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Activity
Other

Terc: Chocolate Melt

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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,...
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Activity
Museum of Science

Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Activities: Solar Oven

For Students 3rd - 8th
Step-by-step instructions, with photos, of how to construct a solar oven using everyday materials.
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Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Energy, Light and Sound: Renewable Fuels

For Students 3rd - 5th
A slideshow and a short quiz on the different types of renewable energy sources.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Efmr Monitoring Group: Solar Energy [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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.
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Lesson Plan
US Department of Energy

Us Dept of Energy:mining Silicon Througha Single Displacement/redox Reaction

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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.
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Website
US Department of Energy

U.s. Department of Energy: Energy Sources: Solar

For Students 9th - 10th
The U.S. Department of Energy provides links pertaining to solar energy. Understand the current technologies and issues with this resource.
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Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: State Electricity on Google Earth: How Many Solar Panels Would It Take?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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...
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Article
NASA

Nasa: Climate Kids: Tower of Power

For Students 3rd - 8th
A quick tutorial which illustrates how mirrors and a solar energy tower harness the sun's energy for use.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Solar Energy and Latitude

For Students 5th - 6th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses the relationship between solar energy and latitude.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: What Is Energy? Short Demos

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Racing With the Sun Creating a Solar Car

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better?

For Teachers K - 1st
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...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Let the Sun Shine!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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....
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Heat Transfer

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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...
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Handout
Geography 4 kids

Geography4 Kids: Radiant Energy From the Sun

For Students 3rd - 8th
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...
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Soft Cell

For Teachers 7th
[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.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Solar Absorbers and the Future of Electricity

For Teachers 5th
[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.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Solar Solo

For Teachers 5th
[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.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Renewable Energy Resources

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What renewable energy resources are and examples of renewable energy resources.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Renewable vs Non Renewable Energy Resources

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Compare and contrasts renewable and non-renewable resources.
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Handout
Energy4Me

Energy4me: Solar Energy

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the history of solar energy, and how the energy is converted into usable electricity.
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Article
Scientific American

Scientific American: Why China Is Dominating the Solar Industry

For Students 9th - 10th
China has made enormous strides in the national costs of solar energy because of their own solar-electric industry.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Thermal Radiation

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How thermal energy is transferred by thermal radiation and sources of thermal radiation.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Solar Power

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How solar energy can be used and its consequences.