Curated OER
Harnessing Solar Energy
Students discover the properties of light (radiant) energy from the sun by experimenting with solar collectors, cookers, and calculators. After a lecture/demo, students create their own solar collectors and test their efficiency.
Kenan Fellows
Ready, Set, Save on Solar Energy Technology!
Does your class have a bright future in the solar energy industry? Science scholars take an in-depth look at what's new in solar technology. After completing research into the solar industry, participants create and market a product in...
California Academy of Science
Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp
More than 100 cities around the world have shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Scholars investigate a city wanting to make this switch, but needs help determining how to make the shift. Groups consider all options,...
Curated OER
How Solar Cells Work
Middle schoolers create electricity. In this solar energy lesson, students role play how photovoltaic cells change sunlight into electricity. Middle schoolers discuss the experiment and create their own diagram of the...
Curated OER
Fueling Extreme Weather
First graders identify the different stages in the hydrologic cycle. To study earth science, they investigate how sunlight affects the earth's temperature. They also discuss how the sun's energy is transformed.
Curated OER
Solar Arrays for the Space Station
Students explore the challenges that are faced when transporting materials into space. They review the various forms of energy, including solar arrays, that are used on the International Space Station and how generating this energy calls...
Curated OER
Sun Friendly Homes
Students design and build a model solar energy home. For this technology lesson, students test the efficiency of their model houses by measuring temperature at regular intervals. They analyze data and share results with the class.
Curated OER
How Do Plants Grow?
Students investigate plant growth. In this plant growth lesson, students investigate what would happen to plants if they did not have water and sunlight. Students conduct experiments to determine what plants need. Students create a...
Curated OER
How Do We Explore Strange Environments?
Students identify and label the different parts of a robot, rover, or a spacecraft. They discuss and record all of the features their robot will need to accomplish its mission and be able to explain why they chose these features to...
Curated OER
Energy and the Environment: What Can We Do?
Students consider the impacts of global warming and brainstorm ways to help decrease their contribution to the problem. In this climate change lesson, students are exposed to facts concerning global warming and think of ways to...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Built Environment Post Lab (Energy)
Students study science. In this efficiency lesson, students explore different forms of energy and compare them to determine which works the best. They work independently to create a collage of different energy sources (using magazine...
Alliance Theater
The Jungle Book Post-Show STEAM Lesson
An ecosystem is really just the flow of energy through many different living organisms. A study of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book leads to an environmental science activity in which learners study how various factors can affect...
Curated OER
Greenewables
Students form expert engineering teams working for the (fictional) alternative energy consulting firm, Greenewables, Inc. Each team specializes in a form of renewable energy used to generate electrical power: passive solar, solar...
Curated OER
Plant Explorers
Young scholars investigate how plants take in water, nutrients, and light. They create artwork showing how plants survive in different environments.
Curated OER
Solar Cars
Students research the causes and effects of air pollution. Using the internet, they examine the specific effects of carbon dioxide on the environment and discover the benefits of using solar power. In groups, they build a model of a...
Curated OER
INFORMATION FLUENCY UNIT
Seventh graders, after defining/brainstorm the task, divide up into groups and are assigned to an alternative energy source (wind, solar, or water) to research. They complete a presentation with visuals on their findings from their...
Curated OER
Crops 2: What Plants Need to Grow
Students explore agriculture by participating in a plant growth activity. In this botany lesson plan, students discuss what types of plants grow in their local environment and what the plants need to survive. Students read assigned text...
Curated OER
Discovering Local Food Chains
Fourth graders study about food chains. With the assistance of a local biologist, Students hike the school trail system. They explore ecosystem and collect data by charting the organisms found and identifying the energy source. They...
Curated OER
Specialized for the Sea
Students use pictures and make a mural to investigate how ocean animals are adapted to certain parts of their environment.
Curated OER
Solar Cooking
Students create brochures focusing on one area of climate change that interests them. This lesson ends with a creative project building Earth Day solar cookers and having a class cookout.
Curated OER
Global Change- Earth as Home
Students create their own environment. In this environmental protection instructional activity, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.
Curated OER
Tropical Rainforests
Students create their own rainforest environment. This tropical rainforest lesson, introduces where rainforests are located, their real world connections, and their structural make up. It includes further resources online.
Curated OER
Does Dye Die? Foreign Chemicals in Our Environment
Young scholars conduct an experiment to observe photolysis in the lab. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the mechanism behind photolysis. They test the impact of a non-toxic marker to plant metabolism.
Curated OER
Activity 1: Please Pass the Energy, Food Webs in the Upper Ocean and Hydrothermal Vent Communities
Students create food webs for two different ocean communities. They are given cards showing organisms from the surface of the ocean. They arrange them in order of who eats whom. After this class activity, students create a food web for...