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.
Doing is believing. Solar Schoolhouse offers hands-on, student-centered activities that demonstrate how solar energy can be harnessed and used. Ideal for elementary and middle school, projects include solar ovens (thermal), solar whirligigs (photovoltaic), and DIY solar panels (photovoltaic). All materials are available for purchase as classroom kits at the School Store tab.
NEED specializes in K-12 renewable energy curriculum and teacher professional development. Their site includes a huge library of standards-aligned lesson plans (free) and hands-on experiment kits (for purchase).
This free self-paced online course covers the basics of electricity, conservation and efficiency, and renewable energy technologies. This course is perfect for teachers seeking professional development or motivated high school students.
This 4-minute video introduces the wide span of jobs in the renewable energy industry, including some less commonly featured technologies like wave energy.
In the first part of this lesson, students will explore different forms of energy and discuss how energy can be transformed. In the second part, they will apply their understanding as they build their own circuits using solar panels, motors, lights, and switches. Ideal for 5th grade, but applicable for grades 4-12. Equipment required; materials list included.
Virginia teachers can check out classroom sets of hands-on learning kits for free! The library includes experiment kits for solar and wind, NEED experiments, and energy-related books.
Children can follow along with the video recording to hear two solar-related stories and create a sun craft. Featured books: Solar Power Comes to My Home by Susie Flann and Sun Song by Jean Marzollo. Video by the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program.
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.
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