Information for Teachers

Future Solar Decathletes are in your classroom today—and you can help get them excited about science and solar energy. This page offers information about science project lesson plans and student activities. Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.

General Information Pages

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

• For Educators
  Dozens of links to information about a wide variety of energy topics.

• Energy Education & Training
  This site features links to educational and training resources on energy, particularly energy efficiency and renewable energy.

• About Photovoltaics (PV)
  Learn about PV from DOE.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

• NREL Education Programs
  Teacher and student programs and competitions, as well as curriculum, activities and projects from NREL.

• Learning about Renewable Energy
  Basic information on energy efficiency and various applications of renewable energy.

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

• Classroom Activities
  Background information and activities for students of all ages.

• Kids Page
  Main student entry page of EIA, offering fun facts, a Kid's Corner, and online resources.

Energy Quest

• Resources for Teachers
  Various energy and environmental education materials and resources for parents and teachers.

• Lesson Plans
  A sampling of energy and science education resources available online.

National Energy Education Development (NEED)

• Curriculum Materials
  Several of NEED's activities and curriculum guides available in PDF format.

Alliance to Save Energy

• Educator Lesson Plans
  Download free hands-on, multidisciplinary educator lesson plans in the area of energy.

Florida Solar Energy Center

• Curriculum Materials
  A collection of lesson plans about renewable energy and energy efficiency.

• Teacher Resources
  A comprehensive collection of links to many energy Web sites.

Elementary School Lesson Plans/Activities

Energy Information Administration

• Primary Explorations
  Energy activities for students in grades K-3.

• Elementary Explorations
  Energy activities for students in grades 4-7.

Energy Quest

• Resources for Teachers
  Energy education resources for teachers and parents.

Alliance to Save Energy

• Elementary Lesson Plans
  A variety of lessons suitable for grades K-5.

Texas State Energy Conservation Office

• Elementary School Renewable Energy Lesson Plans
  Lesson plans and fact sheets on renewable energy for fourth graders.

Middle School Lesson Plans/Activities

Energy Information Administration

• Solar Hot Dog Cooker
  Use the heat of the sun to cook a hot dog.

• Intermediate Explorations
  Energy activities for students in grades 6-9

Alliance to Save Energy

• Middle School Lesson Plans
  These lesson plans are suitable for students in grades 6-8.

Florida Solar Energy Center

• Solar Matters III
  A solar energy science unit for intermediate sixth through eighth grade teachers and students.

Texas State Energy Conservation Office

• Middle School Renewable Energy Lesson Plans
  Lesson plans and fact sheets on renewable energy for students in sixth grade.

High School Lesson Plans/Activities

Energy Information Administration

• Secondary Explorations
  Energy activities for students in grades 9-12.

Alliance to Save Energy

• High School Lesson Plans
  These lessons are suitable for grades 9-12.

Florida Solar Energy Center

• Solar Wonders
  Award- winning solar energy science unit for high school teachers and students.

• Understanding Solar Energy
  A solar energy science unit for students in grades 9-12.

Texas State Energy Conservation Office

• High School Renewable Energy Lesson Plans
  Lesson plans and fact sheets on renewable energy for students in ninth grade.

Printable Version

Blenda Martineu of Universidad de Puerto Rico tends to plants in the team's hydroponics garden on an exterior wall of the house. This 2007 Solar Decathlon team named its project "Cell House" because team members drew inspiration from the self-sufficiency of a single plant cell.