How Much Energy Does the Earth Receive from the Sun?

Super science learners examine the sun's production of energy by the process of nuclear fusion. Hands-on activities make this lesson engaging for middle schoolers. The lesson is made up of four parts. Part I is an introduction to the sun...

It takes less than 10 minutes for energy from the sun to travel 90 million miles to Earth! In the first installment in a series of four, groups measure the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth. They then discuss how this is...

Are you nuts? An engaging experiment burns nuts to find their kilocalories. Young chemists analyze at least two different types of nuts with their experimental results versus what is on the package. The resource offers a great lab for...

Why do athletes load up on carbohydrates the evening before a competition? The lesson helps answer this question as it relates the type of food to the amount of energy it contains. After a discussion, scholars perform an experiment to...

Get an up-close-and personal look at the sun from the safety of your classroom with this fun science application. Offering numerous activities, images, and videos, the resource supports children of all ages as they learn about the sun.

How much information can we process? How much information is stored inside us? These questions, and many more, inspired an inquisitive installment from a larger video series. From verbal and written language to DNA and computers,...

Middle schoolers discover the properties of light (radiant) energy from the sun by experimenting with solar collectors, cookers, and calculators. After a lecture/demo, students create their own solar collectors and test their efficiency.

Another fantastic lesson plan on energy is presented by the American Coal Foundation. This one focuses on electricity; how it is produced, how it is delivered, and how it is used. Some excellent handouts are embedded in this fine plan...

Energy from the sun travels millions of miles, and actually helps you move your thumb. Observe how reactions work together to release and consume energy, such as the power of a river grinding grains, which allows processes to occur. The...

Free energy, get your free energy here! Learners see that all organisms require free energy, which comes from the sun. The lesson explains the first two laws of thermodynamics and then analyzes metabolism, via glycolysis, on a very...