Curricular Resources
Sun-Earth Connections, Taking a Closer Look at the Sun: An excellent introduction to the Sun.
Solar Cooking:
Suzette's Easy Solar Cooking Recipes
Grades K-5:
- Eye on the Sky, Our Star the Sun: Grades K-4. Hands-on classroom activities (language art, math and science integrated) to take a closer look at age-appropriate solar topics. Activities: Size and Scale of the Sun and Earth, What Makes Shadows, Rotation and Revolution, Making Sundials and Using UV Bead Detectors.
- Magnetic Mania: Magnetism on Earth and Beyond: Grades K-5. Video explaining magnetism around us.
- Science of Energy: Elementary/Intermediate. Lessons to engage students in learning about the forms of energy and energy transformations.
- Energy from the Sun Teacher Guide and Student Guide: Elementary Level (3-5) lessons and background resources for students to inquire about solar energy.
Grades 6-9:
- Exploring Magnetism: Grades 6-9. Discover magnetic fields and electromagnetism through inquiry and measurement. Learn about the importance of magnetic fields on the Sun and the Earth. Build an electromagnet.
- GEMS Real Reasons for the Seasons: Grades 6-8. Middle school lessons explaining how seasons happen on Earth and their effects on solar energy. The first activity, Tilted Earth, uses models to explore how Earth’s tilt results in variations in day length and changing seasons. Seasons Unraveled/The Angle of Light, the second activity, examines how the amount of Sun hitting Earth changes over the seasons. For purchase, click here.
- GEMS Living with a Star: Grades 6-8. Engage in activities to discover the potential risks of living with a star. Explore ultraviolet radiation and discover natural shields that protect us from most of the Sun’s harmful effects. Conduct controlled experiments on how best to protect from UV (including risks from the thinning of the ozone layer). Generate ideas about predicting solar storms and minimizing potential damage, and gain experience in risk assessment, making considered choices, and assessing priorities now and in the future. For purchase, click here.
- Earth's Energy Budget Poster: Grades 6-12. The front of the Earth's Energy Budget poster depicts incoming, reflected, absorbed and emitted solar radiation. The back of the poster is divided into eight parts with background information, a lesson plan, a vocabulary matching activity and career information.
- Science of Energy: Elementary/Intermediate. Lessons to engage students in learning about the forms of energy and energy transformations.
- Exploring Solar Energy Teacher Guide and Student Guide from NEED: Intermediate (6-8) lessons and background resources for students to learn more about photovoltaic and solar thermal energy resources. Other NEED educator guides on energy.
Grades 9-12
- Magnetism and Electromagnetism: Grades 8-12. This guide provides the basics of magnetism and electromagnetism through high school activities: mapping magnetic fields around bar magnets, electromagnets and paper clips; using Earth's magnetic field to generate electricity, and an activity on Lenz's law.
- Earth’s Energy Budget: Grades 9-12. Investigate the energy transfer between the Sun and Earth and how the Sun drives weather and climate on Earth. Use NASA maps to explore how features of the Earth system like clouds and deserts, modulate the reflection of energy from the Sun. Explore how Earth’s tilt causes seasonal differences in incoming solar energy.
- Earth's Energy Budget Poster: Grades 6-12. The front of the Earth's Energy Budget poster depicts incoming, reflected, absorbed and emitted solar radiation. The back of the poster is divided into eight parts with background information, a lesson plan, a vocabulary matching activity and career information.
- Science of Energy: Secondary. Lessons to engage students in learning about the forms of energy and energy transformations.
- Photovoltaics Teacher Guide and Student Guide : Secondary (9-12) lessons and background resources for students to explore photovoltaic and solar thermal resources.