Dear Teachers,

Tucson Electric Power Company's Sunsite Funsite is a fantastic educational resource to incorporate in teaching solar energy in your classroom. This TEP sponsored website provides general solar energy information, graphic representations of physical processes, a thorough text version, a glossary, as well as associated websites and educational activities to use with your students.

After entering beyond the Sunsite Funsite homepage, the educational portion of the site begins with the "Solar Energy" page which provides an overview of the topic. From the Solar Energy page you can visit three additional pages which give more detailed information about Photovoltaic Energy, Solar Thermal Energy, and Chemical Energy.

There is an activity for the Solar Energy page and each of the three additional pages. Teachers can acquire the answers by contacting Betsy Bolding at 520-884-3677 or e-mail at Betsy2@tucsonelectric.com.

These activities are provided below in a convenient portable document format (pdf) which enables them to be downloaded and printed so that they easily be distributed to your students. Pdf files must be viewed with Adobe Acrobat. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat on your computer it is available, as a free download. A link to Adobe Acrobat has been provided along with the pdf files below.

Activity Instructions:

Solar Energy Activity - On the Solar Energy page you will find a series of numbered boxes. Have your students review the information that appears when each of these numbers (1-7) are selected, and then have them use this information to answer the questions on the Solar Energy Activity Page - Crossword Puzzle.

Photovoltaic Energy Activity - On the Photovoltaic Energy page you will find a series of numbered boxes that appear as the page "plays". After students have reviewed this information have them fill out the Photovoltaic Energy Activity Page. The activity page will require students to extrapolate their knowledge to select the correct answers to the multiple choice and true/false questions provided.

Solar Thermal Energy Activity - On the Solar Thermal Energy page you will again find a series of numbered boxes. Have your students carefully review this information.  After students have reviewed the information have them examine the Solar Thermal Activity Page - an image of solar thermal behaviors and objects.  Have your students create a list of behaviors and objects that they find in the drawing which represent a use of solar thermal energy.  The activity page will require students to once again extrapolate their knowledge to generate a comprehensive list.

Chemical Energy Activity - On the Chemical Energy page you will also find a series of numbered boxes which appear with information for students as the page "plays". After students have reviewed this information have them fill out the Chemical Energy Activity Page.  The activity page will require students to once again extrapolate their knowledge to select how things are powered and to decide from what materials other items are made.

Solar Energy Activity Page - Solar Energy Activity.PDF

Chemical Energy Activity Page - Chemical Energy Activity.PDF

Photovoltaic Energy Activity Page - Photovoltaic Energy Activity.PDF

Solar Thermal Energy Activity Page - Solar Thermal Activity.PDF

solar energy | chemical energy | photovoltaics | solar thermal
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