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Learning About Solar Updraft Towers

Graphic that shows a thermal tower. Image Description under Featured Image Description Heading
Learning Goals

Learning Goals:

  1. Students will be able to define and explain what a solar updraft tower is.
  2. Students will make connections between their previous engineering challenge and a real world solution to the world’s growing energy demands, including careers.
Materials List

Handouts

Classroom Supplies

  • Paper and pencils
  • Projector or other YouTube playing device
  • Computers for video and internet searches

Important Links

Featured Image Description

A graphic which shows how a solar updraft tower works. At the base of the tower are turbines which pull air in underneath collectors. The air then goes up the tower. On the right of the graphic is a zoom box that shows the collectors with solar lines bouncing and being absorbed during the day with some thermal lines being released and some being collected. Below is a Night box that shows the thermal heat being released.

Lesson 5 of 5 / Time: 2 hours

This lesson helps students learn about solar updraft towers being planned and built around the world to help solve the energy crisis by using unlimited power from the sun. This will provide real world context to the engineering challenge they engaged in during the previous lesson. A video is shown to the class; then students are encouraged to spend time searching the internet and writing about what they learn on an individual KWL chart.

 

Solar Updraft Towers

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