Eden Education:
Capturing Solar Energy

Grade level: 9-12
Curriculum areas: Science, Math
Materials: Cans (all the same size and the same material), masking tape, test materials, cardboard boxes, aluminum foil, black paint, paintbrushes, thermometers, measuring cups

This lesson discusses how much power the Sun provides to Earth, and how we can determine how much solar energy is available to us. Determining how much solar energy is available at any given location is necessary for determining the efficiency of solar devices. Students will predict and test materials to discover which is best at capturing the sun’s energy.