solar lessons overview

The Big Idea- Students will ask questions, make observations, record data, make inferences, and eventually write conclusions about a variety of experiences with sunlight. The teacher and students together will extend this process as far as time, talent, and inclination allow. It's important that students use some basic science vocabulary to describe the understandings they are constructing, and that this specialized vocabulary and descriptions of their experiences are used to write about what they believe they learned. Applied Science is the intention, and kids should really be reinforced in the idea that they are exploring properties of sunlight so that they can help solve some of the world's energy problems by learning to convert that energy into "work".... in this case cooking some s'mores for themselves.

Important Note- These lessons can (and do) go off into all kinds of extensions, web research, art, geometry and graphing units, as well as the yearlong theme of energy in earth systems (light, photosynthesis>food, and then the thermal powers that drive geologic processes).

The lessons described here are kept to simple minimums, with some ideas noted in extensions. Please, feel free to e-mail me for discussion of additional resources, tips, and shared extensions.

Lesson #1 is not mandatory, but it's a great way to introduce the unit, and gets kids excited about making science observation "24/7". It requires pre-ordering Ultraviolet-Sensitive (UV) beads. There are several places that sell online and deliver quickly..... it's cheap and satisfying science.
(Here's one good resource I use.. also for lesson #4)

Lesson #2 is useful & important..... students make small insulated "houses" out of paper, and learn key elements of scientific experimentation as they explore the question "Does light change into heat?"

Lesson #3 is important to bring out existing experiences and assumptions students have about mirrors and other light reflective surfaces, and to have them practice how to direct light energy where they want it to be used.

Lesson #4 is also not mandatory, but making spectroscopes is a good hands-on way to explore how white light can be divided into different wavelengths of different color. This is a lesson that some teachers may want to extend into more of the science and art of color.

Lesson #5- Students focus light to concentrate the energy where they want it. Yes, they use magnifying lenses to burn something.... in this case their names or initials onto paper or a leaf.

Lesson #6- This lesson will take up to 5 days depending on how you team, and what work is done at home. Students do online reasearch of solar ovens and adapt a design to their own construction. Testing for a "hot spot" involves some geometric thinking, measurement, and trial & error. The culminating activity is to cook s'mores.

Lesson #7 Writing & Assessment- Time needed will depend on the baseline writing skills of your students, but the minimum format outlined here is to teach them a "template" for a 3-5 paragraph expository essay in response to a writing prompt about solar energy.