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Solar Kit Lesson #13 - Solarize a Toy
Physical science or technology classes will be invigorated by this challenge: to convert a toy, game, or other device to run on solar power. In doing so, they will design the appropriate solar arrays. This is an A+ lesson, complete with...
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Solar Kit Lesson #8 - Positioning Solar Panels II: Explorations with Stationary Panels
This lesson plan is preparation-intensive, but well worth the investment. You will construct five or six portable testing stations with which lab groups will gather data on the best position for collecting sunlight with a solar panel....
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Solar Kit Lesson #1 - Solar Cell Inquiry
Give youngsters the components of a solar-powered electric circuit and turn them loose to figure out how to connect them in order for a light to shine or motor to turn. They compare energy output of a solar panel to that of a battery. On...
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Leaves: All-Natural Solar Collectors
Take a good look at tree leaves and notice the adaptations for collecting solar energy. Pupils trace the margins of five different leaves onto graph paper and count the number of squares covered. They then relate this infomation to the...
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Heating and Cooling a Really Large Lizard
Remind your middle school scientists how fox ear size varies depending on the climate they live in; large ears allow heat loss while small ears keep heat in. Discuss how a cold-blooded animal might try to regulate body temperature. Then...
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Solar Car Series: during What Part of the Day Can the Most Sun Power Be Collected?
In preparation for solar car races, middle schoolers attempt to discover what time of day the most solar energy can be collected. Begin by demonstrating the use of a voltmeter for measuring solar cell output. Take them outdoors to take...
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Solar Car Series: Angle/Energy Amount
Does the angle of a solar panel change the output? Emerging engineers find out! Demonstrate for your class how they can angle a straw to match the angle of light rays coming from a source. Then turn them loose to experiment with the...
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The Chemistry of Refining Crude Oil
Consider our energy sources: wood, coal, oil, uranium. Learners compare the pollution to energy produced for each. They practice fractional distillation of an alcohol/water mixture to simulate the process of refining crude oil....
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Junior Solar Sprint Series: Electrical Power
Through scientific inquiry, middle schoolers discover how to arrange solar cells in order to produce electricity. This activity is intended to prepare learners to be able to design and construct solar cars. As with other resources...
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Energy Resources: Where Are They and How Do We Get Them?
Future energy engineers visit several stations, each one dedicated to a different alternative source of energy. They describe how solar energy is converted into other forms of energy, the patterns of distribution of energy resources in...
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Junior Solar Sprint Series: Gears and Drive Belts
Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background information...
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The Sun: Earth's External Heat Engine - Part 1 of the Astronomy Model
Designed by School Power...NaturallySM, this lesson familiarizes advanced earth science and physics learners about the variables that affect our supply of solar energy. They examine gas spectra and perform calculations. There is an...
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AP: Chapter 54: Ecosystems
A lot of learning is packed into these 23 questions about ecosystems. Advanced biology classes apply their knowledge of communities, productivity, biogeochemical cycles, and human impact on the environment by writing short answers for...
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Science Concept Maps
A collection of concept maps has some terms filled in and others left blank for young scientists to fill in. This library can provide you with many pop quizzes for all of your middle to high school science curriculum.
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Tic Tac KNOW: Heat and Light
This is a very developed interactive tic-tac-toe game, with 29 separate game slides. To place a mark on the grid, learners must answer a question correctly. When the grid place is selected the energy, heat and light questions appear on...
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Conservation of Energy
Fifth graders examine their use of energy over a certain time period. They come up with a plan to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. Groups of learners complete a chart with three columns; energy-using events, the form...
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Energy, Matter, and Organization
Tenth graders review the Energy, Matter, and Organization unit. They have one week to complete an essay. Students must submit a concept map or drawing. The activity is introduces by reading a short story line which presents a simple...
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Energy Balance 101 - Setting a Smart Goal
Help your pupils learn how to set realistic attainable goals. This activity helps them practice how to write a specific goal that is measurable. Of course, the topic here is energy in and energy out. We all need help setting goals in a...
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Energy Balance 101 - Do More, Do Enough, Do Less Cards
Young learners can cut out physical activity words (provided) and paste them on a graphic organizer chart. They do this in order to set goals for three days of activity. Sixty minutes seems like a lot of activity in one day, but if it's...
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Energy Balance 101 - My Energy In and Energy Out
Calories in, calories out; energy balance is what it's all about. Unfortunately in today's world, too many people are overweight because they are out of balance. They consume too many calories and don't burn enough calories. Use this...
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Note-Taking: K.I.S.S. "Keep It Short and Simple"
Note-taking is an essential study skill, and it needs to be taught! In the context of a research project on energy sources, learners find multiple sources, evaluating, paraphrasing, and citing them correctly. Two lists with note-taking...
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Fueling Body Activities - Digestion
Not only is the human digestive system covered in this biology worksheet, learners will also explore the digestive process of other animals. The 30 short-answer questions address modes of heterotrophic nutrition, the function of each...
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Metabolism and Enzymes
Sketch the ATP cycle, label a diagram of the catalytic enzyme cycle, and write short answers to questions about the enzymes involved in human metabolism. This worksheet puts AP biology learners to the test. Assign it as a review homework...
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Energy and Metabolism
This four-page worksheet queries young biologists about the process of metabolism in the human body. They describe types of energy, laws of thermodynamics, and chemical reactions related to the processing of energy. Plenty of space is...