Solar Power-Lesson Plan

Year 4 Lesson 9

Solar Power

Overview During this lesson, students will gain understanding of common appliances that are powered by electricity. They will sort items depending on whether they are powered by a mains source of electricity or battery. They will also explore renewable ways of generating electricity. Students will integrate and exhibit learning by creating a ‘solar panel’, a ‘solar-powered fan’ and a ‘solar-powered car’.

Key Information ​45 or 90 minute lesson

Lesson Structure

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

Warm-Up

➜ Recognise ​common appliances that run on electricity; both battery- and mains-powered.

Mini-lesson

➜ Explore​ ways of generating renewable electricity.

Worked Example​ – Let’s Build!

Challenge 1 Challenge 1 ​–​ Debug​ It!

➜ Create ​a modification to the system to simulate a solar-powered fan.

Challenge 2

➜ Create ​a modification to the system to simulate a solar-powered car.

Chilli Challenges​ & ​Exit Ticket

➜ Opportunity to extend understanding and reflect on learning.

Curriculum Topic ​(refer to the ​Curriculum Alignment Map​) ​

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Science Year 4

Materials Required SAM Labs STEAM Kit

Tissue Paper

Blu-Tack​TM

The Student Handouts can be used alongside each lesson.

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Warm-Up

Recognise common appliances that run on electricity; both battery- and mains-powered.

Key Information to Share: ● Electricity ​is a type of energy that carries an electric charge or current from one place to another. ● There are two types of electricity that are used to power ​appliances​: mains electricity and battery electricity. ● Mains electricity is primarily produced from gas, coal or nuclear power stations. ● Batteries store chemicals which produce an electrical current. The power in batteries is limited, unless they have been created as rechargeable batteries.

Activity: ● Display the images of a range of appliances on the Lesson Slides. Students can identify which of the appliances are powered by electricity and which are not. ● Think, pair, share: ​“Can you think of other everyday appliances that are powered by electricity?” ● Display the second set of images. Students can sort the appliances into battery-powered or mains-powered. Discuss how some appliances have rechargeable batteries e.g. a laptop or phone. ● Think, pair, share: ​“What are the positives/negatives of using mains electricity rather than batteries?”

Link forward:​ Students explore alternative ways of powering electrical appliances.

Mini-lesson

Explore ways of generating renewable electricity.

Key Information to Share: ● Coal, natural gas and oil are ​fossil fuels ​— ​non-renewable energy​ sources which cannot be replenished. ● Wind turbines, hydroelectric and solar power stations can also be used to generate electricity. These are ​renewable energy​ sources, meaning they will not run out. ● Burning fossil fuels on Earth releases gases which have caused a hole in the ozone layer​ — the layer of protective gases surrounding the planet. This has allowed harmful rays, namely UV radiation, through the atmosphere, resulting in global warming. ● Renewable energy is ‘clean’; it does not produce harmful gases during production. ● Solar panels utilise ​solar power​; they harness energy (light) from the Sun which is converted into electricity. Electrons in the panels are stimulated by the sunlight, then the energy is converted, firstly into DC (direct current) electricity then, passing through an inverter, creates AC (alternating current) Ⓒ 2019 SAM Labs

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electricity. This electricity then flows into the electric box (or circuit breaker) ready to be used to power electrical items. ★ Option to Discuss: ​Formation of fossil fuels; the greenhouse effect.

Activity: ● Display the images of alternative ways of generating energy. Think, pair, share: “Can you identify each energy source?” ● Discuss why renewable energy is better for the environment. ● Discuss the benefits of solar power and how solar panels work. ● Think, pair, share: ​“Can you think of examples where solar power could be used to replace a non-renewable energy source?”

In their Student Handout, students can describe how solar energy could be used to power an everyday electrical appliance.

Students can complete the keyword activity in the Student Handout.

Keywords: Electricity

The flow, or presence, of electrical charge.

Appliance

A device designed to perform a specific task.

Renewable energy

Power generated from resources which can be replenished.

Non-renewable energy

Energy that comes from resources which cannot be replenished once they have been used up, e.g. fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels

Fuel, such as gas, coal and oil, formed from the remains of plants and animals.

Ozone layer

A layer of the Earth’s atmosphere; a mass of protective gases surrounding the planet.

Solar power

Power gained from the energy of the Sun’s rays, which can be transferred into electricity.

Let’s Discuss:​ ​“What makes an energy source renewable?”​ With a partner, students can discuss what could happen to our planet if we don’t increase the amount of renewable energy solutions.

Link forward:​ Students create a model to simulate the function of a solar panel.

They then use the ‘solar panel’ to power a ‘fan’ and a ‘car’.

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Worked Example – Let’s Build!

