LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Your Name: Yuchen Sun

Title of Lesson: Experiment Day- Factors related to solar panels design
Grade: 4

STANDARDS

Experiment Design
MS-ETS1-2.
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of
the problem.

Experiment Report Activity
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students will conduct an experiment to study the impact of various factors on the absorption of sunlight.
Students will be divided into groups of four. Each group will be given a plastic bottle with water, a thermometer, a support
stand, pigments, and brushes. Each group will also have an experiment form to record their operations. In order to absorb
more sunlight and make their water warmer, students will pick the location and the angle of the bottle and the color to brush
the bottle. When every group finishes the experiment with different operations and temperature of the water, they can learn
the impact of these factors on absorbing the sunlight by comparing their operations and results. Each group will make a short
presentation and summary in front of the whole class at the end.
Instructors will also guide students to think about these questions on solar panel design:
Why are most solar panels black or blue?
Why do we always place solar panels at an angle?
Why do we always place solar panels on the roof?

OBJECTIVES

1. Cooperating with team members, students will be able to conduct an experiment to verify their assumptions.
2. Students will be able to name three factors (color, location and angle) related to solar panel design.
3. Students will be able to answer the three questions listed above.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

Objective One- Group evaluation. Let students do peer evaluation in their group about their cooperation during the lesson.
Objective Two & Three- There will be a test after the lesson. Questions include: name three factors related to solar panel
design and the three questions listed above.

PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE

Students should have basic knowledge and vocabulary of the sun, the solar power, and solar panel. All these topics are covered
in the first three lessons.
Instructor will review some of the key vocabulary and concepts before the experiment.

MATERIALS

Sunny Day
Plastic Bottles
Water
Thermometers
Pigments and Brushes
Support Stand
Experiment Forms
Exam Papers

VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS

Solar Power- Energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy
Solar Cell- A cell that converts solar energy into electrical energy
Solar Panel- Electrical device consisting of a large array of connected solar cells

Absorbing- Capable of arousing and holding the attention
Temperature- The degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment

TEACHING PROCEDURES

1. Instructor reviews some of the key vocabulary and concepts related to the experiment. Why is solar power beneficial?
How can we capture it? How does solar panel work?
2. Instructor divides students into groups.
3. Instructor introduces the experiment.
The goal of the experiment is trying to absorb as much sunlight as we can to make our water warmer.
Make sure students are clear about what materials they have.
Encourage students to have their own ideas and pay attention to differences between groups.
4. Students have their group discussion to decide their strategies for the experiment and record their strategies on the
experiment form.
Color of our bottle Location Vertical / horizontal /
inclined
Others
Our strategies
5. Students conduct their experiments and record temperature on the experiment form.
0 min 3mins 5mins 8mins 10mins
Temperature
6. Based on students strategies, teacher should also set up some bottles as a control group.
7. Teacher writes down all groups strategies on board. While waiting for the result, students will compare their operations
and make assumptions of which group can have a higher temperature at the end.
8. Compare all groups final temperature. Class discussion to find out the best strategy- which color is the perfect color to
absorb sunshine? (black) Where and how to put the bottle to have warmer water? (inclined with the most plentiful
sunshine)
9. Instructor leads discussions about factors related to solar panel design.
Why are most solar panels black or blue?
Why do we always place solar panels at an angle?
Why do we always place solar panels on the roof?
10. Group discussion and summary. Comparing the best strategy with our groups strategy, are all our assumptions
correct?
11. Group presentations and comments about what they found during this experiment and their conclusion about it.
12. Peer evaluation and test
Considering all members contribution and cooperation, please give them and yourself a score.
Self evaluation Member________ Member________ Member________
Score (1 to 5)
Test Questions:
1. What are three factors that are related to solar panels design that we talked about in todays lesson?
2. Why are most solar panels black or blue?
3. Why do we always place solar panels at an angle?
4. Why do we always place solar panels on the roof?

RESOURCES

Layers of Learning (n.d.). Solar Energy Experiments
Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.layers-of-learning.com/solar-energy-experiments/

National Energy Education Development Project (2013). The Sun and Its Energy
Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.need.org/files/curriculum/guides/The%20Sun%20and%20its%20Energy.pdf

WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION

Future thinking- The solar power topic is related with future thinking. With this experiment lesson, students can really feel the
power of the sun. They may also have a feeling that solar power is no longer a topic far away from our lives. So they may feel
more comfortable to think about applying solar power knowledge in their daily lives or in the future. At least, they will
understand the importance of the energy problem and be eager to use renewable energy more.

Strategic thinking- In order to achieve the goal of absorbing more sunlight to make water warmer, all groups of students will
think about their own group strategy with the material they have. Students will learn that there are different methods to reach
the goal. With cooperation, we can have a better strategy to achieve a better result.

Value thinking- Group members may have different values and ideas during decision-making and discussions. Students will
learn to express their values as well as how to listen and understand to others in this group activity. It is also important for
them to learn how people with diverse values can sit and solve the problem together.