Solar Car Challenge: Solutions Briefing

Solar Car Student
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Solar Car Challenge: Test Your Solution

Solar Car Student
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Solar Car Challenge: Develop Your Solution

Solar Car Student
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Solar Car Challenge: Team Brainstorm

Solar Car Student
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Solar Car Challenge: Background Research on Car Design

Solar Car Student
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Solar Car Challenge: Criteria, Constraints and Background

Solar Car Student
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Solar Car Challenge: Introduction of the Problem

2-wheel-driveSolarCar_IMG_4600.jpg
Average Rating:
5
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
physics
Energy
electricity
solar
motion
Engineering
Estimated Activity Length:
2 hours
Learning Goal(s):

To introduce students to the problem that this project will attempt to solve: building a solar car that will go straight, far, and fast to win a race.

Students will play around with the solar car kits to familiarize themselves with the materials in preparation for the solar car engineering challenge. View full description >>

Creating the Most Effective Solar Heater

Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Physical science
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour
Learning Goal(s):

In this activity students demonstrate the ability to evaluate competing solutions to the problem of increasing the heat energy transferred to a vial of water.

Relevant Common Core Standard(s):

This part can be staged as a competition or simply a personal challenge to beat the standard solar heater created in part 1. During this stage of the lesson students are asked to analyze data and results from part 2 and identify which characteristics of a solar heater maximize its effectiveness. View full description >>

Manipulating Design Variables on Solar Heaters

Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Physical science
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour 20 min
Learning Goal(s):

In this activity students demonstrate the ability to evaluate competing solutions to the problem of increasing the heat energy transferred to a vial of water.

Part 2 builds on part 1, asking students to design a solar heater that more effectively collects solar energy. Students are provided with various building supplies and are asked to change one variable from the standard to construct a new, more effective solar heater. View full description >>

Making the Standard Solar Heater

Simple Solar Water Heater
Average Rating:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Subject Area(s) Covered:
Physical science
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour 30 min
Learning Goal(s):

In this activity students will learn that sunlight energy can be transformed into other forms of energy and that the amount of sunlight energy captured by an object can be quantified and measured.

In part one of the activity students will be asked to create a simple solar heater, measure the temperature change in a vial of water, then calculate the heat energy transferred to a vial of water. Students will construct the solar heater, place a set amount of water into a vial in the collector and place it in direct sunlight. After a set time... View full description >>