Create a system to simulate the function of a solar panel.

Instructions

Workspace

Notes

Step 1 Turn on and pair: ● 1 Light Sensor block ● 1 RGB LED block and drag onto the workspace. Also drag on: ● 1 Filter block ● 2 Compare blocks ● 2 Colour blocks ● 1 Inverse block.

Explain that the Light Sensor will simulate the function of a solar panel and the RGB LED will represent the amount of power being generated.

Step 2 Connect the blocks as shown.

Step 3 In the settings of the Filter, set to ‘30–89’.

Step 4 In the settings of the Compare blocks, set as follows: ● 1st: ‘≥ 90’ ● 2nd: ‘≤ 29’.

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Step 5 In the settings of the Colour blocks, set as follows: ● 1st: red ● 2nd: green.

Discuss how the values of the Light Sensor should output as follows: ● ‘0​–​29’ = no colour (no sunlight) - this is achieved through the Inverse block ● ‘30​–​89’ = green (‘solar panel’ absorbing sunlight) ● ‘90​–​100’ = red (‘solar panel’ absorbing high levels of sunlight)

Discuss why a colour indicator for the strength of sunlight may be useful. Opportunity for students to choose different colours.

Students may wish to place their ‘solar panels’ in the window to experiment with the Light Sensor readings.

Step 6 Test your system.

Challenge 1

Create a modification to the system to simulate a solar-powered fan.

Instructions Step 1 Turn on and pair: ● 1 DC Motor block and drag it onto the workspace. Also drag on: ● 1 additional Filter block.

Connect the blocks as shown.

Workspace

Notes

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Step 2 In the settings of the new Filter, set to ‘30–100’.

Explain that this will mean the ‘fan’ only turns when the Light Sensor detects light values of ‘30’ or above.

Step 3 Build your ‘fan’:

Attach 1 Wheel to the DC Motor.

Secure tissue paper strips to the Wheel.

Note, Blu-Tack​TM​ has been used here to secure the tissue paper strips.

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Step 4 Slot the red Car Controller on top of the yellow Chassis.

Insert the RGB LED into the long slot of the Car Controller.

Insert the DC Motor into the small slot of the Car Controller.

Step 5 Test your system.

Explain that the Light Sensor will now power both the RGB LED and the ‘fan’.

Opportunity to discuss wind power and the function of wind turbines.

Checks for understanding:​ ​“What is the purpose of the Inverse block in the system? Which three are types of renewable energy?”

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Challenge 1 – Debug It!

How can we alter the direction of the DC Motor?

Instructions

Workspace

Notes

Step 1 Drag onto the workspace: ● 1 Key Press block ● 1 Switch Direction block Connect the blocks as shown.

Ensure students test that pressing the Key Press alters the direction of the ‘fan’. Discuss whether this has an impact on the ‘fan’.

Step 2 Test your system.

Challenge 2

Create a modification to the system to simulate a solar-powered car.

Instructions Step 1 Remove from the workspace: ● Key Press ● Switch Direction.

Turn on and pair: ● 1 additional DC Motor block and drag onto the workspace.

Connect the blocks as shown.

Workspace

Notes

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Step 3 Attach 1 Wheel to the second DC Motor.

Insert both DC Motors into the yellow Chassis.

Attach 1 Rollerball underneath the Chassis.

Note, first the ‘fan’ must be disassembled.

Step 4 In the settings of the DC Motors, set one to ‘Anticlockwise’ and one to ‘Clockwise’.

Remind students that this is to allow the ‘car’ to travel in a straight line.

Step 5 Insert the Light Sensor and RGB LED into their white casing and attach to the top of the Chassis.

Step 6 Test your system.

Encourage students to discuss when the outputs are triggered.

Ensure that they understand that the ‘car’ will start moving when the RGB LED illuminates green, showing that the Light Sensor value is greater than ‘30’.

Option to discuss how this ‘car’ could be modified to use in the real world as an energy-efficient alternative to fossil fuels.

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Checks for understanding:​ ​“Why are the two Filter blocks used in the system?

Which statement about burning fossil fuels is correct?”

Chilli Challenges

Experiment with driving the ‘car’. Can you add a function to the current system to control the steering and speed of the ‘car’?

Experiment with sound?

Can you add a Sound Player set to alert when the light levels are too low to power the ‘car’?

Experiment with the colours of the RGB LED. Can you add a function to the current system so the RGB LED flashes a different colour when the Light Sensor reads a value between ‘50’ and ‘90’?

Exit Ticket

Reinforce the learning objectives of the lesson.

In the Student Handout, students can: ● record and reflect​ on their results from the Challenge ● annotate ​their system ● apply ​what they have learned to the real world.

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