solar unit resources

Solar Energy Links to information & Materials

Resources for Basic lessons in Unit

-Ultraviolet Light...using Solar Beads
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/SolarBead_PriElem.pdf
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/SolarBeadsPrimaryDec2002.pdf

Rainbow Symphony's Light & Color Tutorial costs between $20-25, and along with teacher demo materials (diffraction and polarizing materials, colored gel filters) the interactive CD is chock full of all the information about light and color you will need, along with interactive segments you can show on projector for whole class discussion, as well as additional labs and building projects. Buy it!

Diffraction grating lesson- whole class+ materials for UV beads, spectroscopes, other light stuff
http://www.rainbowsymphony.com/teacher-lesson.htm

Simple worksheet to build spectroscope

"Hot water and warm homes from sunlight"-Highly recommend to purchase this unit, has great hands-on, math-science integration, solar cooker plans, light, color.... it's great!
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/gems/GEM190.html
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/gems/GEMSpubs.html

Simple template for solar house-Light to heat experiment

Solar Ovens-I love this website... if you only use one site for plans and views of how solar cooking is being used worldwide... this is it!
http://solarcooking.org/

Resources to really extend research, online interaction, and background reading for teacher/students

Florida State Energy Center. There are curriculum units for different grade spans. This link is for a 6th-8th unit, and has great info, a glossary, and resources. Check it out!
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/ed/sm3/index.htm

Sunsite Funsite- Animation & vocabulary rich site by Tucson Energy.
http://www.tep.com/Community/EducationalServices/solar/frameset.htm
http://www.energy.gov/foreducators.htm
/U.S. Dept. of Energy solar page
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar

*A well developed solar cooking unit, ready to print, with recipes!
http://www.rebuild.org/attachments/solutioncenter/gs_pdf/MIDDLE/M-B17.pdf

*good inquiry activities for heat,light, cooking... from Newton's Apple
http://www.rebuild.org/attachments/solutioncenter/gs_pdf/MIDDLE/M-A26.pdf

useful Energy Department activities for students(pdf sheets for printing)
-Solar collector
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/SolarCollectorElementaryActivity.pdf
-Exploring Light-angle of reflection
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/ElemActivity.pdf

>>>Solar Cooked Hot Dog- This looks like a real good one!Could build this for activity #1- Light into Heat?, then adjust to improve heat gathering and reuse for cooking.

Great page for teacher or students to try out variety of light experiments
http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/light/cd_spectroscope/spectroscope.html

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/SolarCookingIntermediateActivity.pdf
http://www.azsolarcenter.com/education-students.html

http://www.azsolarcenter.com/videos.html
These are online/downloadable videos, average 3 minutes, and can be used for whole class discussion.

http://www.solar-world.com/Educational.htm
Cool materials and kits in the $20-50 range.... including solar bottle boats... recycled bottles, solar cell, propellor... fun ideaa!

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/
California Energy commission page for kids to learn, ask questions, have fun.

Extending learning about different alternative energy sources
This has fact sheets, flashcards, etc.
http://www.rebuild.org/attachments/solutioncenter/gs_pdf/MIDDLE/M10.pdf

Mr. Hand's 8th Grade Science Site - Energy Section - Some great stuff for kids from an 8th grade science teacher at Mansfield Middle School in Storrs, Connecticut.(It's great when teachers share!)
http://www.mansfieldct.org/schools/mms/staff/hand/heattemp1.htm