Caldecott Honorary artist, Molly Bang, wrote and illustrated My Light to show the paths of energy on our earth.
With her illustrations and use of the sun as the source of energy, she makes this subject quite accessible to elementary students. Her story demonstrates how the sun drives the natural processes (rain, wind, and plants) that are eventually converted into electricity to run our towns and cities. The book includes a more in depth look at the types of energy on the last few pages.
“The wires hum!
Electricity flows, pulsing, pulsing, pulsing my energy out to your towns and cities.”
“Swish! Swoosh!
The wind pushes blades of turbines round and round, spinning my energy to generators, which make electricity.
Electricity pours into copper wires and flows out to your towns and cities.”
Curriculum Connections
Use this book to facilitate lessons on how energy is passed from one source to another. It is a great opener for discussions on electricity and circuitry. Themes in this book correlate with Virginia SOLs 3.9, 4.3, 6.1 and 6.2.
Additional Resources
- The UK’s Science Museum has great web resources and activities. Look at Teachers Energy Key Points, and Activities for the Classroom for fun and informative activities like: Coin Battery, Electricity Scribbles, Conductors and Insulators, Path of Energy Dance, and Warning Words.
- Download a circuits and conductors activity called A Steady Hand Tester.
- My Light’s author, Molly Bang, created a website with more information on the types of energy.
- Use How Electricity Can Hurt You as a guide to go over safety tips with your students.
Book: My Light
Author/ Illustrator: Molly Bang
Publisher: The Blue Sky Press
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 33 pages
Grade Range: 1-5
ISBN: 043948961X