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Some fun and
educational solar projects for kids or for the kid in all of
us. These are projects for students that involve renewable
energy, solar physics, model wind generators, PV powered boats
and cars, and even a solar balloon.
If you have or see any good material for this area, please let me know. |
| Projects | |
| SunChaser Education
Program, New Mexico Solar Energy Association The "SunChaser" trailer: And, an even more portable "kit":
|
 This
is a neat program that uses a trailer full of displays of
renewable energy applications.  The trailer makes visits on request. This program is probably limited to NM, but you could start one in your state. They have developed a whole series of kits to demonstrate energy efficiency and solar energy. I'm sure they would be interested in helping others set up similar programs. |
| Florida Solar Energy
Center -- Education http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/education/index.htm
|
 The
FSEC has a whole raft of educational programs for kids.Lots of good material. |
| Solar Dinosaur Play
Structure
|
 This
is a dinosaur theme play structure we built for the grandkids.It includes slide, climbing wall, swing, and solar powered dino horn and rotating beacon light. |
| Renewable Energy Lesson
Plans, Texas State energy Conservation Office www.infinitepower.org/lessonplans.htm
|
 22
well thought out lesson plans for renewable energy studies.Grades 4 through High School.
|
| Kid Wind
|
 Great
site for students to learn about wind power. Many lessons and
hands on experiments. |
| Solar Energy Coloring
Book, Texas Solar Energy Society, www.txses.org The coloring book (pdf)
|
 Quite
a neat solar energy coloring book!!From the Texas Solar Energy Society |
| Jack McKee's Solar
Projects for Kids
www.woodshop4kids.com/Hands_On_Books/Do-it-yourself.html
|
 Jack
has been doing solar workshops for kids and teachers for quite a
while, and has documented some of his solar projects for kid
here -- my favorite is The Solar Kid Warmer.Jack also has a lot of material on workworking for kids -- the 2nd best hobby in the world. |
| House Design Energy
Experiments For Students http://designcoalition.org/kids/energyhouse/pdfpage.htm
|
 An interesting set of experiments for students to understand energy use in homes. You start by making a model house from a cardboard box, and then measure the effects of windows, insulation, air leaks, thermal mass, ... The only instrumentation required is a thermometer. The "Furnace" is a glass of hot water. It looks like a really fun way to learn about home design and experimental techniques. If only the people who are now laying out housing areas and building homes had been exposed to this! |
| Lighter, Brighter, and
Cooler: An Analysis of the Effect of Roofing Albedo on Ambient
Temperature www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2007/Ryan.html
|
 Quite
an impressive student science project/experiment on the effect
of roof reflectivity on temperatures on and in the structure. |
| Biogas Experiments http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/fair/
|
 Some
Science Fair biogas projects from the University of Adelaide in
Australia.The university has a large, hands-on section on biogas digesters and applications. (Thanks to Dave for suggesting this) |
| Junior Solar Sprint
Program http://www.nrel.gov/education/jss_hfc.html Hosting guide book: List of JSS Hosts: |
 Information
on setting up a solar model car program for students. Car kits,
car construction hints, and information on setting up these
programs. |
| Junior Solar Sprint
Program in the NE http://www.nesea.org/k-12/juniorsolarsprint/
|
 A
successful Junior Solar Sprint program in the NE. |
| Renewable Energy Canada | This is a great site
for introducing kids to renewable energy -- lots of hands-on
projects and painless learning.
 Solar
oven and vertical axis windmill that can be built as student
projects. Lesson plans, posters, ... |
| Renewable Energy Canada http://www.re-energy.ca/t-i_waterbuild-1.shtml Plans (1MB pdf) Template (74K pdf)
|
 A
very slick little water turbine to generate electricity.
|
| Juice from Juice, Jill Johnsen and Stephanie Chasteen, Exploratorium Teacher Institute
|
 "With
iodine, blackberry juice, and a few simple materials, you can
create a working solar cell that mimics the process of
photosynthesis."An interesting lab experiment from the Exploratorium Teachers Institute. |
| Wind Stuff Now -- One
Hour Windmill www.windstuffnow.com/main/one_hour_projects.htm
|
 A
quick and simple windmill that can be built in a short time.
