Straight to the Source

In this activity, you will begin to explore the different sources of energy, including which are renewable and nonrenewable.

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What do you think of when you hear the word energy?

energy source

Something such as oil, coal, or the sun which can be used to provide power.

renewable energy source

Fuels that can be easily made or renewed. We can never use up renewable fuels. Hydropower (water), solar, and wind are renewable fuels.

nonrenewable energy source

Fuels that cannon be easily made or renewed. We can use up nonrenewable fuels. Oil, natural gas, and coal are nonrenewable fuels.

Energy Source

coal

A hard rock that can be burned to create energy.

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Collection: Mining

Energy Source

hydropower

The process of how running water is converted to generate electricity.

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Collection: Water Turbine

Energy Source

natural gas

A naturally occurring gas that can be used as energy.

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Collection: Natural Gas Well

Energy Source

oil

A liquid fossil fuel that is used to produce gasoline.

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Collection: Oil Well

Energy Source

solar

The process of how the sun is used to generate electricity.

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Collection: Solar Panels

Energy Source

wind

The process of how wind is used to generate electricity.

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Collection: Wind Turbine

Let’s Think About It

• Discuss your assigned energy source with your group members.
• Answer the following questions:
• Where does it come from?
• What is it used for?
• Renewable or nonrenewable?
• Use your Launch Log to take notes.

Energy Supply Table

Energy on the Scene

• Draw or label each energy source (coal, oil, natural gas, solar, wind, hydropower) in a location where it might be collected.
• Label or color code each energy source as either renewable or nonrenewable.

Conclusion Question

1. Why is it important to use renewable energy sources? Use what you learned in the simulation to support your answer.

Knowledge Is Power

You learned all about renewable and nonrenewable energy in the last activity. In this activity, you will learn about energy consumption.

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What energy have you already used today?

electricity

The flow of electrical power or charge.

Electricity Path

watt

The unit of power that measures electricity.

Energy User Key

Let’s Think About It

• What were some of the electronics that used the most energy?
• Why do you think that is?

inventory

A list of items belonging to a person or space.

Let’s Think About It

• Were you surprised at how much energy was being used in your classroom? Why do you think that?
• Were you surprised at how many different things use electricity? Why do you think that?

Conclusion Questions

1. How can we reduce the amount of electricity that we use at school? At home?
2. How can reducing electricity use help conserve energy?

Going Solar

As you learned in the previous activities, renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy produce the electricity you use every day. In this activity, you’ll learn more about one type of renewable energy—solar energy. You will assemble a solar power system and use energy from the sun to power a small fan.

Let’s Think About It

Can you guess which renewable energy source the following sentences describe?

• This type of energy was first used in space to provide power on spaceships.
• It is the most abundant energy source on Earth. 
• There is enough of this energy reaching the Earth in an hour to meet all human needs for an entire year.  

Introduction to Solar Energy

Introduction to Solar Energy

Introduction to Solar Energy

solar cell

A device that converts solar energy to electricity.

solar panel

Solar cells linked together in order to absorb solar light as a source for generating electricity.

solar power system

At least one solar panel connected to conductors to form an electric current in order to power a device. The more panels you add, the more power you can create.

Upcycling: From Landfill to Solar Farm

upcycle

To reuse old or unwanted materials into something new and useful.

Solar Panel Animation

Energy Forms and Changes Simulation

PhET Interactive Simulations

University of Colorado Boulder

https://phet.colorado.edu

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Conclusion Questions

1. Identify something that might benefit from running on solar energy. How would you modify the item for it to be solar-powered?
2. What are the benefits of using solar energy?

Fun in the Sun

You have learned that solar energy can be converted into electricity through a solar power system. In this project, you’ll use the scientific inquiry process to investigate factors that affect how well solar power systems work.

scientist

A person who asks questions, makes observations, and investigates ideas to acquire knowledge and/or solve problems.

scientific inquiry process

A process that scientists use to explore observations and answer questions.

Scientific Inquiry Process

Let’s Think About It

• Why do scientists use the scientific inquiry process?
• How do you think the scientific inquiry process helps scientists in their work?
• Why is it important to ask questions as you work through the scientific inquiry process? Why do you think that?

Let’s Think About It

• Why do you think the solar-powered device worked the best in a sunny location?
• How was this different than the solar panel being placed in a shady location? Why do you think this?
• How might the weather impact the way a solar-powered device works? Use evidence from your investigation to support your thinking.

Let’s Think About It

• Why do you think the solar-powered device worked the best when the panel was tilted directly toward the sun? 
• How was this different than the solar panel being placed in the sun, but not directly pointed toward the sun? Why do you think this?

The Current and Future State of Solar Energy

Conclusion Questions

1. If you could place a solar panel on or near your house, where would you place it and why?
2. How do you hope to see solar energy used in the future?

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Harnessing the Sun’s Energy

You’ve learned how renewable resources, like solar energy, conserve our nonrenewable resources. You’ve also investigated factors that affect how well solar power systems work. In this problem, you will use the design process to explore, sketch, build, and evaluate a solar-powered invention of your choice. You will upcycle materials to build your design prototype.

prototype

A working model that can be tested and evaluated.

engineer

A person who asks questions, observes, and gathers information to create new products or make old products better.

design process

A step-by-step way to solve problems.

Engineering Design Process

Let’s Think About It

• Why do engineers use the design process?
• How do you think the design process helps engineers in their work?
• Why is it important to ask questions as you work through the design process? Why do you think that?
• In the video, we learned that it is important to understand the problem before looking for a solution. Have you ever identified a problem and then looked for a solution? 

criteria

Guidelines or rules used to judge or make a decision.

constraint

A limitation or a restriction. Constraints can include limits on time, materials, or size.

Conclusion Questions

1. Describe your invention and how solar energy enabled it to function. Support your answer with the evidence you recorded in your Launch Log.
2. List two changes you would make to improve the design. Why do you think these changes would improve your invention?

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