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Year 6 Renewables focusing on solar energy

Posted: Mar 2, 2022 by: Tara (Tara) on: Forest Blog

Photon bombardment game:

Large solar panel:

Small solar projects:

For our STEM project we are learning about renewables, with a focus on solar energy and wind energy.

We explored solar energy, advantages and disadvantages, photovoltaic cells and the construction of a pv cell.

In order for the children to visualise how photons (light) causes electrons to flow and create electricity in a solar panel, we played the photon bombardment game.

We then explored simple solar circuits.

Fortunately, it was a sunny day!

Some of the children then chose to employ solar powered movement to create spinning art works.

Grace explained, “I’ve learned you need sun for the solar panel to work. When I stood in the shadows then fan stopped spinning. Today, clear skies and sunny, it’s a good day”

Harriet enthused, “This is so cool! It works and I feel like a scientist!”

Nancy shared, “I really like using the buzzer as well as it tells you when the fan is spinning as it buzzes at the same time. When I lift the panel up, closer to the sun the buzzer gets louder and the fan spins faster”.

Harrison and Zachery, Jenna and Lena designed their own solar powered art models using the circuits