It's great that you're planning a hands-on Electricity Unit with your Year 5/6 students. Building a solar-powered house is a fantastic and engaging way to introduce renewable energy and basic circuits. Lets look at both in supplies and setup, with tips to make it age-appropriate and manageable.
Each student (or pair/group) will:
Build a model house from cardboard or similar. Makedo would be a great addition here!
Wire up a basic circuit to power LED lights (and optionally, a wind turbine, a fan or buzzer).
Use a small solar panel to run the circuit in sunlight.
This combines construction skills, electrical basics, and environmental awareness.
| Component | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mini solar panel (3V–6V) | Powers the house | Look for 3–6V panels, 0.5–1W; comes with wires or clips. |
| Rechargeable AA battery + holder (optional) | Stores energy if no sun | You can skip this for simplicity or use a solar battery charger. |
| LED lights | Lighting the house | Choose 3mm or 5mm LEDs (any colour); avoid 12V types. |
| Resistors (e.g., 220 ohm) | To protect LEDs from overcurrent | Often needed when using batteries or strong sun. |
| Small DC motor (optional) | For extra challenge | Runs off solar; great for ventilation demo. |
| Wire (solid core preferred) | Connecting everything | Get jumper wires or a roll of 22 AWG wire. |
| Alligator clips or crocodile leads | Easy connections | Makes building easier for younger students. |
| Switches (optional) | To turn lights on/off | Adds realism; slide or toggle switches. |
| Cardboard, glue, tape, scissors | For building houses | Milk cartons or shoeboxes work well. |
| Multimeter (1–2 per class) | To test circuits/solar output | Optional but helpful. |
| Soldering? | No need! Use prewired parts or twist wires + tape. |
You could purchase basic solar house kits if you'd prefer a less DIY option. Look for:
Extensions:
Add a switch or sensor to turn on lights at night.
Include a small buzzer as an alarm system.
Run a design challenge (e.g., brightest house, most efficient, coolest design).
Start with simple circuits using a battery before adding solar.
Use a shared light source (like a torch or desk lamp) if outside sun is unreliable.
Test components before the lesson.
Assign roles in each group: builder, electrician, tester, documenter.
Year 6 Content Descriptor (ACSSU097)
"Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources."
ACSSU097 on ACARA
How your project links:
Students build a circuit using solar power to transfer electrical energy into light (LED), optionally a fan (motion), and learn about energy sources.
This project aligns with the sustainability priority by:
Exploring renewable energy (solar power).
Encouraging resource-conscious design.
Discussing energy efficiency and environmental impact.
ACTDEK020
"Investigate how electrical energy can control movement, sound or light in a designed product or system."
ACTDEK020
ACTDEP025
"Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques."
ACTDEP027
"Select appropriate materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and apply safe procedures to make designed solutions."
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