A delightful collection of rhythm and rhyme tales

A delightful collection
of rhythm and rhyme tales
Designed by Eskom to teach young children about electricity savings
Parental
Guide
We all know that electricity saving
is vital to help conserve our precious
resources. Ruby and the Powerpals was
created by Eskom to answer an urgent
need to teach young children about
electricity savings in the most creative
way possible, as early as possible –
through love of reading and the heard
word. Research has shown that the earlier
lessons like these are absorbed, the more
effective the life-long learning will be.
This charming picture book introduces
children to Ruby, a sweet little girl who
learns about ways to save electricity
by engaging with animated appliances
in her home. The stories take place in
different situations that affect her
awareness and her behaviour as she
uses her imagination and intelligence
to absorb the messages. Each story
reveals a simple way to save electricity
and frames it within Ruby's experience.
The messages are presented in four
delightful rhythm and rhyme tales in
picture and verse.
Parents and teachers can read the book
aloud to children to expand their literacy
and comprehension. In time, the children
will be able to recite the book, retain
the messages and begin reading it for
themselves.
By introducing this book as a bedtime
story, classroom reading and a first
reader, electricity awareness can be
embedded at an age early enough to
make behavioural change a consistent
and important part of their lives.
The night Laaitie
called it a day
Ruby’s energy
savings tip
Everyone should
switch off lights when
they are not needed.
Never leave a room
with lights on when
there's nobody there.
This will become a
life-long habit.
Ruby Gets Into
Hot Water
Ruby’s energy savings tip
Filling baths up to the brim means that
more electricity will be used to heat the
water in the geyser. It is better to shower
because it uses less hot water. If you have to
bath, use only enough hot water and don't
allow children to sit in the bath for long
periods. Topping up baths that have gone
cold with more hot water, is wasteful.
Freddie the Fridge
has a meltdown
The One Note of
TiNiRiMote
Ruby’s energy savings tip
Ruby’s energy savings tip
Opening the fridge doors for long periods of time
results in the cold air inside the fridge escaping,
so the fridge motor has to work harder to cool
the air inside again. It takes more electricity to
get the fridge down to the correct temperature.
Encourage your children to think before they
open the fridge, take what they need and then
close it quickly to save electricity.
Leaving appliances on standby uses up to 50% of
the power they would have used if the appliance
were operational. Parents should never allow
children to unplug appliances, as children are not
allowed to work with electricity. Children can be
asked to switch TVs off at the button on the TV
itself instead of using the remote to put the TV
on standby.
Credits
Published by Eskom 2014
Copyright © Eskom 2014
All rights reserved
ISBN Number 978-0-620-61633-1
Written by Lynn Joffe
Illustrations by Loveburd Design
Musical direction by Adam Howard
Music production by Adlib Children’s Musical Productions
Project produced by Creatrix
A delightful collection of rhythm and rhyme tales.
The night Laaitie called it a day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Ruby gets into hot water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Freddie the Fridge has a meltdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The one note of TiNiRiMote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25