Educational Links

Click the numbered topics below to jump down in the page to the related links.

Lesson Plans

1. PHOTOVOLTAICS BASICS

https://solarpower.guide/solar-energy-glossary - A helpful glossary of terms for those new to solar energy (thank you to Ms. Platt and her students for sharing this link with us!)
http://www.nrel.gov/pv/ - Measurement, physics, design, modeling of PVs
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jz502648y - An introduction Perovskite Solar Cells
https://www.goodfellow.com/usa/resources/photovoltaics-and-electricity/ -- A general overview on photovoltaics and additional links to other resources

2. EDUCATIONAL LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES

http://librarymakers.blogspot.com/2014/08/summer-special-solar-bugs.html - How to make solar-powered bugs that wiggle and jiggle in sunlight
http://www.esi.utexas.edu/outreach/k-12-teacher-and-informal-educator-resources -
K-12 teacher resources from the Environmental Science Institute, University of Texas, Austin, TX
http://www.switchenergyproject.com - The award-winning nonpartisan energy film Switch inclucing energy videos, curriculum, and more
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/solar_timeline.pdf - A brief history of solar energy by U.S. Department of Energy.
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/psu06-e21.sci.solarcooking/solar-cooking/ - A lab experiment for grades 3-8 on solar cookers from PBS.
https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_solarenergy_lesson01 - Great lessons and laboratory experiments integrating science, mathematics, and geography. Grade level: 8-12.
http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/schools/infinitepower/lesson-plans.php - Quite a few lesson plans for renewable energy.
http://www.efmr.org/edu/solar2009.pdf - Lesson plans for Primary and Secondary schools.
http://www.nrel.gov/education/educational_resources.html - Great information resources and awesome laboratory experiments for all grade levels K-12.
http://www.communitypowernetwork.com/node/1100 - More U.S. Department of Energy lesson plans for K-12 as well as teacher training.
http://education.mrsec.wisc.edu/289.htm - Lab instructions on how to build your own dye sensitized solar cells.
http://www.nlcpr.com/GratzelSolarCell.pdf - Dye sensitized solar cell instructional power point.
https://parc.wustl.edu/files/parc/imce/solarenergy_kit5.pdf - Lesson plans for the instruction of and how to build a dye sensitized solar cell.

3. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

http://www.hartfordglassco.com - Inexpensive source of FTO glass. They call it TEC15 glass. 1.6mm thickness will be sufficient for producing solar cells and is sold in 12” x 12” sheets. You will need to cut to desired dimensions. You will need to call to order. Their phone number is located on their website.
http://www.soapgoods.com/Titanium-Dioxide-p-670.html - U.S. supplier of powdered TiO₂
http://ice.chem.wisc.edu/Catalog/SciKits.html#Anchor-Nanocrystalline-41703 - Buildable nanocrystalline solar cell kits for 5 cells
http://www.arborsci.com/dye-sensitized-solar-cell-kit-1008 - Dye-sensitized solar cell kit for 15 cells
https://bootcamp.berkeley.edu/blog/free-stem-resources-for-girls-and-women-in-data-science-machine-learning-and-ai/ - While not focused on photovoltaics specifically, this website provides a great number of resources for girls and women interested in participating in STEM.

4. VIDEOS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHTbw5jy6qU - A video on how to make a dye sensitized solar cell based on titanium dioxide and anthocyanin found in raspberries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DQt8Sd1qgY - How to make a solar cell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVwzJEhMmD8 - A video on how to make a solar cell based on powdered donuts and passion tea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0elhIcPVtKE&list=SPACD8E92715335CB2&index=5%20http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0elhIcPVtKE&list=SPACD8E92715335CB2&index=5 - Photovoltaics 101.
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/solarpanel.html - Photovoltaic cell animation illustrating the P-N junction

5. APPLICATIONS

https://sustainability.utexas.edu/solarstations.php - Solar powered cell phone recharge stations, University of Texas, Austin, TX
https://facilitiesservices.utexas.edu/EWC/documents/UTAustinSolarPVEfforts_2015.pdf - Rooftop solar on UT campus now
http://www.nexushaus.com/project/photovoltaics - Self-sufficient homes
http://utsvt.com/ - Solar cars
http://www.appliedmaterials.com/company/corporate-responsibility/sustainability - Solar array rooftop, parking lot, decorative, etc. instillations
http://muellersunflowers.powerdash.com/home - Mueller solar sunflowers, an electric garden in Austin, TX

6. CONSERVATION

http://wilderness.org/article/advancing-clean-energy - The Wilderness Society promoting clean energy
https://stateimpact.npr.org - Reports on how state issues and policies from six states affect people’s lives