Website
Nine Planets

The Eight Planets: The Sun Solar Wind

For Students 9th - 10th
This Eight Planets site briefly describes solar wind, a low density stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun. It also provides the basics on the sun's composition and additional sun links.
Handout
Harvard University

Harvard University: The Sun

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes a brief history of the sun's development and its future. Also provides simple statistics, solar activities, and references.
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Radiation and Energy

For Students 6th - 8th
A brief introduction to the nature of the sun's electromagnetic radiation. [25 secs]
Handout
Oklahoma Mesonet

Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Overview of Radiation

For Students 9th - 10th
This site details what radiation is, the physics of radiation, and radiative transfer as it occurs in nature. Content explores the electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic waves, properties of radiation, and solar radiation.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Interior of the Sun

For Students 9th - 10th
Identify the layers of the Sun's interior. [Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.]
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Outer Layers of the Sun

For Students 9th - 10th
Identify the outer layers of the sun. [Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.]
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Warm in the Sun

For Students 3rd - 5th
Do you think natural materials also heat up in the sun, or only man-made materials? Do this activity to find out.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Imagine the Universe: The Sun

For Students 3rd - 8th
Site discusses the regions of the Sun's atmosphere such as the Photosphere, Chromosphere, and Corona. Provides sources for educators as well as additional links for students.
Website
NOAA

Noaa: National Weather Service: The Sun and Its Effect on the Earth [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
The Space Environment Center (SEC) put together a slide show for use by teachers on Space weather. Begin with discussing solar emission and the sun itself. Then end with a summary of climatic effects of space weather, and a note on space...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Cooking With the Sun Creating a Solar Oven

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
For this activity, students will be given a set of materials: cardboard, a set of insulating materials (i.e. foam, newspaper, etc.), aluminum foil, and Plexiglas. Students will then become engineers in building a solar oven from the...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Using Heat From the Sun

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
In this lesson plan, students will first discuss where energy comes from, including sources such as fossil fuels, nuclear, and such renewable technologies as solar. After this initial exploration, students will investigate the three main...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Cooking With the Sun

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about using renewable energy from the Sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. They explore the concepts of insulation, reflection, absorption, conduction and...
Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: Earth's Albedo

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This engaging activity introduces students to the concept of albedo and how it relates to Earth's energy balance. They measure the albedo using maps, data tables, and a shaker filled with popcorn kernels. Then, they estimate the Earth's...
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Radiation and Energy: Lesson 2

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson discusses the light spectrum and its influence on living things. It is 2 of 3 in the series titled "Radiation and Energy."
Website
Other

The Virtual Sun

For Students 6th - 8th
This site features a virtual tour of the sun. Expect to learn facts concerning the sun's characteristics, influences, and lifespan with excellent illustrations and multi-media.
Handout
Geography 4 kids

Geography4 Kids: Radiant Energy From the Sun

For Students 3rd - 8th
An introduction to radiant energy that offers a look at the different types of radiation from the sun, the radiation that actually hits Earth, and how the Sun's age will affect the radiation absorbed by Earth. Also, view NASA videos...
Unit Plan
NASA

Nasa: World Book at Nasa: Sun

For Students 9th - 10th
World Book Encyclopedia article, hosted by NASA, covers key details about the sun, incuding size, composition, radiations, rotation, vibration, magnetic fields, zones of the sun, solar wind, sun spots, and related topics.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Atmospheric Processes: Radiation

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students investigate how different surfaces absorb heat and apply their experience with the surfaces to interpret real-world situations. From this information, they come to understand that the physical characteristics...
Handout
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab: The Sun

For Students 9th - 10th
This page provides a brief discussion of the sun and its energy flow.
Website
US Environmental Protection Agency

Epa: Health Effects of Overexposure of the Sun [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the major health problems linked to overexposure to UV radiation: skin cancer (melanoma and nonmelanoma), premature aging of the skin and other skin problems, cataracts and other eye damage,...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Understanding Solar Energy. Part 1

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson discusses how electromagnetic radiation transfer the sun's energy to earth. This lesson will also talk about the eight types of electromagnetic waves in the electromagnetic spectrum and how each type is used or found in our...
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Temperature Heat and the Sun

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson students are introduced to temperature, heat and solar radiation. Students learn the methods of measuring and converting temperature between different units and identifying factors which...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Let the Sun Shine!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn how the sun can be used for energy. They learn about passive solar heating, lighting and cooking, and active solar engineering technologies (such as photovoltaic arrays and concentrating mirrors) that generate electricity....
Unit Plan
NASA

Nasa: Effect of the Sun's Energy on the Ocean and Atmosphere

For Students 9th - 10th
A project based lesson where students' mission is to conduct a series of tasks that enable them to audit Earth's energy budget and help answer a number of science questions.