EDCI 592 C

Summer 1998

Ya-Chih Chyu

Greenhouse Project

Lesson Plan

Main Concept: Collecting solar energy

Math and Science Concepts:

* Using a thermometer

* recording data

* observing experiment

* creating graph

* discovering the effect of variables

Grade Level: 7th-8th grade

Objectives:

* Understand the use of solar energy as natural resource

* Describe the manner in which the sun produces energy

* Discuss methods of collecting and storing solar energy

* Use a graph to display the results of experiments

* Discover the effect that certain variables have on solar radiation

Prerequisite Knowledge:

* Take readings from a thermometer

* Knowledge of variables

Materials:

* Two soda bottles

* Black and white paint

* Playdoh

* Two thermometers

* Computer with graphing program

Procedure:

1. Have each group take two soda bottles they collected, paint one black and the other

white.

2. Make a cork for each bottle from the playdoh and insert a thermometer in.

3. Take a reading from each thermometer at the beginning of the experiment.

4. Put the bottles in a sunny area and take readings from the thermometers every twenty

minutes.

5. Graph the data by using a computer equipped with a graphing program.

6. Analyze the graphs for each of the bottles. Did the time vs. temperature ratio

look the same for both of the bottles? Why or why not?

7. Have students write a conclusion that summarizes the results of the experiment.

Extensions:

* Discuss how solar energy is trapped by a greenhouse.

* Build a Lego TC Logo Greenhouse.