ENERGY GRANT 2016-17 DAY 2

O-Obj. 1, 2; GPS S6E6a, b, S7L4b, SES5a, SB3a, 4e, SEV1a, d, e, 4b e, f; EL 1-4.

AM- KE/PE of Solar Energy: Uses and Economic/Environmental Implications.
8:30 AM
1. Monitor Gnomon http://sunrise-sunset.org; assigned schedule for pairs continue all day
http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/astro/gnomon.htm
8:30-8:40 AM
2. View transpiration experiments, air quality
3. Solar Yoga
#4 (Qualitative) 9:00 -10:30 # 5 10:30-11:00 AM
4. Stations on Solar Energy and Solar Energy Applications
Exploring Light Energy - Direction Cards at each station:

radiometer

solar beads http://teachersource.com

sun print paper

reflection, absorption, transmission of light (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/charters/fading.htm - Include this reference

in what is done for this station) suggested items to use mirrors, clear glass plates, color slides, colored construction
paper)

spectroscopes (handheld) for EM Spectrum observe different light sources

thermometers under white paper, black paper, Al foil to measurement light absorption converted to heat

5. Earths energy budget. http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-2/ Assign on Monday to be ready to discuss assigned section
http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/content/teacher-materials/energy-budget-student.pdf Refer to notebook for article and the
investigation to follow.

Overview all read

Earth History Group 1

EM Spectrum
o

EM Spectrum and Metrics Group 2

Suns EM Spectrum Group 3

Heat Transfer Group 4

Earths Energy Balance Group 5

Greenhouse Effect Group 6

All complete the Investigation

Quickly show the following articles from IEEE Spectrum to illustrate the on-going exploration and application of ways to generate
electricity for which students must be prepared. Illustrates great source for current information.
IEEE - http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/renewables/solar-and-wind-energy-from-the-same-device - makes the point that
advances in all areas of energy are moving very quickly. We cannot imagine what todays students will be using and possibly

designing for future use.

IEEE - http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/renewables/japan-building-worlds-largest-floating-solar-power-plant - creative
plans for using solar
11:00 AM
6. Introduce Michelle Simmons, Director Sustainability, Oglethorpe Power
Talk about Sun Power Curriculum
Give them the Earth Sci and Life/Env Curriculum notebooks
Noon 1:00 PM
7. Lunch with time to talk to Michelle
#8 and #9 1:00-1:45 PM
8. Sun Power website scavenger hunt - about 20 min
9. Notebook scavenger Hunt about 20 minutes
1:45-3:15 PM
10. Continuation of solar activities continued from morning plus additional; Collect data from outside
3:15-4:00 PM
11. Discussion of Solar Investigations; Energy Literacy Principle Video #1 Energy is a Physical Principle that Follows Precise
Natural Laws. (6 min) -Discussion
4:00-4:30
12. Daily Wrap: Review energy list and add to it; Discuss big ideas about solar energy availability, storage, use. How can I
connect this to my lessons? How can I plan so that all types of students are challenged?
Quote:
After struggling to make solar cells, called photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, to turn light into fuel rather than electricity, the
authors (Florent Boudoire and Artur Braun of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) seemed to
have success but then
Curiously, the researchers found after they had finished their experiments that nature had beaten
them to it. The microstructure of their cells, with its spherical light collectors, resembles what goes on
inside a moths eyes. These, which have evolved the ability to collect as much light as possible in order
to see in the dark, and to reflect as little of it as possible to avoid being detected by predators, also
contain tiny light-absorbing spheres. Nothing under the sun, as it were, is new. The Economist, How to
gather more light for solar power. Jun 28th 2014 | From the print edition

Resources
https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_lifescience_lesson01 basics of photosyn.

https://prezi.com/a1f1uwpm_ian/comparing-photosynthetic-and-photovoltaic-efficiencies/
comparison of efficiency of photosyn and PV

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/521671/cheap-hydrogen-from-sunlight-and-water/ article
about artificial photosyn and using sunlight to generate elec to then split water to make
hydrogen fuel. See separate article links below:
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/423569/a-greener-artificial-leaf/
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/521671/cheap-hydrogen-from-sunlight-and-water/ Day
2
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/512071/sun-catalytix-seeks-second-act-with-flowbattery/ improve batt to store electricity from solar/wind
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429681/artificial-photosynthesis-effort-takes-root/
http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150611/ncomms8326/full/ncomms8326.html using
perskovite to capture solar energy
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512151408.htm PV beats photosyn
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136403211401048X limits of PV and possible
new approaches
http://www.uwyo.edu/smtc/_files/docs/projects/engineering/lesson%20plans/2009/lisa%20r
%20klinker/solarexperiment.pdf lesson plan - has a good article link about connecting photo
and PV
http://news.mit.edu/2008/chem-solar-0620 MIT Harnessing sun energy like plants do
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/12/economist-explains-1 how plants
use sun efficiently
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21605868-how-gather-more-lightsolar-power-tiny-balls-fire
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2014/02/renewable-energy some problems along
with the good of solar power good article for life sci to explore problems with wildlife
https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/uoh_/activities/uoh_organic/uoh_organic_activity1.xml organic solar energy and
berries
http://www.nrel.gov/education/pdfs/nesea_solar_kit_lessons.pdf # of lessons about solar esp
one about sun tracker Check out the Sun Tracker Lessons all lessons about solar;
http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Communities-and-Governments/K-12-Schools/School-PowerNaturally/Solar-Kit-Lessons
http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Communities-and-Governments/K-12-Schools/School-PowerNaturally/Solar-Kit-Lessons Has some activities worth looking at for solar
http://www.builditsolar.com/SiteSurvey/site_survey.htm Solar site survey; also sample
projects, some do it at home;

http://www.lmsal.com/YPOP/Classroom/Lessons/Sundials/dialprint.html How to plot suns

angles throughout the year Good to use with gnomon printed a copy except for the chosen
latitude/longitude portion- broken link.
http://www.popsci.com/black-silicon-solar-cells-just-hit-record-what-are-they-anyways Article
about solar cells and why black ones can now be more efficient.
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/541191/a-fix-for-maximizing-energy-from-solar-panelson-slanted-roofs/ Adapting the shape of solar cells to be able to capture light from different
angles. Without changing the angle of the panel. Good ex of creative thinking!
http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/green-tech/solar/graphene-and-perovskite-lead-toinexpensive-and-highly-efficient-solar-cells Good article on alternative to silicon for solar cells
http://www.rh.gatech.edu/ information for GA Tech Research Horizons; need subscription for
full use
http://www.rh.gatech.edu/news/276421/solar-induced-hybrid-fuel-cell-produces-electricitydirectly-biomass GA Tech research using solar another good article in GA Tech Horizons
http://www.ck12.org/earth-science/Energy-from-Biomass/lesson/Energy-from-Biomass-HS-ES/
simple explanation about use of algae to produce biofuels
http://www.mysundial.ca/tsp/gnomon_height.html explanation of gnomon
http://www.kidwind.org/#!blank-4/atsij downloadable lessons; includes many different
lesson topics, including connections to life science; How does energy affect wildlife? How do
windmills affect wildlife?