RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENGINEERING: SOLAR ACTIVITY

Persuasive Writing: Choose Solar!

 

Overview

Students should compose an argument for why their town should choose to add more solar panels in their communities! They should be coming up with three reasons why their town would benefit from adding solar power, and remember to address potential concerns. Students can then decide to present their findings to a local government official that would help implement more solar panels, and more renewable energy sources in their community.

Materials

  • Personal computers or tablets

  • Worksheet printed here

Activity Duration:

1 hour

Essential Questions

  • How would your city/ town benefit from more solar panels?

  • Why should people look into adding more solar panels to their roofs?

  • How can you convince someone to invest in solar power in their home or in their community?

 

Instructions

  1. The first step is to choose an audience. A good place to start would be the adults you live with, someone at school like a principal or STEM coordinator, or a local government official.

  2. Brainstorm three ideas for why your home, school, or community would benefit from more solar panels on the worksheet provided.

  3. Come up with one potential concern someone might have about solar panels, and address it with some evidence or knowledge you have.

  4. After planning your writing, write a short paper (1-2 pages maximum) about why your home, school, or community, would benefit from solar panels and solar power as a whole.

  5. Present your paper to the person you wrote it to and see what happens! Is this a viable option for them? Why? Why not? Discuss pros and cons and come up with some sustainability goals for the future together.