Bring solar energy to life with hands-on STEM lessons, real-time data dashboards, career-focused investigations, and hands-on experiments.
Bring the power of solar energy into your classroom with engaging, ready-to-use lessons designed to inspire and educate. From interactive STEM activities to real-world data analysis, these resources make it easy to captivate your students while exploring strategic, sustainable energy solutions.
Our curated curriculum library offers something for all ages, whether your students are elementary schoolers learning about the sun, middle schoolers dabbling in engineering, high schoolers participating in technical career training, or anywhere in between.
"The program was engaging and it helped me take things into my own classroom and be a better teacher."
How does solar work for schools? Is the technology reliable? How much does it cost? Why do some schools have solar while others do not? Find the answers to these questions (and more!) in this module so you can better understand if, how, and why, solar can work for your school.
Tour the components of a roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar array through this interactive Google Slideshow.
This inquiry-based lesson is a great introduction to the solar energy dashboard. Students first analyze graphs of solar production to form conclusions about seasonal and weather patterns, and then apply their understanding to make predictions about future production.
What does a solar professional actually do? And what qualifications do you need to get a job in solar? In this lesson, you will preview a variety of solar jobs - including the pay range, job responsibilities, and required certifications - and connect pathways to career growth.
Solar Energy International is the industry go-to for solar workforce training, with both all-online and hands-on courses. PVOL101 is an on-demand, self-paced online course that is ideal for CTE teachers looking to gain a solid understanding of photovoltaics before teaching a course about solar. Contact Sun Tribe to see if scholarships are available for teacher tuition.
This curriculum unit is perfect for CTE; students will learn about solar resource evaluation, siting, and design using the technical tools commonly used in the field. In addition to a thorough Solar PV unit, the Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education also offers free unit plans for other energy-based units, such as Energy Efficiency and Energy Bill Analysis.
Each year KidWind runs statewide Solar and Wind challenges for grades 4-12. Students and teachers alike rave about this rich experience. Equipment and entry are free for participating clubs. No teacher expertise is necessary, as KidWind holds office hours for students and provides technical support for teachers.
Solar topics integrate beautifully with broader sustainability themes, such as the 7th U.N. Sustainability goal, "Affordable and Clean Energy". Visit this site for a wide range of captivating sustainability-related educational resources, including links to lessons about renewable energy through "The World's Largest Lesson."
In this fun, hands-on activity featuring CANDY(!) students choose between renewable and non-renewable energy sources to power their town. Common materials such as straws (extractors), M&Ms (non-renewable energy sources), and jellybeans (renewable energy sources) are used for the simulation. Teacher Tip: Search YouTube for "Candy Collector - Exploring Renewable & Nonrenewable" for a video demonstration of this lesson.
This illustrated book spotlights diverse women working in STEM.
Through this hands-on activity, students apply principles of electricity and solar technology to design, build, and test on/off and dimmer switches. The introduction is intentionally low-instruction to encourage a student-led engineering design process, and multiple challenge levels ensure that all students can be successful. Equipment required; materials list included.
Educators in Virginia can borrow hands-on solar and wind equipment for free.
We'll help you select and source the classroom kit that fits your goals.
Looking for a service project with global impact? Check this out.
.png)
