reading
This lesson helps Girl Scouts understand how meters are read to determine how much energy has been used.
Someone from Consumers Energy may be available to come to your troop meeting and conduct a brief presentation
on meter reading. For more information, send an e-mail to education@consumersenergy.com. However, if someone
is not available, here are some things for the leader to know before beginning this assignment.
Things for the Leader to Know
The meter reads show how many kilowatt hours of electricity have been used. A kilowatt hour is equal to
1,000 watts.
Employees who read meters for Consumers Energy have an interesting and sometimes hazardous job. They
log many miles of walking each day as they travel from home to home on their meter reading route.
They also must watch out for dogs that may hurt them and things lying in a customer’s yard that could be a
tripping hazard.
Materials Needed for the Lesson
Copies of the Home Electric Usage Scenario document (one copy may be shared).
Copies of the Meter Reading work sheet (one per Scout or one may be shared within a small group) and
the answer key.
Simple calculators
Procedures
Review the rules for reading a meter, which are listed on the Meter Reading Cards sheet.
Fill in the Meter Reading work sheet using the data on the Meter Reading Cards sheet. This will show a
sample of electric use between Monday and Sunday.
After all the blank lines are filled in for each day, check the answers using the answer key.
Once you have determined that all the answers are correct, ask the scouts to begin subtracting the five digit
numbers beginning with days one and two (Monday and Tuesday). Subtract the day one number from the
day two number and write the difference on the brackets outside of each day. Do this again for days two
and three and so on. Compare the answers to the answer key.
Explain that these numbers represent how many kilowatt hours were used each day. Note that the number
increased significantly on days six and seven (Saturday and Sunday). Ask the scouts to consider why this
happened and what they could do to reduce the numbers.
Meter Reading Worksheet
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
kW difference from previous day:
____ ____
____
____ ____
____ ____
Thursday
____
____
____ ____
Sunday
____ ____
____ ____
kW difference from previous day:
____ ____
____
____ ____
____ ____
____
Saturday
kW difference from previous day:
____
____
____ ____
____
Directions:
kW difference from previous day:
____ ____
____
Friday
kW difference from previous day:
____
____ ____
kW difference from previous day:
____
1. Read the dials on the meter for Monday – Sunday. Following the instructions, write
down the readings on this sheet. Instructions: if the dial is between two numbers,
choose the smaller number. If it’s between 9 and 0, choose 9.
2. Subtract the difference for each day. For example, subtract Monday’s meter
reading from Tuesdays, then Tuesdays from Wednesdays and so on. Write down
the difference in the space above each set of meters. These numbers represent
how many kilowatts of electricity were used each day
3. Note the differences between the numbers for Monday through Friday and the
numbers for Saturday and Sunday. Answer these questions:
Why are the numbers higher on Saturday and Sunday than on previous days?
What could the people living in the home do to reduce this difference?
Meter Reading Worksheet
*** Answer Key ***
Monday
Tuesday
kW difference from previous day:
__1__ __1__ __5__ __7__ __1__
Friday
23
__1__ __1__ __6__ __5__ __0__
Sunday
kW difference from previous day:
26
__1__ __1__ __5__ __9__ __7__
Thursday
kW difference from previous day:
Wednesday
kW difference from previous day:
kW difference from previous day:
30
__1__ __1__ __6__ __2__ __7__
Saturday
28
__1__ __1__ __6__ __7__ __8__
kW difference from previous day:
56
__1__ __1__ __7__ __3__ __4__
Directions:
53
__1__ __1__ __7__ __8__ __7__
4. Read the dials on the meter for Monday – Sunday. Following the instructions, write
down the readings on this sheet. Instructions: if the dial is between two numbers,
choose the smaller number. If it’s between 9 and 0, choose 9.
5. Subtract the difference for each day. For example, subtract Monday’s meter
reading from Tuesdays, then Tuesdays from Wednesdays and so on. Write down
the difference in the space above each set of meters. These numbers represent
how many kilowatts of electricity were used each day
6. Note the differences between the numbers for Monday through Friday and the
numbers for Saturday and Sunday. Answer these questions:
Why are the numbers higher on Saturday and Sunday than on previous days?
What could the people living in the home do to reduce this difference?