The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Solar Energy and Agrivoltaics

Solar Energy and Agrivoltaics

A 6th grade STEM lesson

Author

Date

Notes for teachers

This lesson is part of a unit on energy. Students have already learned about various forms of (nonrenewable and renewable) energy and its use/ challenges in Arizona, including an introduction to solar energy and PV panels. I have a large solar panel that I use to power a fan as an introduction.

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Students also had previous experience with electricity and circuits.

List of Materials

• mini PV panels
• wires
• wire connectors or alligator clips
• fans
• DC toy motors
• protractors
• various craft materials, such as: glue, tape, popsicle sticks, tp rolls, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, construction paper, binder clips, paperclips, clothespins
• data recording sheet

Standards

6.P4U2.5 Analyze how humans use technology to store (potential) and/or use (kinetic) energy.

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6.L2U3.11 Use evidence to construct an argument regarding the impact of human activities on the environment and how they positively and negatively affect the competition for energy and resources in ecosystems.

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Standards

Science and Engineering Practices:

• Ask questions and define problems.
• Use mathematics and computational thinking.
• Construct explanations and design solutions.
• Develop and use models.

Objectives:

I can find the best way to power a fan with a solar panel.

I can design and build a model of an agrivoltaics racking system.

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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How does energy move through a system?

What are the benefits and drawbacks of solar energy use?

Warm Up: Solar Lab Preparation

How are these components similar to what we used yesterday?

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How are they different from what we used yesterday?

Agenda (70 minute period)

Lab pt 1 (fan):

• Talk about components in lab (panel, wires, fan, connector or clips)
• Students plan how they will use the components to make the fan move (Plan portion of data sheet)
• Review remainder of data collection. Discuss parameters (where can students go, should stay with their partner, etc)
• Go outside! Experiment! Collect data!
• Return to classroom to review data collected: did anyone else get that results? Did anyone do something different? Why do think that worked/ didn’t work?
• Highlight optimal placement/ angle of panel (should be around 30 degrees, will be further investigated in the next lab)

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Review all components with students indoors first. Let students connect the solar panel set up with what they did previously with circuits as they figure out how set up their system.
• Draw students’ attention to vulnerable/ delicate parts of the system (soldered connections). Talk about ways to hold and move the components that won’t stress or pull on these connections.
• Students should complete the Plan portion of their data collection sheet before heading outside. Talk about what the work outside will look like.
• Make sure they know how to use the protractors, and that they should include this data on their sheets.
• For both the fan and the agrivoltaics labs, I grouped students in pairs (depends on your material availability).

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• Choose a location outside that has both shade and direct sun.
• Students can complete the last part of the lab back indoors in necessary/ preferred.

Student Work

• Suggested group structure
• Step by step instructions
• Images may be helpful to show how things are setup

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Agenda (70 minute period)

Lab pt 2 (agrivoltaics):

• Notice and wonder about Model of energy exchange
• What is same/ different between A and B
• arrow color, size, direction
• Summarize results of this study for your students
• https://phys.org/news/2016-11-solar-island-effect-large-scale-power.html
• solar panels increase temperature under and around
• Why is an increase in temperature unwanted (Heat island effect, efficiency of panels)? What can be done about this increased temperature?
• Share slides 2-5 and introduce agrivoltaics. Discuss benefits using the images provided.
• Introduce lab: create a model of an agrivoltaics racking system. What will it need to have to be successful (height from ground, panel at an angle)
• Use slide 6 and the link to discuss optimal angles for solar panels in your school’s zip code. I let students decide whether to angle their panel for one season or the year round angle.
• Build! Partners or small groups, depending on your material availability.
• Tell students not to glue or tape only the front of the panel.
• Gallery walk for students to see other designs.

Warm Up: Study this model. What do you notice (observe)? Make inferences and ask questions.

Model of midday energy exchange without a solar panel and with a solar panel

Student Work

Assessment

• data recording sheet
• Agrivoltaic models (gallery walk for assessment)

Differentiation

Assist students with using the protractor so they get accurate data.

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students’ testable questions from the first lab are shared and a few can be chosen to investigate further.

Larger solar panels and PV pipes can be used to set up an agrivoltaics testing area using real plants.