Explorations

Solar Energy
The earth receives more energy from the sun in an hour than the entire population of the world consumes in a year.  Best of all, electricity from the sun is free!  What are some ways that you can use all of that energy?

• Electricity
  Solar cells (also called photovoltaic or PV cells) allow us to capture light from the sun and convert it to electricity. PV cells are used for traffic signs on the highway, in calculators, on houses and even in space to power the International Space Station.
  
• Heat
  Just step outside on a sunny day and you'll start soaking up heat energy from the sun.  Solar cookers (like the one you will build), solar stills and even solar building harness heat from the sun to cook, purify water and heat homes.  Heat from the sun that heats up our air is even responsible for causing wind!  Windmills are still another way of using energy from the sun!

Guided Activity
Build a Solar Cooker

Books

• Our Very Own Star: The Sun by NASA
  available as a coloring book in English and Spanish or as an interactive online movie
• The Sun Is My Favorite Star by Frank Asch
• Sun Up, Sun Down by Gail Gibbons