Solar Power Strawbees/Micro:bit Lesson
Overview
This lesson goes along with a unit in which students will be studying specific countries. Students will identify an area of need in their country and create a solar device to help power a solution to that need.
Design Challenge Title: Powering Equality
Author(s): Andrea Fellows
| Background and Question/Challenge: Each of you are studying a country in Africa. One of Africa’s biggest issues right now is to reduce inequality among countries. This means that each of your countries has an area of need: improved sanitation, access to healthcare, access to clean water, access to food, etc. A first step to solving these needs is providing access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy in all areas of the country you are studying. Today you will be creating a light sensing solar panel that can be used to provide power. When finished, decide what type of device your solar panel will primarily power in your country that will help solve a major need specific to your country. If time, design and build the device it will power. | |
| SDG Goal: 10. Reduce inequality among countries7. Affordable and clean energy6. Clean water and sanitation | Why is this challenge relevant to students? Our class will be studying continents at the beginning of the year this year. Our first continent is Africa. When researching the SDG’s for Africa, one of the major goals is #10: reduce inequality within and among countries. Serious issues include child mortality and lack of access to sanitation. One potential piece to solve these issues is access to cheaper yet sustainable energy sources. |
| Constraints/Criteria: Students will work in small groups to create the solar device due to limited Strawbees kits available. Students will work together to build the device as well as to code the microbit. Students can choose to divide parts of the project based on their interests. Extension activity will be based on student individual areas of study. | Materials: StrawbeesServo MotorMicro:bitsComputersStudent HandoutsPaper and other design materialsExtension activity: Classroom design supplies such as cardboard, markers, tape, etc. Additional Micro:bit and Sam Lab kits |
| Math, Science, T&E, CS Standards:3.4.10.C2. Analyze a prototype and/or create a working model to test a design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments.3.4.10.C2. Analyze a prototype and/or create a working model to test a design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments.3.4.10.A2 Interpret how systems thinking applies logic and creativity with appropriate comprises in complex real-life problems.3.4.10.A3 Examine how technology transfer occurs when a new user applies an existing innovation developed for one purpose in a different function.3.4.10.E3 Compare and contrast the major forms of energy: thermal, radiant, electrical, mechanical, chemical, nuclear and others.CC.2.4.HS.B.5 Make inferences and justify conclusions based on sample surveys, experiments, and observational studies. | |
| Problem Solving Practice(s)/Process(s): Design Thinking ● Discovery● Interpretation● Ideation● Experimentation● Evolution The engineering design process ● Define the problem● Generate/Brainstorm Ideas● Select a solution● Testing and evaluation● Present the solution | Coding Activities/Lessons:
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STEM Career Connections:Solar:
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| Attachments/Student Handouts: Solar device design idea/inspiration: https://learning.strawbees.com/activity/create-a-light-sensing-plant-with-bbc-microbit/Sunlight sensor code: https://microbit.org/projects/make-it-code-it/sunlight-sensor/Servo motor code: Shake in Dark Sample CodeStudent Handout: Student Solar Device HandoutStudent Reflection: STEM Student Reflection Rubric: STEM Rubric.pdf | |
| Additional Resources/Notes:To complete this project I will need the Strawbees light sensor attachment. |