I would think some wind physics labs could be developed from
this?
|
| Pico Turbine Windmill Kits |
 If
you want to get started in wind generation in a really small
way, here's the site. Lots of other interesting wind related
materials on the site. Well done plans for this desk top
turbine are a free download. |
|
A Wind Energy-Powered Charger Kelly s. Isaac
|
 Mother
Earth News Article, Issue 138 June/July 1993This small, vertical axis windmill is not going to power your house, but it would make a great school project to get some hands on experience with wind generators. |
| Solar Hot Air Balloons |
 Small
(and not so small) scale solar hot air balloons -- very
interesting.
|
| Greenhouse from pop
bottles www.reapscotland.org.uk/reports/greenhouse%20v1.pdf
|
 This
is a greenhouse built by kids with using 2 liter pop bottles.The finished GH could be used for any number of solar heating and growing experiments. A great demonstration of how simple solar can be. (from HomesteadingToday.com) |
|
HP106 Make A Solar Fountain! Hal Aronson and Tor Allen |
 Home
Power Magazine article, issue 106Good article of doing a PV powered solar fountain as a school project. |
|
Solar Cars for Pleasure or Competition Tina M. Sorenson |
 Home
Power Magazine article, issue 53Elementary students learn about solar power by building and racing solar electric model cars. |
|
Running The Minnesota Solar Boat Regatta Ralph Jacobson and Tom Roark |
 Home
Power Magazine article, issue 59A neat program middle/high school students build and race solar PV powered boats. Quite a bit of detail on how the program is run. |
| Solar Activities for
Students North Carolina Solar Center
|
 Several
solar projects for students from the North Carolina Solar Center |
| List of kids oriented
websites Renewable Resource Data Center http://rredc.nrel.gov/kidzlinks.html
|
List of kids oriented websites from the Renewable Resource Data Center |
| 3 Phase Wind Turbine
Kit From WindStuffNow.com
|
 This
is an inexpensive wind turbine kit that looks like it would be
fun to build as a student project.Look at the plans |
| A sterling Engine from
Pop Cans
|
 A
demonstration sterling engine made from pop cans. |
| Pager Motors dot com
|
 Inexpensive
kits for several solar cell powered robot kits.
All with very complete online tutorials showing how to build them. |
| Solar Kits from Silicon
Solar http://www.siliconsolar.com/educational-solar-kits.php
|
 A
variety of solar kits for students. |
| Make a Solar Power
Marshmallow Roaster Alternate Energy Hobby Store -- Marshmallow Roaster
|
 Solar
marshmallow roaster using a Fresnel lens to concentrate the
sun. Nice write-up with some lens Physics. |
|
Solar Site Survey ...
|
 This
is the Solar Site Survey that I recommend people do before
building any project that relies on solar radiation. I think it also makes a great learning project that: 1) Shows the use of the Sun Chart to determine the daily path of the sun through the sky through the full year. With this one small chart, you can pinpoint the position of the sun at any instant throughout the full year, and gain an understanding of the seasonal changes in the sun's path. Just learning how to use the Sun Chart alone would make a great lesson. 2) Uses two simple handmade gages to measure the direction and elevation of obstacles that might shade a solar collector. The "skyline" of obstacles is plotted on the sun chart to determine what times of the year and day your collector will be in sun. The whole thing could be done as a couple one hour exercises. Coming to understand how the path of the sun changes through the seasons is a useful for everything from designing solar homes to planning outdoor activities. It is something that amazingly few adults understand. This could easily feed into further sessions on passive solar home design, or solar electricity, passive cooling ... |
| Understanding the Suns
Path and Making a Sun Dial
|
 Lesson
plan for making a sun dial and understanding the path across the
sky (knowledge lacking in most adults). |
| Omniscience
Futureneering
www.webcom.com/sknkwrks/welcome.htm
|
 With
the possible exception of the small Sterling engines, this site
has nothing to do with solar, but it has some really interesting
DIY projects."O.F. was a high-school-based
science/engineering/inventing club. It was founded on the
premise that the best way to learn about anything was to design
it, make it or modify it and then to use it." Some of these projects definitely require supervision. |
|
Places to see Looking for more of these -- know of any? |
|
| Califormia Academy of
Sciences -- SanFrancisco
|
 A
really terrific place to take kids (or retired engineer
grandfathers) to have fun learning about science.An amazing rainforest bubble, aquariums, green roof, ... lots and lots -- all very well done. Lots of good material on the challenges of climate change. |
| Exploratorium -- San
Francisco
|
 Another great San Fran Cisco learning and fun place. "The Exploratorium is an experimental, hands-on museum designed to spark curiosity" |
| Green House at the
National Building Museum www.nbm.org/Exhibits/greenHouse2/greenHouse.htm
|
 This
looks like an interesting set of green building exhibits with
some hands-on.If you find yourself in DC, check it out. |
| Programs | |
| U AZ Students Help Local Businesses to Save Energy, Water, Money, and Reduce Carbon Emissions |
 The
University of Arizona Students In Free Enterprise and Sam's Club
teamed up to help two local Tucson businesses to save some money
on their energy bills and to reduce water use and carbon
emissions. |
| Schoolgen http://www.schoolgen.co.nz/default.aspx
|
 An
interesting NZ program that combines solar electric projects at
schools with renewable energy material and projects for school
kids.The site includes a Resources section for teachers who want to start similar programs. |
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