Other
Terc: Chocolate Melt
A design challenge to build a solar cooker that will melt a chocolate chip quickly. Site includes both teacher and student links to help with the challenge. Information for teachers includes timeline, materials, link to standards,...
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Activities: Solar Oven
Step-by-step instructions, with photos, of how to construct a solar oven using everyday materials.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Energy, Light and Sound: Renewable Fuels
A slideshow and a short quiz on the different types of renewable energy sources.
Other
Efmr Monitoring Group: Solar Energy [Pdf]
This website consists of several teacher lesson plans centered on Solar Energy. This is includes activities for elementary, middle school, and high school students, targeted standards, and references for future research.
US Department of Energy
Us Dept of Energy:mining Silicon Througha Single Displacement/redox Reaction
Students will participate in a laboratory investigation that models the production of silicon. The activity investigates the sources, uses, properties, and importance in the fields of photovoltaics (solar cells/renewable energy) of silicon.
US Department of Energy
U.s. Department of Energy: Energy Sources: Solar
The U.S. Department of Energy provides links pertaining to solar energy. Understand the current technologies and issues with this resource.
Climate Literacy
Clean: State Electricity on Google Earth: How Many Solar Panels Would It Take?
This activity addresses the Energy Awareness Principle by having students calculate electricity use by state, and also determine how much land would be required to replace all sources of electricity with solar panels considering costs...
NASA
Nasa: Climate Kids: Tower of Power
A quick tutorial which illustrates how mirrors and a solar energy tower harness the sun's energy for use.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Solar Energy and Latitude
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses the relationship between solar energy and latitude.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What Is Energy? Short Demos
Three short, hands-on, in-class demos expand students' understand of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body burns food to make energy. Then, students create paper snake mobiles to explore how heat energy...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Racing With the Sun Creating a Solar Car
Students use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar powered car. Several options exist, though we recommend the "Junior Solar Sprint" (JSS) Car Kits that can be purchased with direction from the federal...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better?
Students test whether the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs. Students will place an ice cube in a box made of colored paper (one box per color; white, yellow, red and black), which they will place in the sun. The...
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....
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Heat Transfer
Learners explore heat transfer and energy efficiency using the context of energy efficient houses. They gain a solid understanding of the three types of heat transfer: radiation, convection and conduction, which are explained in detail...
Geography 4 kids
Geography4 Kids: Radiant Energy From the Sun
An introduction to radiant energy that offers a look at the different types of radiation from the sun, the radiation that actually hits Earth, and how the Sun's age will affect the radiation absorbed by Earth. Also, view NASA videos...
Read Works
Read Works: Soft Cell
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about solar cells being made of plastic. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Solar Absorbers and the Future of Electricity
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about solar panels being used to create electricity. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Solar Solo
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the invention of a solar powered airplane. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Renewable Energy Resources
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What renewable energy resources are and examples of renewable energy resources.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Renewable vs Non Renewable Energy Resources
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Compare and contrasts renewable and non-renewable resources.
Energy4Me
Energy4me: Solar Energy
Learn about the history of solar energy, and how the energy is converted into usable electricity.
Scientific American
Scientific American: Why China Is Dominating the Solar Industry
China has made enormous strides in the national costs of solar energy because of their own solar-electric industry.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Thermal Radiation
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How thermal energy is transferred by thermal radiation and sources of thermal radiation.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Solar Power
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How solar energy can be used and its consequences.