Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Get Something for Nothing: Free Power From the Sun!
Taking advantage of free energy can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which are harmful to our environment. In this science fair project, you will work with a solar panel, which is a collector of free energy, and investigate how...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Solar Speedway
Solar power is hot these days. Gleaming, black solar panels soak up rays on more and more rooftops of homes and businesses providing a clean, alternative source of heat and electricity. You might guess that different times of the day...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Now You're Cooking!
Here is a project that uses direct solar power, gathering the sun's rays for heating and sterilizing water or cooking. It's a low-cost technology that seems to have everything going for it. Use this project to find out if it works, and...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Cold Room? Heat It Up With a Homemade Solar Air Heater
Humans need food, water, and warm shelter to survive. But a lot of humans depend on fossil fuels to supply gas and electricity to heat our homes. But burning fossil fuels to create energy is harmful to the environment. In this science...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Solar Racing
This is an extensive project in designing and building a solar-powered car model. Middle schoolers must make detailed calculations and design decisions about wheel size, gear ratio, how to get the most energy from the sun, air drag,...
Creative Science Centre
Creative Science Centre: Solar Heaters and Other Parabolic Devices
Parabolic mirror surfaces are found wherever energy needs to be focused efficiently and accurately. You find them built into car headlights, spotlights, as well as astronomical telescopes. Here we explore the parabola in the design of...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Global Atmospheric Change
A teaching guide with eleven lessons on the atmosphere, and the impact that different kinds of energy have on the atmosphere and ecological systems. The unit and accompanying PowerPoint can both be downloaded.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Finding the Carbon in Sugar
Students learn that fossil fuels release energy when they are burned, and this takes the forms of light, heat, gases, etc. For this lesson they explore combustion with a candle and with sugar. The lesson and accompanying PowerPoint can...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Rainbow in the Room
Students investigate the properties of visible light and the sequence of colors in the spectrum using light shone through water and prisms. The lesson and accompanying slideshow can both be downloaded.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Using Heat From the Sun
Students investigate how solar energy can be harnessed to heat water. The lesson and accompanying PowerPoint can both be downloaded, and the student handout is provided in both English and Spanish.
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Energy: Solar Power
Explains what solar power is, how it is produced, its limitations as an alternative energy source, environmental issues, the importance of analyzing solar power systems on an ongoing basis, and geographical considerations. (Published:...
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Photovoltaics
Article explaining what photovoltaic cells are, their role in solar energy, how they work, how electricity is produced, and applications of this technology. (Published: April 24, 2010)
Climate Literacy
Clean: Zero Energy Housing
Young scholars investigate passive solar building design with a focus solely on heating. Then they design and build their own model houses, and test them for thermal gains and losses during a simulated day and night.
Other
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: The Energy Report: Solar Energy [Pdf]
Chapter 10 of a report on the energy industry in Texas. It examines solar energy, its history, and how it is used. The solar power industry in Texas is described, its economic importance, methods of producing it, and how it is...
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Canada Science and Technology Museum: Background Information for Energy
Energy! What do you know about it? Use this terrific site to find out everything about it through a series of Q&As. Educators will find useful lesson plans at the related Teacher's site.
US Department of Energy
Need Project: Solar Oven [Pdf]
An introduction and activity to engage young scholars in building a solar oven.
DOGO Media
Dogo News: Peek Inside the World's First Carbon Neutral City
A new kind of city is being built in the Arab desert. Read about the unique engineering that is creating Masdar, a "city of the future" which doesn't use fossil fuels.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Geology Resources
In this interactive tutorial you will learn about geological resources. Learn what the types of resources are and concentrate on learning about mineral resources and how they are obtained and used, and then about energy resources and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy Sources Research
Fact sheets are provided for several different energy resources as a starting point for students to conduct literature research on the way these systems work and their various pros and cons. Students complete a worksheet for homework or...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy Systems
Posters are provided for several different energy conversion systems. Students are provided with cards that give the name and a description of each of the components in an energy system. They match these with the figures on the diagram....
Other
Pembina Institute: Renewable Energy Lesson Plans
There are a variety of lesson plans here on solar and wind energy, and on sustainable transportation.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Renewable Energy Living Lab: The Bright Idea
Students use real-world data to evaluate the feasibility of solar energy and other renewable energy sources in different U.S. locations. Working in small groups, students act as engineers evaluating the suitability of installing solar...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Renewable Energy Living Lab: Energy Priorities
Students analyze real-world data for five types of renewable energy, as found on the online Renewable Energy Living Lab. They identify the best and worst locations for production of each form of renewable energy, and then make...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Renewable Energy Living Lab: Power Your School
Students use real-world data to calculate the potential for solar and wind energy generation at their school location. After examining maps and analyzing data from the online Renewable Energy Living Lab, they write recommendations as to...