Solar Energy

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/sun-solar-science-projects

Students may know that on a hot day, they will stay cooler in a light-colored shirt compared to a dark one, but why are urban areas sometimes hotter than surrounding rural areas? The answer lies in how different surfaces absorb and reflect heat.

Urban heat islands have higher temperatures, in part, because of the synthetic surface materials used in roads and buildings. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists the following variables as contributing factors: urban materials, reduced natural landscapes, urban geometry (e.g., the design and layout of buildings and cities), heat from human activities, and weather and geography.

What can heat islands tell us about climate change, urban planning, and environmental sustainability? What changes can make a difference?

 Students can use ArcGIS Online to dig into the science behind heat islands with the new Is Your Neighborhood an Urban Heat Island? environmental science project.

Interested in helping students make STEM career connections? The Urban Heat Island project links to the following career profiles to help students see how this real-world topic relates to career paths: Meteorologist, Remote Sensing Scientist, and Climate Change Analyst.

Sun and Solar Exploration

The following projects, lessons, and activities help students explore other topics related to solar energy.

Lesson Plans

• Zero-Energy Housing

• Make a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

• Solar-Powered Classroom

• Solar Power

• Fossil Fuels: Air Pollution and the Greenhouse Effect

Projects

• Now You're Cooking! Building a Simple Solar Oven

• Study Chemical Reaction Rates in Ultraviolet Beads

• A Cool Way to Make Electricity: Solar Cell Power Output vs. Temperature

• Build a Solar-Tracking Robot

• Build a Solar-Powered Bristlebot

STEM Activities

• Warm in the Sun

• Build a Solar Updraft Tower

• Heating with the Greenhouse Effect

• Build a Pizza Box Solar Oven

For additional resources, see Sun and Solar Science Projects.