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This project will provide students with a great first step for entrepreneurial focused students to understand the world of renewable energy possibilities, and also serves as an introduction to Science units on energy. The goal is for our students to gain exposure and interest in the incubator courses, those designed to coach entrepreneurs, offered at Collier County Public High Schools.

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Hurricanes Harness The Power Of The Sun

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School:
Manatee Middle 
Subject:
Technology 
Teacher:
Robert Wind 
Students Impacted:
780 
Grade:
6-8 
Date:
July 25, 2016

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

 

Suncoast Credit Union - $754.99

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Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 800

Hurricanes Harness The Power Of The Sun

 

As a result of this project, hundreds of students at Manatee Middle School—including Champions for Learning mentors—were exposed to learning about solar energy in our courtyard.  Thanks to this project, the desire to have a phone fuel up on electricity while students fuel up on food led to discussions about how this Aspect Solar device harnesses the power of the sun using a photovoltaic array. 

 

Student ambassadors or Solar Ambassadors first learned about the development and use of solar power throughout human civilization. Students conducted research on advancements in solar energy and how solar energy has been used throughout the ages by participating in the construction of a timeline. Students expanded their knowledge of solar power by devising ideas for their own solar inventions.  Ideas included an umbrella that can replace our current table umbrella but include solar arrays and a USB port to charge cellular phones. 

 

The Aspect Solar Energy Bar and inverter enabled students to think about the ways that we store energy to make it portable.  Students asked questions like “Why would you need to store energy in that device?” and the Solar Ambassadors provided them with several scenarios under which the energy bar could be utilized. 

 

On average we have about five or six students coming up to us to ask questions while we are parked in the courtyard.  We were late getting started on utilizing this project, but in the past few weeks we have gained momentum and the students expect us to be outside so that they can charge their devices before heading back to their Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classes. 

 

Our Solar Ambassadors continue to think of new ways we can utilize the Energy Bar and ways we can increase the amount of sun captured by the solar array.  We have also talked about our Solar Pavilion provided by Florida Power and Light (FPL) that generates solar power for our school on a daily basis almost unnoticed until now. 

We are grateful that we are able to provide direct and engaging experience with solar power right in the courtyard of our school.  We could not have done it without the Suncoast Credit Union and Champions for Learning. 

 

Thank you,

Robert Wind

 

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Solar Ambassadors seek shade while the Kindles and

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Collecting solar energy during our staff vs. studn

 

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Solar Energy being captured in the courtyard while

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Students Learning about solar energy from our Sola

 

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On a sunny day, we cannot resist a little sun.

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The model for the Ambassadors Infographic Project

 

Original Grant Overview

Goal

This project will provide students with a great first step for entrepreneurial focused students to understand the world of renewable energy possibilities, and also serves as an introduction to Science units on energy. The goal is for our students to gain exposure and interest in the incubator courses, those designed to coach entrepreneurs, offered at Collier County Public High Schools.  

 

What will be done with my students

With the AspectSolar Solar Power Pack Pro students will learn to harness the power of the sun. We will begin learning about the process of using photovoltaic cells aka "PV cells" to convert the energy from the sun into electricity. During lunch, when the sun is at its peak, we will collect the sun's rays with the PV cells, the energy will be transferred from photons to loose electrons. Students will be able to understand and explain to other students the process in which the electric field forces these electrons to flow in a direction called a current. During lunch, students can plug in their tablets and phones to draw this current by placing their USB charger into the solar generator.  

 

Benefits to my students

Students often have a hard time getting excited about starting a business. But when you teach them about the possibility and the need for what is not currently available, they begin to innovate and generate. With a full charge from the lightweight and portable EnergyBar from Aspect Solar, students will be able to harness, learn, and teach about the benefits of solar energy.

We hope to have this project lead to further development of the solar potential on the campuses of our schools. We hope to further understanding of the unlimited power of the sun and its ability power our electronic devices without using fossil fuel. A renewed hope for renewed energy given life by our future.  

 

Budget Narrative

The Aspect Solar Energy Bar 250 Pro Pack will provide students with all of the tools necessary to not only participate in project-based science education but also to learn about business education. Students will work in groups organized through the media specialist to begin to deploy the solar generator around the school, at special events, at community events, and for years to come. The Aspect Solar materials come with a five-year warranty.  

 

Items

# Item Cost
1 AspectSolar 804551475283 Solar Power Pack Pro 60 $754.99
  Total: $754.99

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Special Thanks to Our Presenting Partners

Suncoast Credit Union