Cost Effective Solar Cells: Solar Cell Manufacturing Field Trip and/or Guest Speaker
- Students will visit a solar cell or silicon manufacturing facility and/or engage with guest speakers.
- Students will learn more detailed solar cell principles and manufacturing techniques involved in solar cell construction.
This lesson is designed to be completed in two 80-minute sections. The teacher will facilitate a field trip to a nearby silicon manufacturing facility, solar panel manufacturing facility, or other semiconductor facility. These facilities often require long advance notice and time is needed to work through school district field trip logistics. The teacher will also facilitate a solar panel, semiconductor, chemist, metallurgist, or semiconductor guest speaker in the classroom. The intent of the trip and guest speaker is to expose Chemistry students to manufacturing techniques and career opportunities in the local area. The trip or guest speaker can occur anywhere within the unit, but ideally takes place after students have experimented with solar cells themselves and before constructing their own unique solar cells.
- Day 1: Local field trip: Silicon producers, Semiconductor companies, Photovoltaic companies, State-by-state interactive map
- Day 2: Guest speaker (see resources below)
