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Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) - UKRI
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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.
Solar Detectives
Solar Detectives, from the Centre for Science Education, is a set of teaching materials which offer a cross-curricular approach to learning about engineering. Students build and modify a model solar car and research the science and mathematics underlying the use of solar energy. They have the opportunity to communicate their findings in a variety of ways and look at how engineers and scientists need to be creative in their work using a range of skill and ideas.
Teachers' notes and the starter activity are included at the start of the file called Solar detective pack.
The Engineering a Better World 15-minute video shows students exploring this case study.
Starter activity
• Investigating solar energy
Technology
• Building a model solar car
• Modifying a model solar car
Science
• Developing solar energy
• Warning signs
Mathematics
• Comparing solar cars
Cross-curricular activities
• Energy from the Sun
* Solar variables
* Solar kettles
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Downloads
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Solar detectives - careers 123.34 KB
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Solar detective pack 1.09 MB
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Solar detectives - activities 727.95 KB
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Solar detectives - mathematics 487.07 KB
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Solar detectives - science 1.61 MB
Show downloads
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Solar detectives - careers 123.34 KB -
Solar detective pack 1.09 MB
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Solar detectives - activities 727.95 KB
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Solar detectives - mathematics 487.07 KB
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Solar detectives - science 1.61 MB
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Download all files as a .zip4.38 MB
This resource is a Category Three Materials