Introducing the Solar Mobile Design Challenge

Solar Mobile
Average Rating:
0
Rate This Activity:
0
Intended Grade Level(s):
6-8
Energy Content:
Solar Photovoltaic,
Transportation
Learning Goal(s):

  1. Students will be introduced to solar aircraft.

  2. Students will form and write questions about solar aircraft into their Engineering Notebooks setting the stage for future questions.

  3. Students will be introduced to a room-sized solar mobile and add additional questions to their engineering notebook.

  4. Students will be introduced to the engineering design scenario. 

Unit:
Solar Mobile Design Challenge
Lesson Number:
1
Pedagogy & Practice:
Engineering Design,
Establishing a Culture of Science,
Group Work/Collaboration,
Phenomena-Driven Instruction
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Informational Text
Estimated Activity Length:
1 hour
Files Associated with this Activity:
PDF icon Lesson 1-Intro-Solar Mobile Design Challenge .pdf
Description:

This lesson is aimed to engage students and build excitement for their future engineering design challenge of building the fastest Solar Powered Mobile. Through multi-media resources, Students will encounter real life solar aircrafts and a room-sized Solar Mobile. Then, students will be given the scenario of designing a solar mobile for a Children’s Technology Museum with an additional challenge to articulate why their design should be chosen by the Museum’s Board of Directors to be part of the new Renewable Energy display.