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Harnessing the Sun’s Energy with Solar Panels

  • Difficulty: Grade 6-8
  • Time: 45-60 mins
  • Categories: Renewable Energy

In this lesson, students will learn how energy from the sun can be harnessed with solar panels to create a renewable source of energy. In the ‘Take Action’ section of this lesson, students will build a solar panel prototype that can sense and track the position of the sun in order to find the most optimal light source for power generation.

Get Started

What this lesson includes

  • Lesson Content

    Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy

  • Real-World Example

    Solar Sister

  • Coding Tutorial

    Block-based

  • Assessment

    Triangulated Assessment Options

Educator Resources

Looking for  more educator resources

Overview Accordion

Learning Goals

  • Describe how solar panels work
  • List the benefits of solar power over non-renewable energy sources
  • Build solar panel prototype that:
    • detects light level in the environment
    • moves throughout the day to ensure maximum light exposure and efficiency

Preparation Accordion

Prerequisites

Students should have a basic understanding of how the Earth’s rotation around its axis impacts the apparent movement of the sun from east to west.

Materials

Get to Know the Content

  1. Make sure you've completed our 'Getting Started with the Climate Action Kit' course
  2. If it has been awhile, review the kit components featured in this lesson:
  3. Review the lesson

Activity Accordion

Big Idea (15 minutes)

Learn how solar panels work and the benefits they have over alternative methods of electricity generation.

Take Action (45 minutes)

Build your own solar panel prototype with the Climate Action Kit!

We've provided 3 ways students may build the project to support scaffolding and differentiation in your classroom: 'Use', 'Modify', and 'Create'.*

Activity Description
Use

Students will follow a step-by-step tutorial to build & use their solar panel prototype. The goal is to help them develop a better understanding of its features.

Success Criteria

I can:

  • build a solar panel prototype with the Climate Action Kit
  • use the MakeCode simulators to explain how the solar sensor and positional servo motor work
  • describe how to use events to change the position of my solar panels at different times of day
  • decide where to put a solar panel on my building based on my understanding of how the sun appears to move across the sky

Resources

Tutorial
Final Code
Modify

Students will follow a step-by-step tutorial to build their solar panel prototype. After this, they will modify the code and complete a basic challenge to demonstrate their understanding.

Success Criteria

I can:

  • build a solar panel prototype with the Climate Action Kit
  • predict how small changes to my solar panel’s code might impact its function
  • explain how to use conditional statements, variables, and math operators to make my solar panels move automatically to get the most sunlight during the day
  • write my own conditional statement to control how far my solar panel can move

Resources

Tutorial
Final Code
Create

Students will work in small groups to research modern solar panels and design a prototype with the Climate Action Kit.

Success Criteria

I can build a solar panel prototype with the Climate Action Kit that can:

  • sense the level of sunlight in the environment
  • change positions to ensure maximum sunlight exposure

and uses at least:

  • one sensor
  • one servo motor

Resources

Blank Project

*Irene Lee, Fred Martin, Jill Denner, Bob Coulter, Walter Allan, Jeri Erickson, Joyce Malyn-Smith, and Linda Werner. 2011. Computational thinking for youth in practice. Acm Inroads 2, 1 (2011), 32–37.

Assessment Accordion

Use the following criteria to assess student learning. Students can:

Conversations

  • Describe how solar panels work
  • List the benefits of solar power over non-renewable energy sources
  • Use the MakeCode simulators to explain how to use the solar sensor and positional servo motor (Use)
  • Explain the purpose of each smart component and building block in the main build (Use, Modify, Create)
  • Explain the purpose of event, conditional statements, variables, and math operators in the code (Modify, Create)
  • Justify a hypothetical installation location for the solar panel (Use)

Observations

  • Methodically test and debug their code to ensure it functions as intended (Modify, Create)

Products

  • Add comments to the code to demonstrate their understanding of each block (Use, Modify, Create)
  • Modify an existing conditional statement to automate the solar panel’s movement based on sun exposure (Modify, Create)
  • Write a new conditional statement to how far the solar panel turns (Modify, Create)
  • Design their own solar panel prototype that satisfies provided criteria (Create)

Standards Accordion

Next Generation Science Standards

Grade 6-8

MS-ESS1-1 Develop and use a model to describe phenomena of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.

