Earth Sun

School Energy Hunt

Grades:
3-4
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
1
Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand that everything that is powered by energy comes from a source from nature. This is meant to be an introductory lesson on identifying sources of energy

Energy Content:
Sources of Energy
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
At the end of this lesson students will be able to list equipment in the school that is powered by energy. They will also be able to identify the various types of energy that power the equipment.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Place-Based Learning,
Research-Secondary
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems,
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
4-ESS3-1
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Informational Text,
ELA: Vocabulary Development
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour
Wadsworth OH thumbnail

Let’s Get Cooking!

Grades:
4-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
10
Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to provide students with a hands-on experience using the sun to cook cornbread or cookies. Students will also learn to use an infrared thermometer. There is also an optional extension for the class or individual students to...

Energy Content:
Solar Thermal,
Thermal Energy (Heat)
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
At the end of this lesson students will be able to: • Follow and prepare a recipe for cookies. • Learn to take and record oven temperature every 30 minutes using an infrared thermometer. • Evaluate the three ovens with a pros and cons list for each one after cooking. • Write one or two of their own questions. • Make suggestions for design changes.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Engineering Design,
Group Work/Collaboration,
Hands-on Materials
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data,
6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
4-PS3-4,
5-PS1-3,
3-5-ETS1-1,
3-5-ETS1-2,
3-5-ETS1-3,
MS-ETS1-1,
MS-ETS1-2,
MS-ETS1-3,
MS-ETS1-4
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Writing,
Math: Measurement
Estimated Activity Length:
3 hours
Wadsworth OH thumbnail

Build the Ultimate Solar Oven

Grades:
3-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
11
Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to take everything the students have learned and experienced up to this point and use it to build their own Ultimate Solar Oven using items found at school, home, the Dollar store or home improvement store for under 5 dollars...

Energy Content:
Materials Science,
Solar Thermal,
Thermal Energy (Heat)
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
At the end of this lesson students will be able to: plan, sketch, design and build a new solar oven. In addition, students will be able to cook food with their solar oven.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Engineering Design
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data,
6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
4-PS3-4,
3-5-ETS1-1,
3-5-ETS1-2,
3-5-ETS1-3,
MS-ETS1-1,
MS-ETS1-2,
MS-ETS1-3,
MS-ETS1-4
Other Subjects Covered:
Math: Measurement
Estimated Activity Length:
10 hours
Earth Sun

Individual Independent Projects

Grades:
3-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
12
Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to allow students to choose an area of interest regarding solar power and research it further in a manner of their choice. Students will produce a final product to display or share at the “Salute to the Sun” culminating event...

Energy Content:
Light (Visible),
Materials Science,
Solar Thermal,
Thermal Energy (Heat)
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
Students will plan, gather research materials and create a project of their choice. In doing so student will learn proper research methods (i.e., reliable sources) and how to categorize and translate information. In addition students will become comfortable and familiar presenting information to others. Lastly, students will also learn how to create a rubric for self evaluation.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Culturally Sustaining,
Engineering Design,
Establishing a Culture of Science,
Hands-on Materials,
Multiple Learning Styles,
Project-Based Learning,
Research-Secondary,
STEAM/Arts
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems,
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-ESS3-1,
5-ESS3-1
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Informational Text,
ELA: Reading: Scientific & Technical,
ELA: Writing
Estimated Activity Length:
10 hours
Earth Sun

The Amazing Cardboard Cook-O-Matic

Grades:
3-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
2
Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the students to the concept of solar ovens and cooking with energy from the sun.

Energy Content:
Solar Thermal,
Sources of Energy,
Thermal Energy (Heat)
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
At the end of this lesson students will understand that the sun can be used to cook food. They will also be introduced to the basic components required to build a successful solar oven.
Pedagogy & Practice:
STEAM/Arts
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
5-ESS3-1,
3-5-ETS1-1,
3-5-ETS1-2
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Speaking & Listening,
ELA: Writing
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour
Earth Sun

Our Sensational Sun

Grades:
3-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
3
Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to record information that the students learn about the sun on a chart. This chart will be used for the entire unit. It will serve as a good reference for guiding the lessons and providing information for student research.

Energy Content:
Sources of Energy
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
At the end of this lesson, students will have written numerous facts about the sun that they 1) already know, 2) want to know and 3) have learned.
Pedagogy & Practice:
STEAM/Arts
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-ESS3-1,
5-ESS1-1
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Writing
Estimated Activity Length:
30 min
Earth Sun

Saving Lives with Solar Ovens

Grades:
3-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
4
Description:

Students will be introduced to Solar Cookers International. Students will learn about different solar cooker designs and how they function. Students will learn the pros and cons on the use of solar ovens in developing countries. Students will gain an...

Energy Content:
Solar Thermal
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
Students will learn about different solar cooker designs and how they function. Students will learn the customs, jobs, food and clothing of people in different countries of Africa.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Empathetic Engineering,
Engineering Design,
Multiple Learning Styles,
Phenomena-Driven Instruction,
Research-Secondary,
Social-Emotional Learning,
STEAM/Arts
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
3-ESS2-1,
3-ESS2-2,
4-PS3-2,
4-PS3-4,
4-ESS3-1,
3-5-ETS1-1,
3-5-ETS1-2,
3-5-ETS1-3
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Informational Text,
ELA: Reading: Literature,
ELA: Speaking & Listening,
ELA: Writing,
Social Sciences: Multicultural Studies
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Earth Sun

Understanding Light

Grades:
4-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
5
Description:

Students will observe and articulate their observations of the way that different materials reflect and absorb sunlight, transforming it into heat to varying degrees.

Energy Content:
Energy Fundamentals,
Light (Visible),
Materials Science
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
Students will conduct simple experiments to learn what kind of materials absorb heat from the sun, what kind of materials reflect light from the sun and what color of materials do not get hot in the sun. This lesson gives students experience in beginning to learn about why certain materials and colors are used in solar ovens.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Hands-on Materials
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
4-PS4-2,
5-PS1-3,
5-ESS1-2
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Vocabulary Development
Estimated Activity Length:
30 min
Earth Sun

Light Is Transformed into Heat

Grades:
4-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
6
Description:

When absorbed (not reflected), light seems to disappear. What happens to it?

Energy Content:
Light (Visible),
Solar Thermal
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
Students will experience how some materials absorb heat from the sun and other materials reflect the sun and stay cool.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Hands-on Materials,
Phenomena-Driven Instruction
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
4-PS4-2,
5-PS1-3
Estimated Activity Length:
0 sec
Earth Sun

Heat Transfer

Grades:
3-5
Unit:
Cooking with the Sun and Solar Ovens
Lesson Number:
7
Description:

Students will observe that heat naturally spreads from warmer places to cooler places and that some materials spread (conduct) heat and others keep it from spreading (insulate).

Energy Content:
Materials Science,
Solar Thermal,
Thermal Energy (Heat)
+
-
More Details Less Details
Learning Goal(s):
Students will observe how some materials conduct heat and others insulate heat.
Pedagogy & Practice:
Hands-on Materials
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Author:
Lisa Morgan
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
5-PS1-2,
5-PS1-3
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Vocabulary Development,
Math: Measurement
Estimated Activity Length:
30 min

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