Provided by: The Kid Should See This |Published on: April 27, 2021
Articles/Websites
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Synopsis
This video and article show how a fourth-grade class in Durham, North Carolina learned about solar energy, raised money to buy solar panels, and installed solar panels to power their classroom.
Students will learn about renewable energy and see an example of successful and inspiring climate action at the classroom level.
This video will inspire and guide students who want to install solar panels at their schools.
A short article provides several links, including a link to the class's Kickstarter campaign, which raised over $5,000 for the project.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should understand the environmental benefits of renewable energy and why it is more sustainable than electricity from fossil fuels.
Students should understand that every school is different, and some classes might face more obstacles to switching to solar energy than others.
The link in the article to energy.gov does not work.
Differentiation
Students could create a flowchart of the people that would have to approve a solar panel project at their school. Students could use this article on solar power in schools to gather information, then create a presentation for decision-makers on why their class would benefit from switching to solar power.
Other resources on this topic include this digital book on solar energy and this Khan Academy video on solar energy technology.
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About the Partner Provider
The Kid Should See This
The Kid Should See This is a Webby award-winning collection of over 7,000 kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. Selections are grown-up-friendly, too. And thanks to TKSST members, itโs free and ad-free for everyone. Start conversations, spark questions, and inspire offline exploration for all ages.
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.