MS-ESS3-1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

MS-ESS3-4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.

MS-ESS3-5 Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Computer Science Teachers Association Standards

Grade 6-8

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.

2-CS-03 Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.

2-AP-13 Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.

2-AP-15 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs.

2-IC-22 Collaborate with many contributors through strategies such as crowdsourcing or surveys when creating a computational artifact.

Common Core Mathematics Standards

Grade 6-8

CCSS.Math.Content.6.EE.B.5 Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question: which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true? Use substitution to determine whether a given number in a specified set makes an equation or inequality true.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.EE.B.6 Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.EE.B.8 Write an inequality of the form x > c or x < c to represent a constraint or condition in a real-world or mathematical problem. Recognize that inequalities of the form x > c or x < c have infinitely many solutions; represent solutions of such inequalities on number line diagrams.

CCSS.Math.Content.7.SP.A.2 Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or predictions.

United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals

7: Affordable and Clean Energy

11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

13: Climate Action

Common Career Technical Core Standards

STEM Cluster: Engineering & Technology Career Pathway

ST-ET 1.3 Use computer applications to solve problems by creating and using algorithms, and through simulation and modeling techniques.

ST-ET 2.1 Select and use information technology tools to collect, analyze, synthesize and display data to solve problems.

ST-ET 3.1 Use knowledge, techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for engineering practice.

ST-ET 3.2 Describe the elements of good engineering practice (e.g., understanding customer needs, planning requirements analysis, using appropriate engineering tools, prototyping, testing, evaluating and verifying).

ST-ET 3.4 Illustrate the ability to characterize a plan and identify the necessary engineering tools that will produce a technical solution when given a problem statement.

ST-ET 4.1 Explain why and how the contributions of great innovators are important to society.

ST-ET 4.2 Explain the elements and steps of the design process and tools or techniques that can be used for each step.

ST-ET 4.3 Describe design constraints, criteria, and trade-offs in regard to variety of conditions (e.g., technology, cost, safety, society, environment, time, human resources, manufacturability).

ST-ET 5.1 Apply the design process using appropriate modeling and prototyping, testing, verification and implementation techniques.

ST-ET 5.2 Demonstrate the ability to evaluate a design or product and improve the design using testing, modeling and research.

ST-ET 5.3 Demonstrate the ability to record and organize information and test data during design evaluation.

ST-ET 6.1 Apply the use of algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric relationships, characteristics and properties to solve problems.

ST-ET 6.2 Apply the process and concepts for science literacy relative to engineering and technology.

ST-ET 6.4 Apply basic laws and principles relevant to engineering and technology.

STEM Cluster: Science and Math Career Pathway

ST-SM 1.1 Apply science and mathematics concepts and principles to resolve plans, projects, processes, issues or problems through methods of inquiry.

ST-SM 1.2 Use the skills and abilities in science and mathematics to access, share, and use data to develop plans, processes, projects and solutions.

ST-SM 1.3 Use the skills and abilities in science and mathematics to integrate solutions related to technical or engineering activities using the content and concepts related to the situations.

ST-SM 1.4 Explain the role of modeling in science and engineering.

ST-SM 1.6 Communicate with others on inquiry or resolution of issues/problems in the global community.

ST-SM 2.1 Demonstrate the ability to recognize cause and effect when faced with assigned projects or issues.

ST-SM 2.4 Predict the outcomes based on data collected in a project or experiment.

ST-SM 2.9 Analyze change as a result of data differences and changing environmental values.

ST-SM 3.1 Evaluate the impact of science on society based on products and processes used in the real world.

ST-SM 3.2 Evaluate the impact of mathematics on society based on products and processes used in the real world.

ST-SM 3.3 Research how science and mathematics influence the professions and occupations supported by the STEM Career Cluster.

Information Technology Cluster: Programming & Software Development Career Pathway

IT-PRG 4.1 Employ tools in developing software applications.

IT-PRG 6.1 Explain programming language concepts.

IT-PRG 6.3 Demonstrate proficiency in developing an application using an appropriate programming language.

IT-PRG 6.4 Explain basic software systems implementation.

IT-PRG 7.1 Develop a software test plan.

IT-PRG 7.2 Perform testing and validation.