[RE-wrenches] Solar Presentations for Kids

[Exeltech]

Hello Jason (and all others who teach our younger kids about anything "solar")...


As is well known, 6-10 year-old kids can be an interesting challenge.
Hands-on projects keep them engaged.  Here are three suggestions:

#1:
Simple construction project: Solar box cooker.

Requires very basic materials: cardboard boxes, newspaper, foil, plastic.
Adults cut the opening in the lid to admit sunlight, kids do the remaining
work.  On a pleasant sunny day, cook s'mores.

Construction plans are available from Solar Cookers International:

http://www.solarcookers.org/index.html

Cost for each cooker is < $5.

As an added item of interest, buy a digital oven thermometer (~$10) and
see which cooker gets the hottest inside.


#2:
For 9-10 year old students, there's the Junior Solar Sprint Car Kit.

Small PV panel, DC motor, gears, wheels, and chassis.  Takes [maybe]
20-30 minutes to assemble.  Then set in the sun on a clean level surface
and have fun!  Kits are ~$25 each and require at most only a glue gun
to assemble.

The North Texas Renewable Energy Group (for which I'm the Advisor),
had a recent presentation on this topic.  We have a PDF you can download
here:

http://www.ntreg.org/downloads.htm

Scroll down to the April 2013 meeting presentation link titled "Solar Cars for
All Ages".  Contact the meeting presenter, Dr. Gary Vliet, Ph.D, and professor
emeritus from the University of Texas at Austin for information on pre-made
car kits.  If of interest, I will share his access information off-line.


#3:
Buy a small 12Vdc "bilge pump" from your local Northern Tool / Harbor Freight
type store.  Connect it to a 20-30W 12V PV.  Immerse the pump in a bucket
of water.  Use flexible PVC connected to the pump to direct the water out of,
then back into the bucket.  Kids have all kinds of fun shading the PV and
watching its effect on the flow of water.  Again, contact me offline and I'll
send photos of the "how to" construction ideas for this assembly.  They're
roughly 4MB each, and I've got several.


Hope this helps...




Dan



--- On Thu, 6/6/13, Jason Szumlanski <jason at fafcosolar.com> wrote:

From: Jason Szumlanski <jason at fafcosolar.com>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Solar Presentations for Kids
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Date: Thursday, June 6, 2013, 6:39 AM

I'm looking for an idea, project, or pre-made kit to engage a group of 6-10 year old kids for an hour. I've been doing PowerPoint presentations and games in the past for these types of events, but I'm finding it a bit stale. Any ideas to create a little more excitement and wonder?


Jason Szumlanski

Fafco Solar


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