<html><body><span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div>I've seen folks use a small magnet attached to a piece of cardboard with a piece of rubber band to demonstrate the stretchy relationship between electrons and the nucleus in atoms. You'd use another stronger magnet under the cardboard to "stretch" the top magnet out of it's orbit creating potential.. giving it energy. you can even stretch it around things to demonstrate resistance. </div><div><br></div><div>Then you magically, turn the kids into electrons -- each with their own magnetic field (you might need a wand and a hat to do this.. or better yet, have the teacher do this). <br></div><div><br><div>As for relating it to PV, you can line kids up (Like in a Si lattice ) on the playground and have a sun shooting photons (A few kids or teachers throwing Ping Pong balls, playground balls or high five). when they're contacted, they fall off their lattice and can't come back until they go thru a circuit.</div><div><br></div><div>For circuits, you can use extension cords (or rope) laid out on the ground to make paths. then have your electrons follow the cord / paths, spin the spinner, slide down the slide and return to the panel.</div></div><div><br></div><div>you can demonstrate the relationship between: open circuit, short circuit, resistance, potential (kids hit by red or blue striped balls get to do different things) and load (Have them spin a spinner on the way by or slide down a slide). I'm toying with using a "High Five" to demonstrate inductance.. passing off energy. Maybe have each kid design a circuit (after they've seen other kids circuits).</div><div><br></div><div>Be warned, I was asked to present a class on PV 101 to a group of "Kids under 12". I teamed up with a real 4th grade teacher and we worked out a lesson plan using many of these concepts (including the funny hat and the wand). Of the 30 something folks we got, one was a bonified 7yr (who really wanted to go hang out with his sister). most everyone else was over 40, and one was 91 years old. We still had them line up and follow the path, but it wasn't pretty. later on at a festival review meeting, I was told that someone had commented on a feed back form that I didn't give a good first impression.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Good luck. db</div><div><br>Dan Brown<br>Foxfire Energy Corp.<br>Renewable Energy Systems<br>(802)-483-2564<br><a href="http://www.Foxfire-Energy.com">www.Foxfire-Energy.com</a><br>NABCEP #092907-44</div><div><br><br></div>
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Subject: [RE-wrenches] Solar Presentations for Kids<br>
From: Jason Szumlanski <<a href="mailto:jason@fafcosolar.com">jason@fafcosolar.com</a>><br>
Date: Thu, June 06, 2013 7:39 am<br>
To: RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>
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<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">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?</div> <br><div id="WISESTAMP_SIG_gmail_session"><div style="font-size:13px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><div style="margin:0 0 8px 0"><div style="margin:0"><span style="color:#808080"><strong>Jason Szumlanski</strong></span></div> <div style="margin:0"><span style="color:#808080"><em>Fafco Solar</em></span></div><div style="margin:0"><span style="color:#808080"><em><br></em></span></div></div></div></div></div> <hr>_______________________________________________<br>
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