Student-Designed Solar Photovoltaics Investigation – Student Handout Part 2

Summary

Part 2: Selecting and Evaluating Potential Installation Sites

In Part 2, student teams identify and evaluate two potential solar PV installation sites on their school grounds, then select the optimal location using evidence-based reasoning. Teams choose between two analysis methods, a desktop analysis with Google Earth or a guided site walk around the school property, and document their findings using annotated screenshots, photos, or short video clips. Both methods support authentic, place-based learning that connects classroom science to the student’s actual school environment.

Students evaluate each site against four engineering criteria: sunlight exposure, environmental impact, accessibility and safety, and available area. For each criterion, teams record observations, supporting evidence, and reasoning, building skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection, site analysis, and engineering design thinking. After comparing both sites, teams justify their final recommendation using evidence drawn from each criterion.

This part builds skills in observational analysis, evidence-based reasoning, and engineering design evaluation. It supports NGSS standards including HS-ETS1-3 on evaluating engineering solutions with multiple constraints and HS-ESS3-2 on cost-benefit analysis of energy resources. The activity works for high school physics, environmental science, AP Environmental Science, engineering, and geography classrooms, and it is one of the few classroom activities that explicitly teaches solar site analysis as a real-world engineering practice.

Extend the Lesson: Use Part 2 as the second stage of the full Student-Designed Solar Photovoltaics Investigation. Pair with the Introduction to Solar lesson for foundational concepts, and use the Science of Solar lesson for additional background on factors that affect PV performance.