The Sun Blocker

This Science Unlocked Wonder level kit, The Sun Blocker: Light and Warmth From the Sun, shines some light on how energy from the sun causes changes on Earth, and answer questions like, "What is the sun?", "How does the sun provide light and heat for Earth?", and "What would happen if Earth didn't get energy from the sun?"

In this curriculum kit, students will use energy from the sun to make art with sunprint paper, learn the basics of what the sun is and how it sends energy to Earth, do an experiment to find out how different surfaces heat up when in the sun, and protect a chocolate bar from the sun by building a "Sun Blocker." The Sun Blocker comes with a full-color Student Curriculum Workbook and a detailed Teacher Guide. It is a phenomenon-based approach, designed to fully engage students in the topic of energy from the sun. Through a series of experiments, students will gain an understanding of how the sun sends energy to Earth's surface, how light and heat are used on Earth, and how surfaces can be affected differently by sunlight. This Wonder level kit will provide over 6 hours of learning, introducing your student to many foundational physics concepts.

The student will engage in these exciting activities:

1. Make a design on sunprint paper using only sunlight and water
2. Find out what the sun is, what it's made of, and how it provides the earth with light and heat
3. Do an experiment to find out what can melt chocolate the fastest
4. Protect chocolate from the sun by building a sun-blocking device

• What is the sun?
• How does energy from the sun get to Earth?
• What happens to energy from the sun when it gets to Earth?
• What types of surfaces get warmer when in sunlight?
• What's the best way to protect a surface from sunlight?

Interested in learning more? Check out our Student Workbook Sample and Teacher Guide Sample!  

Our Sun Blocker kit is a part of the Science Unlocked Wonder series and is recommended for grades K-2.

This kit contains:

• 2 Aluminum Foil Sheets
• 2 Construction Papers, Black
• 2 Construction Papers, White
• 1 Chocolate Bar
• 1 Modeling Clay
• 1 Sunprint Kit

You will need to supply:

• Scissors
• Sunlight (direct or window)
• Water 

• Learning outcome: Learn why the sun is important to Earth by finding out how to melt chocolate faster, making art using the sun, and more!
• NGSS science standards alignment
• K-PS3-1: Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface.
• K-PS3-2: Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area.