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.
Learn about innovative strategies for adding even more value to solar-developed lands, such as growing food or planting pollinator-friendly habitats.
This project challenges students to use the engineering process to imagine, plan, and design a solar-powered invention. Students draw 2D sketches and 3D models of their designs using Tinkercad software. A scaffolded lesson plan is provided, complete with planning worksheets and an evaluation rubric. Skills: engineering, design, CAD software, geometry, geometric measurements.
Climate change is closely connected to renewable energy. NASA Climate Kids is a great resource for teaching about the big-picture of climate change and the factors that contribute to it. Search their lesson library at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/ for “Make Sun S’mores” and “Calculating Solar Power in Space” for two great lessons that dig into the details of solar energy.
See how solar panels are installed on the roof of a large school building in this 3.5-minute timelapse video.
If you are a middle or high school teacher looking to launch a renewable energy project or course, this academy will set you up for success. The REcharge Academy is a week-long, in-person educator training workshop about renewable energy. Scholarships for teachers for enrollment and travel are available; contact us to see if you are eligible.
In this game, played similarly to “Go Fish,”students explore different types of renewable energy – including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass – and survey roles of real people who work in those industries. Renewable energy is one of the fastest-growing job sectors, and that trend is only expected to increase in the coming years with the U.S. goal of achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
This is a good introduction to solar technology, including written text and a 2-minute video.
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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