Get Your Red-Hot Solar Panels!

You will need to explain in your one-sheet how quickly the panels will repay their purchase price, based on local electricity costs that you must determine. You should find a way to illustrate this point.

Subject: Science; Mathematics
Topics:
- Physics (Energy and Power)
- Real Numbers
- Statistics
- Linear Equations
Grades: 6 - 9
Knowledge and Skills:
- Understands the energy unit "kilowatt-hour"
- Understands the concept "power"
- Understands the concept "energy"
- Can use positive and negative numbers to represent a situation in which an initial investment is recouped over a period of time.
- Can plan and execute a survey with responses to a set of questions from a set of individuals, and summarize the results using appropriate statistical measures and graphical representations.
- Can use linear equation to model a situation in which an initial investment is recouped at a constant rate.

Download Activity: Get Your Red-Hot Solar Panels! (PDF)

Science & Technology Movie:

Making SparksMaking Sparks

Finding alternative sources of energy has never been more important than it is today. This movie breaks down the basics of how solar energy works. Show your students how and why solar energy is a good alternative source of electricity.
Running time 4:53 minutes.

Watch the Movie