Activity
Other

Lincoln Public Schools: Applied Technology & Engineering: Solar Dragster Project [Pdf]

For Students 7th - 9th
In this activity, students must design and build a solar-powered car that can complete a 20-meter racetrack (66 ft.) in the shortest amount of time over flat terrain. They learn about solar energy and car designs, and test their...
Interactive
Concord Consortium

Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Solar Oven

For Students 3rd - 5th
Use the sun's energy to cook an egg? Design, build and test a solar oven. Activity gives a procedure to build oven as well as questions to answer. Questions can be saved and graded by instructor.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Engineering the Future of Solar Electricity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Part of a materials science engineering course, a project through which students investigate the future of solar electricity by creating prototypes of solar cells. Students complete exercises in "project planning, analysis, design,...
Website
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies: Renewable Sources: Solar

For Students 9th - 10th
Solar energy is an appealing alternative to conventional sources of energy because it produces no greenhouse gases. An overview of its advantages and disadvantages is presented here.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Alternative Energy Debate

For Teachers 9th - 10th
With a learning team, students choose an alternative energy source such as solar, wind, biofuel, geothermal or other form and research the pros and cons of that energy type. The team then splits into debate teams and draws straws to...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mn Step: Researching, Constructing, and Testing (Student Made) Solar Ovens

For Teachers 6th - 8th
For this science investigation, students will research models of solar ovens, choose one design, and create it. Once built, they will test it outside and record the internal temperature at intervals. Next, they are to change on variable...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Economics of Installing Solar Pv Panels: Is It Worth It to the Individual?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Help determine the financial calculations involved in an actual solar photovoltaic system installed Denver, Colorado in 2013.
Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Try Engineering: Solar Structures

For Teachers 9th - 10th
During this lesson plan, students will construct a passive solar house from everyday items then explore how the sun's energy is used to heat and cool it.
Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Try Engineering: Here Comes the Sun

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars work in teams to learn about solar panel design, simple circuits, and how solar energy is used to provide power to simple machines such as calculators.
Website
University of Wisconsin

The Why Files: Power Plants

For Students 9th - 10th
Photovoltaic technology is compared and contrasted to the natural phenomenon of photosynthesis. The means by which photocells harness solar energy is described and explained.
Website
University of Wisconsin

The Why Files: Super Solar Cells

For Students 9th - 10th
An understandable description of modern research that is currently being conducted to develop a more efficient photovoltaic (solar energy) cell. It also contains links to other pages on renewable energy sources.
Handout
Energy for Sustainable Development

Esd Bulgaria: Kids & Energy: Energy Facts

For Students 3rd - 5th
A collection of facts about energy use broken down into various topic areas, e.g., health impact of fossil fuels, transportation, energy consumption, alternative energies, etc.
Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Solar Radiation

For Students 9th - 10th
Almost all of the energy that drives the various systems (climate systems, ecosystems, hydrologic systems, etc.) found on the Earth originates from the sun. Solar energy is created at the core of the sun when hydrogen atoms are fused...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How to Fly Around the World Without Fuel

For Students 9th - 10th
Imagine if we could fly day and night using only solar energy. The expertly engineered Solar Impulse plane is flying around the world delivering a powerful message: clean technologies can achieve the seemingly impossible. Powered by a...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Solar Panels Work?

For Students 9th - 10th
The Earth intercepts a lot of solar power: 173,000 terawatts. That's 10,000 times more power than the planet's population uses. So is it possible that one day the world could be completely reliant on solar energy? Richard Komp examines...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Why Aren't We Only Using Solar Power?

For Students 9th - 10th
Solar power is cheaper and more sustainable than our current coal-fueled power plants, so why haven't we made the switch? The real culprits here are the clouds, which make solar power difficult to control. Alexandros George Charalambides...
Activity
PBS

Nova Teacher: Saved by the Sun: Classroom Activity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
During the lesson, students will also design, build and test a solar cooker that pasteurizes water.
Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: The Earth's Heat Budget

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students investigate the effects of distance and angle on the input of solar radiation at the Earth's surface, the role played by albedo, and the heat capacity of land and water.
Unit Plan
Other

Ypop: Using the Computer to Measure Sunspots

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site provides a tutorial on using computer image processing techniques to measure the size of sunspots and analyzing various phenomena visible in solar images. It also provides lesson plans for teachers to use in class.
Website
Other

Abc Da Energia

For Students 2nd - 5th
ABC Da Energia describes the many ways that energy can be obtained and conserved. It explains different sources of energy, how each works, and how energy can be saved in our daily lives. Interactive energy-saving activities and games...
Website
Other

Inta: Hechos Asombrosos

For Students 3rd - 8th
In Spanish. Could you provide an answer to each of the question presented on this page? First, write or draw the explanation to the question then reads the response on this website and then compare your answer with the given answer.
Activity
Other

Bsi Education: Alternative Energy

For Students 9th - 10th
The Applied Science resource consists of practical activities that demonstrate the importance of standard procedures in scientific work. Students examine alternative energy through a variety of activities. Some topics investigated are...
Interactive
Other

California Energy Commission: Games: Watt's That?! Jr.

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from California Energy Commission provides six different games about energy in which you may play by yourself or against an opponent to answer trivia questions.
Activity
Other

Terc: Catching Sunshine

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A hands-on challenge to build a solar collector to investigate how much the air temperature inside the collector goes up. Site includes information for teachers and students. Teachers page include time requirement, materials needed, the...