Curated OER
The Great Ocean Conveyor
Students investigate water density. In this water density lesson, students conduct an experiment with food coloring, water and salt to see how the salt effects bodies of water.
Curated OER
Jackie Gore
Students identify the amount of heat given off by solar energy. In this solar energy lesson, students complete an experiment using soil and sand measuring the heat from solar energy.
Curated OER
Deep Ocean Currents
Students observe the interactions of different temperatures of water using colored ice and a thermometer and then compare the results with global ocean current solar heating. They identify where floating ice would be found in the ocean,...
Curated OER
Here Comes the Sun: A Solar/Terrestrial Tutorial
Students explore the sun and its effects on the environment. In this solar studies lesson plan, students follow a web tutorial to gather information about the sun, the seasons, the equinoxes, and solar heating.
Curated OER
Sunlight and the Earth # T
Young scholars learn that convection of heat in the atmosphere is the cause of weather phenomena. They learn that water vapor also carries solar heat and plays an important role in atmospheric convection.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Build and Test a Model Solar House
A learning unit with instructions on how to build a cardboard model house, and explore the effectiveness of a furnace vs. solar heating. The unit is in PDF format.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Are You in Hot Water? Use Solar Energy to Heat Your Own Water
The goal of this science fair project is to build batch solar collectors from different colors of plastic bags and see which collector is the most efficient in heating water.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Zero Energy Housing
Students 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.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Solar Water Heater
Student teams design and build solar water heaters to capture energy in the form of solar radiation and convert it to thermal energy. Once the model devices are constructed, students perform efficiency calculations and compare designs.
University of Southern California
University of Southern California: Ocean Currents and Climate
The climate of our planet is greatly affected by Earth's oceans. Learn here about the different oceanic currents and the role those currents play on climate.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Let the Sun Shine!
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....
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Solar Energy: Background
A reference page on solar energy. Learn about solar energy, solar heating, solar radiation, and electromagnetic radiation. The page also describes the advantages and disadvantages to solar energy.
US Energy Information Administration
U.s. Eia: Energy Kids: Renewable Energy: Solar
This is a resource on solar energy, photovoltaic energy, solar thermal heat, solar thermal power plants and other forms of energy.
Michigan Reach Out
Solar S'mores
Students can make s'mores without using a bonfire. This experiment is great to use with the links "Materials that Absorb Solar Energy" and "A Solar Heat Experiment."
Other
Solar Cooking Archive
This website is brought to you by Solar Cookers International. You can view the site in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. Check out how to build different types of solar cookers.
Other
Warm Air: Solar Heating
Solar heating systems and their operation are described, and their benefits, both economic and environmental are discussed in detail.