Lesson
Preview
🇬🇧 Intro: Solar Energy
ByStrawbees Team
Discover how the sun provides the Earth with solar energy as part of a series on renewable energy. Program a micro:bit to sense light levels throughout an indoor area as well as outdoors.
Topics
Engineering Design
Get Started
Light
Renewable Energy
- SDGsEnsure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
- National CurriculumGrades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6DesignUse research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6DesignGenerate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6EvaluateInvestigate and analyse a range of existing products.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6EvaluateEvaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6EvaluateUnderstand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Technical knowledgeApply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Technical knowledgeUnderstand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages].Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Technical knowledgeUnderstand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors].Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Technical knowledgeApply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output.Grades: Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.
- Curriculum for ExcellenceGrades: P5, P6, P7Planet Earth, Energy sources and sustainabilityBy considering examples where energy is conserved, I can identify the energy source, how it is transferred and ways of reducing wasted energy.Grades: P5, P6, P7Planet Earth, Energy sources and sustainabilityI can investigate the use and development of renewable and sustainable energy to gain an awareness of their growing importance in Scotland or beyond.Grades: P5, P6, P7Technological Developments in Society and Business, Impact, contribution, and relationship of technologies on business, the economy, politics, and the environment.I can analyse how lifestyles can impact on the environment and Earth’s resources and can make suggestions about how to live in a more sustainable way.Grades: P5, P6, P7Technological Developments in Society and Business, Impact, contribution, and relationship of technologies on business, the economy, politics, and the environment.I can make suggestions as to how individuals and organisations may use technologies to support sustainability and reduce the impact on our environment.Grades: P5, P6, P7Craft, Design, Engineering and Graphics, Design and construct models/productI can extend and enhance my design skills to solve problems and can construct models.Grades: P5, P6, P7Craft, Design, Engineering and Graphics, Exploring uses of materialsI can recognise basic properties and uses for a variety of materials and can discuss which ones are most suitable for a given task.Grades: P5, P6, P7Craft, Design, Engineering and Graphics, Application of EngineeringI can extend my knowledge and understanding of engineering disciplines to create solution.Grades: P5, P6, P7Computing Science, Understanding the world through computational thinkingI understand the operation of a process and its outcome. I can structure related items of information.Grades: P5, P6, P7Computing Science, Understanding and analysing computing technologyI can explain core programming language concepts in appropriate technical language.Grades: P5, P6, P7Computing Science, Understanding and analysing computing technologyI understand how information is stored and how key components of computing technology connect and interact through networks.Grades: P5, P6, P7Computing Science, Understanding the world through computational thinkingI understand the operation of a process and its outcome. I can structure related items of information.
Age range
8-14+
Duration
1:35:00
Overview and Objectives
In each section, the learning objectives are:
- Imagine – Learn how the sun provides the Earth with solar energy.
- Build – Program a micro:bit to track light levels with the light sensor, then display the results.
Overview
Discover how the sun provides the Earth with solar energy as part of a series on renewable energy. Program a micro:bit to sense light levels throughout an indoor area as well as outdoors.