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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Black Carbon - a Dusty Situation

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Introduce your young meteorologists to black carbon produced by the burning of fossil fuels by showing the video, "Changing Planet: Black Carbon." Viewers discover that deposition of this carbon on polar ice impacts the absorption of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Energy Connection

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners conduct solar experiments. They calculate the solar gain and operate a solar cell devise used to generate electricity. Students compare and contrast solar energy gain with learners in India. They analyze the difference...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring Solar Energy

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students study solar energy and how to measure it.  In this energy sources lesson students complete a lab, obtain data and use that to convert surface temperature to energy. 
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Activity
Genesis Energy

Harnessing Solar Energy

For Teachers 1st - 8th Standards
How does additional daylight hours affect people and nature? With the help from the legend Maui and the Sun and a grand conversation, scholars complete a graphic organizer to distinguish between the positive and negative effects that...
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Unit Plan
Government of South Australia

Don't Waste Your Energy

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Don't lift another finger, this physical and environmental science unit has everything you need to begin teaching your class about energy. Starting with a look at the greenhouse effect, these lessons and activities take young scientists...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cooking With Solar

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Identify how solar energy generates thermal energy by constructing solar cookers with your students. They will evaluate the factors that affect efficiency and the lesson can be adapted to capture data in a variety of ways.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

NIGHT AND DAY: DAILY CYCLES IN SOLAR RADIATION

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine how Earth's rotation causes daily cycles in solar energy using a microset of satellite data to investigate the Earth's daily radiation budget and locating map locations using latitude and longitude coordinates.
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Earth’s Energy Budget - Seasonal Cycles

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Earth's energy budget should be in the red. Young researchers review satellite data in a presentation to study Earth's solar radiation. They make both qualitative and quantitative observations about variations in available seasonal...
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Lesson Plan
US Department of Energy

Effects of Solar Radiation on Land and Sea

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Earth science enthusiasts experiment to compare the heating rates of soil and water. They relate their findings to the weather conditions near bodies of water. Consider also having middle schoolers measure the cooling rates to...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Solar Energy

For Students 8th - 10th
In this solar energy worksheet, students read about the uses of solar energy, the benefits and the costs. They answer four critical thinking questions about solar energy.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Solar Cells Work: Converting Sunlight to Electricity

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners examine how to convert sunlight to electricity.  In this renewable energy sources lesson plan students explain how solar cells are used and use a voltmeter to measure the energy produced by a solar panel.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering The Power Of Sunlight

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in a lesson that looks at the potential for energy from sunlight. Students conduct research from a variety of resources and construct an object that is used to measure the energy of sunlight and calculate the amounts...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Energy Experiment

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students observe solar energy at work. In this science lesson plan, students watch two bottles, painted black and white, sit in the heat with balloons on the mouth of the bottles. They observe and discuss why the balloon of the black...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Solar Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Elementary schoolers discover how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings. They take a close look at some of the materials used: sand, salt, water, and shredded paper and evaluate the efficiency of each material. An incredible...
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Worksheet
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Curated OER

The Reasons for the Seasons

For Students 7th - 10th
Young scientists use a globe and a light to simulate the rotation of the earth and sun to show the seasons. Additionally, they simulate direct sunlight and indirect sunlight showing intensity of the sun, and answer questions based on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Olympic Solar Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students use cardboard and aluminum foil to construct a solar oven that concentrates enough sunlight to cook a hotdog. They review the history and use of solar energy in relation to the Olympics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar History

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Using the sun's light as a source of energy is not a new concept. Give your environmental studies, engineering, or physical science class this list of how humans have used solar energy throughout history. Assign groups a certain time...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Hot Box

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students investigate how different colors and materials create various temperatures and apply this it the concept of solar energy.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Kit Lesson #1 - Solar Cell Inquiry

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Junior Solar Sprint Series: Electrical Power

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Go Solar or Not to Go Solar!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers imagine that they are on a panel to consider if a solar energy system would be advantageous to a new school as it is being built. They read the included handout and then each play a role as a participant in a community...
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Worksheet
Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Investigation: Making a PV Cell

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Rise and shine! Class members collaborate to construct a photovoltaic solar cell with two semiconductor layers, as guided by this fabulous lab sheet. They test its output with an ammeter or galvanometer. 
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Activity
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NOAA

The Climate Team: Make a Solar Heat Engine

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Learners investigate how solar energy is converted into heat in part two of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series. They build and test homemade solar cookers to boil water and cook rice. Pupils consider the impact of heat...
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Lab Resource
Colorado State University

How Can I Turn a Solar Oven into a Refrigerator?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Whether you want to heat things up in science class or cool things down a bit, an intriguing lab's got you covered! Science scholars explore the principles of thermodynamics using a solar oven, then change the conditions to turn their...

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