Two engineers installing solar panels

Solar-Powered Cars (Energy Conversion)

Grades 9-12

This lesson focuses on two main ideas:

How solar-powered cars and technology work
The forms of energy and how they can be converted from one form to another

Procedure

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes)

Read the introduction to students and review new vocabulary. Students will watch the “Motorweek” video. After the video, have a discussion around the essential questions and thinking questions aligned to the topic and video.

EXTENSION (15-30 minutes)

Complete extension activities with students, as you see fit.

ASSESSMENT (15 minutes)

Have students apply their newfound knowledge by completing a Summative CER on the lesson using evidence from the video and activities as support.

REFLECTION (10 minutes)

Have students complete a reflection.

Standards

NGSS Performance Expectation

HS-PS3-3.
Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Science and Engineering Practices
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 9–12 builds on K–8 experiences and progresses to explanations and designs that are supported by multiple and independent student-generated sources of evidence consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories.

Design, evaluate, and/or refine a solution to a complex real-world problem based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy
- At the macroscopic scale, energy manifests itself in multiple ways, such as in motion, sound, light, and thermal energy.
PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes
- Although energy cannot be destroyed, it can be converted to less useful forms — for example, to thermal energy in the surrounding environment.
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem
- Criteria and constraints also include satisfying any requirements set by society, such as taking issues of risk mitigation into account, and they should be quantified to the extent possible and stated in such a way that one can tell if a given design meets them. (secondary)

Crosscutting Concepts
Energy and Matter
- Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.
Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World
- Modern civilization depends on major technological systems. Engineers continuously modify these technological systems by applying scientific knowledge and engineering design practices to increase benefits while decreasing costs and risks.

Summative CER

Option 1:

Construct an explanation addressing the differences between a solar-powered car and one that operates on gasoline. Be sure to mention the forms of energy converted in each. Use evidence and reasoning from the videos and activities to support your explanation.

Option 2:

Explain how energy is converted using solar-powered technology. Use evidence and reasoning from the videos and activities to support your explanation.

Reflection Questions

How do solar-powered cars and other forms of solar-powered technology work?
What are the various forms of energy and what are examples of one form of energy being converted into another form?

Summative CER Rubric

No Response Score Point 0	Not There Yet Score Point 0.5	Beginning To Score Point 0.75	Yes Score Point 1.0
The claim is missing	The claim is incorrect or irrelevant.	The claim partially takes a position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt.	The claim takes an appropriate position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt.
There is no type of evidence in the response	The evidence is irrelevant or does not support the claim.	The evidence partially supports the claim and demonstrates some understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources.	The evidence supports the claim and demonstrates a strong understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources.
There is no use of words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.	Use of words, phrases and clauses fail to show or explain any relationship between the claim and evidence.	Scientific words, phrases, and clauses used lack cohesion but partially clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.	Appropriate scientific words, phrases, and clauses are used to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.