• Solar Energy

Students will be introduced to solar energy. Students will understand that most of the energy we use originally came from the sun. Students will observe the transfer of solar energy to different appliances with a solar cell and investigate the effect of using different solar sources to supply energy to appliances.
 
Students will use Google Earth to view solar power plants around the world. Students will take a Google Earth tour of 5 large solar power plant. Students will use the Google Earth measurement tool to determine perimeters of each solar plant.
 
Students will learn the basic tool features of My World GIS or Web GIS including: Construct View, Data Library, Layer List, Visualize View, Cursor Location, Zoom In Tool, Zoom Out Tool, Get Information Tool, Move Map Tool, and Zoom To All. Students will use My World GIS or Web GIS to analyze annual average sunshine data to determine good locations for solar plants.
 
Students will continue to use My World GIS or Web GIS to analyze annual average sunshine data to determine good locations for solar plants. Students will investigate sunshine patterns at locations of existing and proposed solar power plants. Students will analyze "newly planned" solar power plant locations in 2009 and will determine optimal locations to build new very large solar power plants.