Solar Energy
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to describe the Sun as a star composed of gases that provide light and heat energy for the water cycle.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among objects in the sky.
Science Background
Solar Energy Technologies: U.S. Department of Energy (website) - Information about different ways to store and use solar energy, along with links to information on other energy sources, including wind and hydropower.
Solar Energy Technologies
U.S. Department of Energy, www.energy.gov
Solar Energy: Alternative Energy (website) - Information and news about solar energy, with links to extensive content about other alternative energy forms.
Signature Lesson
Sun and Shade: Florida Solar Energy Center (website) - Students investigate and describe energy from the sun by comparing thermometer readings in sunlight and shade. The activity has separate teacher and student pages.
Sun and Shade - Teacher Page
Florida Solar Energy Center, www.fsec.ucf.edu
Sun and Shade - Student Page
Florida Solar Energy Center, www.fsec.ucf.edu
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
What’s Cooking? Florida Solar Energy Center (PDF) - Plans for making a solar oven, along with recipes and cooking tips. (Find PDF links under the “Sun and Heat” section on the web page.)
What’s Cooking?
Florida Solar Energy Center, www.fsec.ucf.edu
Pizza Box Solar Oven: TXU Solar Academy (PDF) - Students construct solar ovens that can cook s’mores, hot dogs and other foods using solar energy.
Pizza Box Solar Oven
TXU Solar Academy, txu-solaracademy.need.org
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
The Invisible Energy in Light: Energy Kids (PDF) - Learn about light energy from the Sun with UV beads. Students describe their observations in science journals.
The Invisible Energy in Light
Energy Kids, Energy Information Agency, www.eia.gov
Assessment Ideas
Have small teams of students design solar ovens, and produce a written or oral report describing how light and heat energy from the sun powers their ovens.
Literature Connections
Solar Power. Benduhn, T. (ISBN: 978-0836893625)
The Kids’ Solar Energy Book. Setgang, T. and Wells, M. (ISBN: 978-0982306413)
Additional Resources
Solar Energy News: Texas Solar Energy Society (website) - News and information about solar energy specifically related to Texas.
TEKS Navigation
Grade 3
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