The Low Carbon Partnership
Solar Power
QCA Unit: |
D&T-4E(Adapted) |
Subject: Design & Technology
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Designing and building a solar powered boat |
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About the Unit: |
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| In this unit, pupils apply knowledge about electric circuits (that they have acquired in science) in a purposeful way. They learn to design and make a boat that will move using electrical energy produced in a sustainable way. The pupils will also need to consider how to make and use a switch. While many of the designing and making skills will be used, there will be two particular focuses: 1.The pupils should know that the source of much of the electrical energy we use causes carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, which creates global warming and climate change; 2.Photo voltaic cells, in appropriate situations are one way of reducing this problem. |
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Where the Unit Fits In: |
Expectations
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| This unit is made up of some of the lessons from the Our Planet series on Solar Power for Key stage 2. If you are planning to teach the whole series of lessons, then you need not look at this document - it is specifically designed for those teachers wishing to simply teach the Design and Technology strand. Lesson 4d 'Making a solar powered boat' can easily be extended and broken up into a series of 3 lessons - there are some suggestions for this in the 'Background' section at the end of the lesson plan. This would enable pupils to build some sophisticated boats and electrical circuits, as well as providing time for designing, planning, testing and assessment to be recorded. Please note that if you are planning to teach the Science unit alongside it, you will find some of the same lessons used because they cover two subjects (e.g. D & T and Science). In this case combine the 2 units and teach the lessons consecutively. It is helpful if the pupils have: •constructed simple electric circuits •cut and joined a variety of materials, including reclaimed materials •learnt how the components work and used simple tools to connect these together This unit builds on Units 2A ‘Vehicles’, 2C ‘Winding up’ and 3C ‘Moving monsters’ and pupils’s earlier experiences of working with reclaimed materials. It builds on Science Units 2F ‘Using electricity’ and 4F ‘Circuits and conductors’, which focus on using electricity and electric circuits and conductors. |
Most Children Will:have reinforced their understanding of how a simple electrical circuit works and how this can be powered by a PV cell and controlled by different kinds of switches. They will use this knowledge to build a boat powered by PV that they can turn on and off. |
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Some children will not have made so much progress and will:have made a boat powered by a PV cell which turns on and off using a switch provided by the teacher |
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Some children will have progressed further and be able to:produced a PV cell powered boat which is innovative and aesthetically pleasing. It will be able to be turned on and off but may also incorporate another electrical features such as a bulb or buzzer. |
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| How we live affects our planet Lesson: KS2 Solar 1 |
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Lesson Objectives•To begin to understand the terms ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’.•To understand in simple terms, how climate change will affect wildlife, using the example of polar bears. •To think about positive ways we can act now to slow down climate change. •To understand that there are forms of energy production that don’t produce carbon dioxide – e.g. solar and wind power. |
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Learning OutcomePupils will be able to explain the terms 'climate change' and 'global warming'.They will be able to understand how our actions affect other animals. |
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| Where is the best place to use photovoltaic (PV) cells? Lesson: KS2 Solar 4a |
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Lesson Objectives•To devise a fair and appropriate investigation into where photovoltaic cells generate most electricity•To carry out the investigation and record evidence •To reflect and suggest improvements to the investigation based on the evidence collected •To know why solar energy can be used more effectively in some parts of the planet than others. |
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Learning OutcomePupils will understand that solar panels need light to work.They will be able to demonstrate this through an experiment. |
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| Switches Lesson: KS2 Solar 4c |
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Lesson Objectives•To know that metals are good conductors of electricity and are used for cables and wires.•To know that most other materials are not good conductors and that plastics are used to cover wires and as covers for plugs and switches. •That a switch can be used to make or break a circuit to turn electrical items on or off. •To design and make a simple switch and test it in a circuit. •That switching off appropriate appliances can save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
Suggested Activities
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Learning OutcomePupils will be able to construct a switch and use it in a circuit. |
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| Making a solar powered boat Lesson: KS2 Solar 4d |
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Lesson Objectives•To reinforce an understanding of simple electrical circuits.•To construct a moving model using materials appropriate for the task. •To use PV cells to demonstrate how solar energy can be used to make a model work. |
Suggested Activities
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Learning OutcomePupils will design and make a solar powered boat.They will make an electrical circuit using solal panels and a switch in their boat design. |
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