Discover Your Changing World with NOAA

Objective

Students will learn that the Sun is the primary source of energy for Earth's climate system (Climate Science Principle 1), understand how a Solar Heat Engine model demonstrates the conversion of heat energy into motion energy, and be able to explain what it means to be a "climate literate" person.

Materials

• "Discover Your Changing World with NOAA" Activity Book — Introduction (p. 1) and Activity 1: "The Great, Glowing Orb" (pp. 2–4)
• Paper and pencil for each student
• Board or chart paper for recording class answers

(No building materials are needed — this class will read and discuss the resource text and diagrams rather than construct the physical engine, since building it requires adult-supervised cutting tools and hot glue.)

Warm-up (~5 min)

1. Write on the board: "What is a climate-literate person?"
2. Read aloud the Introduction section's list of guiding questions (p. 1): How does the Sun drive Earth's climate system? How do the ocean, ice, clouds, and atmospheric gases affect the Sun's energy on Earth?
3. Read the three-part definition of a climate-literate person from the Introduction (understands the climate system, knows how to find accurate climate information, makes informed decisions).
4. Ask students to jot down one sentence: "Why might it be useful to be climate literate?" (No need to collect — just a warm-up thought.)

Main Activity (~25 min)

1. Introduce the Big Idea from Activity 1: "The Sun is the primary source of energy for Earth's climate system" (Climate Science Principle 1).
2. Read aloud the opening paragraph of Activity 1 (p. 2): explain that Sun's energy heats Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere, and that heat moving from the Equator to the Poles creates winds and ocean currents — heat energy being changed to motion energy.
3. Read the "How It Works" section aloud: explain that the Solar Heat Engine uses plastic strips that shrink when heated by sunlight and lengthen again when cooled in shadow, causing the drum to rotate.
4. Using the photos and Figure 1 (exploded view diagram) in the text, walk students through the concept of the engine step by step: the Fixed Cup Assembly, the Wobble Cup Assembly, the plastic strips, and the flywheel — emphasizing this is a model of how heat energy becomes motion energy, similar to how the Sun's heat drives Earth's winds and currents.
5. Pose the "Think About It" question from p. 4 to the class for discussion: Would strips made from a white plastic bag work as well as strips made from a black plastic bag? Is it important to consider heat reflection and heat absorption when choosing the color of plastic strips? Have students discuss in pairs for 2–3 minutes, then share out.
6. Pose the "Challenge" question from p. 4: How could you increase the power of this type of solar heat engine? Take a few student ideas and write them on the board.

Wrap-up / Exit Ticket (~10 min)

Have students answer the following on paper to turn in:

1. What is the primary source of energy for Earth's climate system?
2. In your own words, explain how the Solar Heat Engine changes heat energy into motion energy.
3. Would black or white plastic strips work better for the Solar Heat Engine, and why?
4. In one sentence, explain what it means to be a "climate-literate" person.

If Time Remains

Discuss the "Hint" question from p. 4: If you could operate your Solar Heat Engine in two locations at the same time, do you think it would spin faster in Northern Canada or Southern Florida? Ask students to explain their reasoning using the idea that differences in the amount of solar energy arriving at different latitudes is a major control on climate.