Solar Sleuths: Investigating the Sun’s Impact on Our School
by Arlette Johnson
This third-grade STEM lesson introduces students to solar energy, the heat island effect, and data analysis. Students will use temperature gauges to measure different areas of the school at various times of the day, then create a line graph to track temperature changes. They will explore how different surfaces heat up due to solar energy and the heat island effect. To reinforce these concepts, students will build and test solar ovens, learning how solar energy can be harnessed for practical purposes. This hands-on lesson integrates science, math, and engineering while addressing real-world environmental issues.
Lesson Grade Level
3rd GradeLesson Plan Link/URL
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QTlD7TugoMeKa4yGIbd0Vo2KIOrW-JX4/edit?u…Subject Area
Science Earth and Space Science E1: Earth Systems Technology 4. Innovative Designer 5. Computational Thinker Engineering S2: Apply the Engineering Design Process Mathematics Measurement and Data (MD) English Language Arts (ELA) Reading (Informational Text) Writing Speaking & Listening
Featured
Off
Related Content
Grades:
5th Grade
Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom for two or more class periods Students may work in small groups of 2-4. An emphasis on the experiment of making an indestructible Edison robot Creative
Grades:
8th Grade
Students will first build and collect data on how fast their solar car is. Then students can change items to increase the efficiency of the solar panel to increase the overall speed of the solar car.
Grades:
6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
The students design and test a catapult using simple materials like popsicle sticks and rubber bands. They learn about the history of catapults and also about the physical science concepts related to