Topic/Title of activity:

PLUGGING INTO THE SUN
Design & Technology and Science – electricity
Building a solar electric model car 
Objective of activity:
  • Students to be given the opportunity for: first-hand direct experience in how solar electricity/renewable energy sources work. Students to learn by doing, learn through a balance of work and play. Students to problem solve and encouraged to be inventive in their thinking.

Length of activity: 2 Hours

Description of activity:

The building of the solar model car presents a hands-on, problem solving approach to learning how energy from the sun can be used to power electric devices. The students, after building the car [via verbal instruction] alone or in pairs, go outside to see how they work, have a race and make adjustments when and if the car stops working. Afterwards, they all return to the classroom and discuss various criteria that will effec t how the car performs: direction, fast, slow, backwards, forwards, etc.

Follow-up/HomeworkRenewable energy technologies that can be used in their home. Conduct an energy surve y to access demand and design renewable energy system to meet that demand. 		Numeracy (NNS)/ Literacy
(NLS) or other curriculum
area focus/reference:
  • NNS-Measurement
  • Movement, Friction
  • Sustainable development
  • Problem solving
  • NLS-listening and following verbal and written instructions Resources needed: