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...

The sun will continue to rise in the east and set in the west, no matter what. The first lesson plan in a series of eight introduces the class to solar angles. It makes connections between a person's latitude and the angle of position of...

Here's an exciting and innovative lesson that's sure to get your charges fired up! In it, they use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar powered car. One caveat: the kits that each group needs to make their...

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...

Weather — there's more to it than meets the eye of the storm. With this resource young meteorologists learn about the basics of weather, including information about the factors that influence the weather, common weather vocabulary,...

Learners examine fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable fuels. They study investigate types of heat transfer such as convection, conduction, and radiation. They complete crossword puzzles based on the vocabulary. They design, construct and...

Students research the solar cycle. In this Science lesson, students use the internet to investigate the solar cycle. Students produce a spreadsheet and graph from the information collected.

Learners explore the solar system. In this space science lesson, students take notes on the solar system provided by their instructors. Learners then collaborate to design a computer-generated drawing of the solar system.

Make sure your house is warm in the winter. Pupils analyze graphs of heating costs for two similar houses and make hypotheses for why the costs differ. They then build models of houses with appropriate insulation to reduce heating costs.

Students observe the cracks in school walls and pavements. In this geometry lesson, students explore the factors to be considered before building a structure. They complete a graphing and calculation worksheet after the lesson.

Students observe how math is important in navigation and engineering. They study how surveyors use math and science to calcute, count, measure, label, and indicate distances on a map. They estimate specific distances.

Fourth graders discover time keeping by analyzing technological advances in history.  In this time lesson, 4th graders create and complete a KWL chart based on their research of a famous timekeeping invention, such as a sundial....

Students use a purchased kit to build a solar powered car. They connect a solar photovoltaic panel to a motor which runs the car forward and backward. They determine how to wire the car to move in both directions.

First graders use Kidspiration software to practice putting pictures on screen in a straight line. They examine pictures of suns and clouds and create as many different combinations of seven from pictures that they can.

Pupils explore concept of current in electrical circuits. They examine how energy from the sun can be used to power everyday items, including vehicles.

Students complete a science experiment to study insulation, heat transfer, and permafrost. In this permafrost study instructional activity, students design and test a soda insulator. Students graph their class data and discuss the...

Students investigate Hohmann orbit transfers using cardboard and string while focusing on the orbits of Earth and Mars. They look at the planets orbits around the sun and transfer orbit form one planet to another to determine what a...

Students explore the concept of ellipses including finding the center, vertices's, foci and eccentricity. They assess how to graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses. This assignment is to be completed...

Students examine themselves as being part of a global community. In this global community instructional activity, students investigate GPS systems. Students gain knowledge on how the device works. Students discover that satellites...

Students study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.

Students explore wind energy by making a pinwheel to model a wind turbine. They experiment with their turbine by placing it in different locations for optimal energy.

Students examine how they use and waste natural resources. They participate in a class discussion about natural resources, in small groups complete a worksheet identifying ways students misuse natural resources, and create an...