Transcript E.ES.01.11 Fall 10

Jennifer Currier & Cassie Burnett
GLCE: E.ES.01.11 Identify the sun as the most
important source of heat which warms the land, air, and
water of the Earth.
Engage:
Reading a short story called:
The Tale Of Wendy Wizard
Explore:
Explore:
Materials:
•Cardboard pizza box (the kind delivered pizza comes in)
•Box knife or scissors
•Aluminum foil
•Clear tape/ Electric tape or glue
•Plastic wrap (a heavy-duty or freezer zip lock bag will also
work)
•Black construction paper
•Metal pan
•Food to cook 
Lets Get Started!!!!!
Explain:
What's happening?
 The heat from the sun is trapped inside of your pizza box solar oven, and it starts
getting very hot. Ovens like this one are called collector boxes, because they collect
the sunlight inside. As it sits out in the sun, your oven eventually heats up enough to
melt cheese, or cook a hot dog!
 How does it happen? Rays of light are coming to the earth at an angle. The foil
reflects the ray, and bounces it directly into the opening of the box. Once it has
gone through the plastic wrap, it heats up the air that is trapped inside. The black
paper absorbs the heat at the bottom of the oven
 Your solar oven will reach about 200° F on a sunny day, and will take longer to heat
things than a conventional oven. Although this method will take longer, it is very
easy to use, and it is safe to leave alone while the energy from the sun cooks your
food. If you do not want to wait long to have a solar-cooked dish, try heating up
something that has already been cooked, like leftovers, or a can of soup. Putting
solid food in a glass dish and liquids in a heavy plastic zip lock bag works well. You
can also pre-heat your oven by setting it in direct sun for up to an hour.
Explain:
Solar Energy
Our earth gets most of its energy from the
sun. We call this energy solar energy.
Solar energy travels from the sun to the
earth in rays. Some are light rays that we can
see. Some are rays we can't see, like x-rays.
Energy in rays is called radiant energy.
The sun is a giant ball of gas. It sends out
huge rays of energy every day. Most of the
rays go off into space. Only a small part
reaches the earth.
When the rays reach the earth, some bounce
off clouds back into space--the rays are
reflected. The earth absorbs most of the
solar energy and turns it into heat. This heat
warms the earth and the air around it--the
atmosphere. Without the sun, we couldn't
live on the earth-it would be too cold.
WE USE SOLAR ENERGY TO SEE AND GROW THINGS
We use solar energy in many ways. During the day, we use
sunlight to see what we are doing and where we are going.
Plants
Plants use the light from the sun to
grow. Plants absorb (take in) the
solar energy and use it to grow.
-The energy stored in plants feeds
every living thing on the earth.
When we eat plants and food made
from plants, we store the energy in
our bodies. We use the energy to
grow and move. We use it to pump
our blood, think, see, hear, taste,
smell and feel. We use energy for
everything we do.
WE CAN USE ENERGY FROM THE SUN FOR HEAT
We also use the energy stored in plants to make heat. We burn wood in campfires
and fireplaces. Early humans burned wood to provide light, cook food, scare away
wild animals, and keep warm.
Solar energy turns into heat when it hits objects. That's why we feel warmer in
the sun than in the shade. The light from the sun turns into heat when it hits our
clothes or our skin. We use the sun's energy to cook food and dry our clothes.
THE SUN MAKES THE WIND
Solar energy makes the winds that
blow over the earth. The sun shines
down on the land and water. The
land heats up faster than the water.
The air over the land gets warm. The
warm air rises. The cooler air over
the water moves in where the warm
air was. This moving air is wind.
THE SUN'S ENERGY IS IN MANY
THINGS
Solar energy powers the water cycle. The
water cycle is how water moves from
clouds to the Earth and back again. The
sun heats water on the earth. The water
evaporates-it turns into water vapor and
rises into the air to form clouds. The
water falls from the clouds as
precipitation--rain, sleet, hail or snow.
Elaborate:
Divide the class into two groups
Give each group a “what if” question to
think about.
1. What if the sun never set and the sun
stayed in the sky heating the earth with
no night?
2. What if the sun never rose and there
was only darkness on the earth with no
sun?
Evaluate:
 Both groups will get time to discuss their thoughts
about a good answer to each of the questions.
 Each student will participate with their own ideas
and as a group come up with the answer the whole
group decides is best.
 Pick a representative from each group to share the
answer to the “what if” question with the class.
Resources:
 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/pdfs/solar_en
ergyfromsunguidestudent.pdf