In less than an hour, more than 100 South Jordan Elementary fourth-graders became “wattsmarter.”

At the “Be Wattsmart” assembly sponsored by Rocky Mountain Power and presented by National Energy Foundation educators, students explored energy, natural resources, circuits and renewable and nonrenewable resources, all tied to the fourth-grade science curriculum, said Patti Clark, National Energy Foundation senior program director.

“We teach kids about energy because we want them to realize their usage makes a difference,” she said. “We also teach them how they can be wise energy users.”

Through songs, hand movements and Bingo-style lingo game, students learned terminology interspersed with short educational videos.

“Energy is part of everything we do,” NEF energy educator Erika Banks said. “Everything at work or home requires energy and energy is the power to get things done. So, at the National Energy Foundation, we say energy is the ability to do work.”

Students discovered energy heats and cools homes, powers devices and comes in many forms.

Banks explained the two types of energy — potential and kinetic. 

“Potential energy is energy that’s stored and waiting to be released, like a girl holding back her arrow on her bow waiting to be released. There's kinetic energy, which is energy in motion or moving, so like an arrow that's traveling,” she said.

Students then rubbed their hands together to transform kinetic energy into thermal energy.

NEF energy educator Nancy Mann explained renewable (solar, geothermal, hydropower and wind power) and non-renewable resources (coal, natural gas, oil and nuclear), which are “very important to our energy needs. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.”

Banks said electricity is generated using both resource types.

 “Rocky Mountain Power generates electricity using 48% of coal, 22% is made using natural gas, and then 25% of it is made using a combination of those other renewable resources,” she said. 

Five percent is from other sources.

Students also made a “human circuit,” learning about conductors, insulators and safety tips, plus ways to save energy, such as using sunlight and cleaning dryer filters.

Fourth-grader Ayrabel Crawford said she learned about conserving resources.

“I'm going to tell my mom how LED lights use 80% less energy; I don't know if we have them yet,” she said. “We also can't leave the refrigerator door open and use all the energy, but to think what you want before you open it.”

Classmate Maverick Crockett learned not to touch wires without a protective coating.

“If the wires are cut and you touch it, it’ll hurt you,” he said. “We also should use smart lights and power strips. If we leave our devices plugged in, they’re still pulling Phantom Power.”

Maverick said he would tell his nanny, “Not to run the dishwasher with only 10 things, but to fill it before starting it. I want to share with my family how to be energy-efficient, so they can change to save energy and my parents will pay less.”

That’s the goal, said Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Jona Whitesides.

“Our school-to-home program, where kids can learn in school and then they take the information and share it with their parents how to save money,” he said.

This program travels across Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, reaching, 17,000 Utah fourth-graders at 200 schools, including nearby Brookwood and Butler elementaries.