Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
Maryland Standards
- Give examples that show that energy can warm a substance
- Describe the observable effect of energy, such as heating and cooling
- Describe heat properties of different materials
- Give examples of materials that conduct heat energy better than others
- Explain that heat energy moves from a warm object to a cooler object by contact or at a distance until they reach the same temperature
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Project 2061 benchmarks:
- The sun is the main source of energy for people, and they use it in various ways.
- The energy in fossil fuels such as oil and coal comes from the sun indirectly, because the fuels come from plants that grew long ago.
- Some energy sources cost less than others, and some cause less pollution than others.
- People try to conserve energy or use renewable sources of energy in order to slow down the depletion of energy resources and/or to save money.
Student Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Apply scientific knowledge of heat transfer and solar energy: convection, conduction, and radiation
- Develop a rationale for the use of solar energy based on research
- Explain how solar energy is the basis of natural energy on Earth
- Evaluate models and incorporate features into their own design
- Accurately use scientific instruments when conducting experiments
- Collect, organize, display, interpret, and draw conclusions from experimental data
- Compare and contrast the use of fossil fuels versus solar energy
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