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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Solar Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
The solar energy industry in the United States added more jobs in 2015 than the oil and gas extraction and pipeline industries combined. With the field growing so rapidly, it's essential to understand what solar energy is and how it...
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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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The Green Education Foundation found that this lesson plan, written by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, is right up their alley when it comes to teaching sustainability. It is ideal as a first lesson plan on photovoltaic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Electricity ~ The Colour Sensitivity of a Photovoltaic Cell

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Teacher's notes, a materials list, detailed procedure, tips, and extension ideas are all included to make teaching this lesson on photovoltaic cells a sunny spot in your day! After some brief background reading, physical science...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Photoelectric Effect in Photocells

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Illuminate your physics class with this examination of a photovoltaic cell. Teach the structure and operation of the device using a diagram. Then make a human-powered, larger-than-life sized model of a PV cell. Learners become electrons...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Kit Lesson #15 - Solar-Powered Electrolysis of Water and the Hydrogen Economy

For Teachers 10th - 12th
An outstanding lesson awaits your physics fledglings! After reading about how hydrogen can act as an energy carrier, they examine the electrolysis of water using solar power. They test the gases produced for flammability and will...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Kit Lesson #3 Parts of a Solar Panel - Part I

For Teachers 4th - 6th
A solar cell is similar to a rechargeable battery in many ways. Science lab groups connect each in a series circuit to run a mini motor and then compare and contrast them by answering questions and completing a Venn diagram. This is an...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Photovoltaic Solutions "Shark-Tank Style"

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Come up with a great idea and change the world for the better. Working in groups of three, learners apply their knowledge of photovoltaic systems to design a battery-powered electric vehicle capable of replacing gas-powered cars. They...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Designing a Solar Charger

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
The sun can even charge batteries. The fourth of five lessons in the Solar Transportation unit has pupils design a charger that uses solar modules to charge a 12-volt lead-acid battery. They estimate the charge that accumulates and...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Can Portable PV Charge Vehicles?

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Take charge of learning about electric vehicles. Instructors first provide the class with information about PV modules and batteries. Learners then conduct an experiment where they connect PV modules in series and in parallel to...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Titanium Dioxide Solar Cell Construction and Testing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
There's raspberry juice in solar cells!? Scholars create and test a titanium dioxide raspberry solar cell in the seventh of 14 lessons in the Cost Effective Solar Cells unit. They coat glass slides with titanium dioxide to make their...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Copper Oxide Solar Cell Construction and Testing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Who knew some pieces of copper and some saltwater would be enough to generate electricity? The fifth of 14 lessons in the Cost Effective Solar Cells unit challenges scholars to create a solar cell. They take two copper sheets, use a hot...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Solar Energy Equity and Sustainability

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Generate some knowledge about generating electricity. Pupils first read several articles to learn about solar energy, its advantages and disadvantages, and advancements in technology related to solar cells. They then have a class...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Three Ways to Generate Electricity

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Get your hands on electricity. Pupils investigate magnetic fields and make the connection to generators in the fourth lesson in a series of six lessons on wind versus solar energy. Learners use a small electric motor as a generator to...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Solar Cells: Juice From Juice

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Unleash the power of ... blackberries! Science superstars create solar cells using the juice of berries or leaves of a citrus tree in an engaging lab. In addition to offering a plethora of resources, the teacher's guide gives background...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

The Engine of Life

For Teachers 5th - 11th Standards
There is a specific zone, or distance from a star, that a planet must be in order to have water in a liquid form. The activity demonstrates how flux density depends on its distance from the source. A photovoltaic cell gets power to drive...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Climate Zones

For Teachers 5th - 11th Standards
The climate at the equator is hotter than the climate at the poles, but why? The lesson goes in depth, explaining how the angles of illumination relate to the heating rate at different latitudes and seasons. Scholars use a strong lamp,...
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PPT
Science Geek

Electrochemistry

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Introduce redox reactions including how to identify and solve them. After reviewing the rules for assigning oxidation numbers, a presentation presents trends and vocabulary. Finally, it explains voltaic cells, electrolytic cells,...
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PPT
National Energy Education Development Project

Introduction to Solar Energy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
People have been using solar energy for many generations to dry crops, heat homes, and for light. This presentation explains how now it is possible to capture the solar energy and store it for future use, details how and where people use...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

Concentrating on the Sun with PVs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Concentrate to determine the best reflector design. Pairs use the engineering design process to build a reflector to increase the current output of a photovotaic panel. Teams arrive at a final design and present it to the class along...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Concentrated Solar Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The seventh segment in an eight-part unit promotes the idea of concentrating the sun to increase the power of a photovoltaic panel. Pupils learn about devices used such as reflectors or lenses.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Maximum Power Point

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Investigate the maximum power output of a photovoltaic panel with a lesson that introduces the class to the maximum power point. Individuals learn how to determine the maximum power point of a solar panel by using Ohm's law and the power...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

Ice, Ice, PV!

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Knowing the temperature coefficient allows for the calculation of voltage output at any temperature. Groups conduct an experiment to determine the effects of temperature on the power output of a solar panel. The teams alter the...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

The Temperature Effect

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How temperature affects the efficiency of a solar panel is the focus of the third in a series of eight resources that presents how engineers are able to control the temperatures of photovoltaic panels. Class members find out how the...